Could you welcome a child who’s in need into your home?
Reports show there are approximately 100,000 children in foster care in the United States who don’t have a mom and dad because the courts have deemed them unfit and have terminated their parental rights.
But think about this: There are about 300,000 churches in the U.S. If just one church out of three had a family who was willing to adopt a child, the number of kids on the foster adoption rolls would be zero.
Wouldn’t that be a great New York Times headline? “Christian Church Wipes Out Foster Care Adoption Lists!”
But could that really happen? According to Francis and Lisa Chan, it could … if Christians abide by the plain reading of Scripture that repeatedly tells us to take care of widows and orphans.
That’s not empty rhetoric for Francis and Lisa. They adopted a seventh child – a teenager – while Lisa was still pregnant with their sixth. If you haven’t heard their story, I encourage you to tune in for our program today, “Opening Your Home to Those in Need.”
I’m pleased to welcome Francis and Lisa Chan back to our studios for this inspiring but challenging conversation. It seems whenever we have the Chans with us, they lay our hearts wide open and make us think differently about where we’re at in our lives and what we’re doing for the Lord.
As you’ll hear, this is not just a practical discussion about the nuts and bolts of inviting someone to live in your home. We discuss the heart attitude a step like that requires. Opening your home to someone in need – even if God asks you to – isn’t necessarily easy.
But neither is living out the Gospel. It can be tough. Being intimately involved in people’s lives for Christ can be messy. We often assume that the Christian life is supposed to be easy and simple. Yet, the Bible is filled with one story after another about difficulty and the need for faith.
But, oh, the difference God’s grace through our faithfulness can make!
I’ve seen research that suggests that foster kids who get even just brief exposure to a functional family have a markedly improved chance for success when they get married. Foster children who have known nothing but brokenness, but who live with a healthy family for four to six months, experience what healthy family relationships can and should look like. When they can feel wholeness, sense it, be a part of it, it helps set them up for success in life in the best of ways.
Jean and I do respite care, and we’ve done foster care. Respite simply means you come around other foster families and give them a break by taking the kids for a weekend or supporting them in their efforts. Whether it be providing meals, doing laundry, or coming alongside a family prayerfully and emotionally, there are ways to play a part.
If you’re wondering where to start or are just in need of more information, visit our website Wait No More. We’ll help you discover what you can do to be one more of that growing number who is stepping into the life of a foster child in the name of Christ.
In the meantime, join us on your local radio station. Or tune in anytime online or via our free, downloadable mobile phone app.
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