I'll tell a story

[Boaz]

The year was bout 95 to 96 to the best of my recollection . My wife and I were foster parents , we intended to foster and in the end adopt . So much happened during this time fostering that due to my failing memory I will not try to recount . We stayed busy with foster kids , my wife being an RN we dealt with many special needs kids with medical problems .

I figured out a program to get foster kids in church . If their parents had ever belonged to a church CPS (Child protective services) encouraged their parents by saying they would be 'considered' more responsible if they agreed to let the kids go to church when came time to try and get them back . Many just didn't care and agreed . We had a foster parent association in my county , I knew the lady that had run it for years and she said she would help me anyway she could . The paperwork was massive to accomplish this , my wife (Becky's mom) did most of it .

CPS had to sign off on every kid , a foster parent had to accompany each child while in church , the churches had to sign off they would be responsible......to relieve CPS of liability . In the process I was responsible to everyone ! Should anything happen I would be the scapegoat ...it was my idea , I was in charge .

First problem was transportation , had to get the churches to let us have vans . According to CPS each driver had to have a CDL , I had one but not many foster parents did not. I had to beg , cheat to get drivers . Next was vans , had to talk hard (I don't remember exactly but may have misrepresented a bit ) , some churches didn't want their vans taking kids anywhere but their church . I'm not singling out Catholics but there was one old priest , he was bout 70 years old . actually I knew him . He shot me down quick , didn't want to talk about it , would not have one of their vans drop kids anywhere but his church . I told him I would drive their van 'I' would supervise them in his church (as I said he knew me) . Told him I had 4 Catholic kids and if he didn't want em to come to services I'd take em to my Baptist church . LOL , he ranted a while and said if I would bring them he would do it ! I remember back and it's funny now . Had the same thing happen with my own pastor when asked , belonged to a Baptist mega church back then .

The program continued for 4 years , I was nearly driven crazy with red tape , parents , foster parents , CPS , the churches just to get some children into church . The world is a strange place , the moral of the story is ...why would this be so hard ? Why can't we just want our kids to know GOD ? I guess I'm just too simple because I have never figured it out .

[Pine Baron]

The more righteous the deed, the harder it becomes to do. The way of the world!

[frkelly74]

It does seem that the powers that be Small and large all have their own agenda. It is not about helping the kids, for them, who are in desperate need but they will grudgingly strike a deal to satisfy their own agenda. And it is certainly not about getting them into church. I admire the fact that you put up with the nonsense and had the kids well being at heart. I am kind of ashamed to say that when we were considering becoming foster parents I was daunted by all the stuff required and did not persue it. We would have had to practically remodel our whole house and lock up all the power tools and of course you have no second amendment rights when you have foster kids. So we didn't do it. Good on you!!!

[Thundarstick]

I will tell you a story as well. It's about some fine Christian people who had been fostering children just North of us in West KY for over 20 years. That all ended during the BHO administration, when all monies was cut off from anyone teaching children to pray or believe in God and the Bible. You can't indoctrinate these kids! To make a long story short, they adopted 9 of the most needy and the state of KY took the rest away in tears, many that had lived with these folks more than 10 years! God have mercy on us! The war is real, and it's for every soul! They are totally dependant on area churches now for support.
God bless all who take foster children and do rite by them, shurly you are gathering starts for a crown!

[Boaz]

Thundarstick I thank you but the story is not about me . The story is the system , we adopted and 'WE' were blessed . In most foster care situations unless the foster parents attend church the children will not know GOD .

[Thundarstick]

Then I will ask you, who builds the system? Do we with every vote we cast? As stated, God have mercy on us!

[Boaz]

Agreed . We understand . Trying to pacify the 'system', legal constraints , irresponsible parents , and Yea I'm all over this .

[Boaz]

I knew an unbelievable single woman . She was a nurse , worked at a state hospital . She adopted a baby that was terminal , the child lived to be four years old and died . This woman devoted her life and care to this child .

She went on and adopted two more children one at a time that lived a short life . She said she would not take another because she could not deal with any more loss . You might think she was trying to get attention , glory but not so . She never told but a few these children would die early because she wanted them to experience life normally and not live and die in a hospital . She never wanted any kind of credit for what she did .

[rl69]

In one of the study's I posted, it had the idea that many times the lord will give us a task, and the first thing he dose is put up obstacles. Mosses had to fight Pharo. David was appointed king but had to suffer Saul. Jesus told Peter satin has asked to sift you. It's only threw fire that we can cook out the impurity. Only threw heat and pressure can steel be forged into a solid tool.

[Boaz]

I'm in total agreement rl69 .