CCE Home for Good Champion
I’m guessing that I am not the only person who has a bible verse or verses that feel especially meaningful to them. I can still recall the day that Psalm 68v6 first seemed to jump out to me as I read it.
“God sets the lonely in families.”
I think it was 2004. I was in my mid 20s and was walking in Holyrood Park. It wasn’t the easiest time of my life and in the midst of a difficult place my unexpected experience of this verse felt like a promise; God, it seemed, wanted me to be part of his mission to bring family to lonely people. I had no idea how. So in the months ahead I tried to be open. I looked out for what it might mean in my life, and the years went by. It went to the back of my mind.
It was 2017 when Heriot and I started fostering. It was probably during the preparation process that I realised that the verse that had felt significant had turned out to be so, in a way that would never have crossed my mind in 2004. Fostering would never have entered my thoughts then.
I have learned from Home for Good that a child comes into care every 15 seconds in the UK. The need is quite invisible to most of us, but we live in a city, and in a nation, where there are children every day needing a safe and loving home.
As foster carers we looked after 3 children for different periods over 7 years. After each move on we would take a break and then a day would come when we would say to the social work department – we are now available to take a new child in. Both times we were called within 24 hours. I was left wondering what would have happened if we hadn’t been available! And who were they calling the day after? And the day after that?
Fostering, and now adopting, has been such a gift to me, to Heriot and to our boys. Time and again (lovely!) people have said kind words about how amazing we are (it’s one of the perks of fostering and adopting!… and who wouldn’t love hearing that!). But the truth, as we have known it, is that fostering has been so deeply good for US. It kind of messes with my head that the thing that I chose to do as an act of generosity and kindness has given back to me in such abundance!
That’s my thoughts on the subject for now.
Maybe you could take a moment to ask God, do I have a part to play here?
As I continue to Champion the vision of Home for Good I am going to share some of my stories and others I know. If you have a story to share you’d like to share about fostering or adoption, whether you were on the receiving or giving side of caring, do get in touch.
Jess, CCE Home for Good Champion
