Our Fostering Story

Hi friends, it’s been nearly five years since I’ve written a blog and a lot has happened in our family in that time! One of the most life-changing events is what this one is about. Our story begins when my husband, Robert, and I had taken a spontaneous couple of nights away up the coast. Little did we know that our world was about to be turned upside-down.

A couple of months earlier we’d met up with our dear friends and pastors for a coffee. During the course of our conversation the subject of fostering came up. I think it might have been because my friend and I were talking about the movie ‘Instant Family’ which we both loved. I’d mentioned that fostering was something we had on our hearts to do but “down the track” once our kids were all out of home.

Back to our little holiday where on the morning of our second day I get an early text from the same dear friend saying, you guys mightn’t be ready for this yet, but she’d heard through another friend in the church of a little five year old boy that they were desperately looking for a home for and thought she’d let us know just in case. Then she included a photo of the most beautiful little face that melted my heart (how could she do that to us haha!). Robert was still asleep at this stage. My heart was racing and my head was saying, NO, we are definitely NOT ready for this but looking at his little face I thought, if not us then who? If we’re not willing to put our hand up, why should we expect someone else to do it? My friend had included the contact and left it with us. I was joking with her over text that poor Robert had no idea of the conversation he was about to wake up to!

We talked over breakfast and Robert was 100% on board. He was like “make the call!!” From then on, we were full of nervous anticipation and couldn’t really think of anything else on our little holiday. I called the CSO and left a message for her. We didn’t hear back until we were driving home the next afternoon. Once we got home, I called her and things were set in motion. Within two weeks of that call, this beautiful boy was in our home! It was a total whirlwind and miracle! In that time, we had to formally apply, go through all the background checks, have interviews, make sure ourselves and our older kids all had blue cards, get the house ready and up to safety standards, move one of our older boy’s out of his room down to the rumpus (he wasn’t complaining) and then set up our little boy’s room in anticipation. We only got our final approval on a Wednesday morning, then met him for the first time that afternoon. What a surreal and emotional experience that was. We’ll never forget it!  The very next day he was brought to our home and became an instant part of our family.

It's amazing to look back and see how God brought this beautiful little boy into our family. In the months/weeks leading up to that time, I could feel my heart being stirred about fostering. I’d read a story about an amazing couple who’d fostered 7 children who’d been orphaned, and it completely moved and challenged me. I kept talking to Robert about it. I felt such a sense that God had a little boy for us in our future, but I was still thinking that was a long way off. Even on the drive up on our trip away I felt prompted to pray for that little boy, whoever and wherever he was, that God would cover and protect him. Now we look back and see that God had been preparing us all along.

I also just want to say that in my mind I thought it would be best to foster once our kids had all moved out. Being in a blended family I thought adding another child into the mix wouldn’t be fair on them. I couldn’t have been more wrong! When we initially sat down and told our kids who are still at home about our plan to foster their response was one of excitement and happiness. Our kids love and adore him and they all have their special connection with him. He adores them all too and loves to tease and annoy them just like any little brother. He’s such a little character who brings so much joy and fun. Our kids couldn’t imagine life without him, and neither could we!

I’m leaving out quite a few details about our boy and some of the issues/challenges he had when coming to us. These do not go away overnight but let me just say that the power of love is an amazing thing that can literally change the trajectory of a child’s life. We still have lots of challenges to walk out but to see how far he’s come in just one year is incredible and literally brings tears to our eyes.

Coming into the world of fostering and now being connected to Child Safety and fostering agencies has opened up our eyes to the desperate need for more foster carers. In Queensland alone, there are over 11,000 children in the system with less than half of those in foster homes. The need is enormous. Each one of these children has a story that would break your heart. Please pray and consider if you have the capacity to take a child into your home and care for them. I’m not going to lie. It can be hard and tiring work but the joy and fulfillment in loving a child and providing a safe home environment far outweighs the personal cost.

We’re coming up to our one year anniversary in a couple of weeks. There are some days I still shake my head in disbelief at the fact that I’m now back with a child in grade one, when we literally just got all our kids out of school. And admittedly sometimes I think that Robert and I could be living a life where we’re free to do whatever we want now our kids are basically all adults. But then I look at that sweet little face and feel God’s love and heart for this beautiful boy and I know there’s nothing I’d rather be doing, even on the tough days. This is our little journey with much more to unfold and we trust God in it all.