Foster families take in children who cannot safely live with their own parents, sometimes with only a few hours' notice. The children may arrive with a trash bag of clothes, deep fears and a lot of grief. The foster parents are often exhausted and stretched thin. And many of them say the hardest part is feeling like nobody around them understands. Most of us admire foster parents from a distance and never ask how we could help.
Jesus once made a child the center of attention.
A child in the middle
Jesus's closest friends had been arguing on the road about which of them was the greatest. When they got to the house in Capernaum, a fishing town by the lake, Jesus asked what they had been talking about. They were embarrassed and said nothing.
So he sat down and called them over. Then he did something they did not expect.
And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them,
Mark 9:36 · King James VersionThe original Greek
καὶ λαβὼν παιδίον ἔστησεν αὐτὸ ἐν μέσῳ αὐτῶν καὶ ἐναγκαλισάμενος αὐτὸ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς·
Found in Codex Vaticanus (about AD 325), Codex Sinaiticus (about AD 350).
He told them that whoever welcomed a child like this in his name was welcoming him, and that whoever welcomed him was welcoming God.
In a world where children had little status, Jesus put a child in the middle of the room and held him. That was his answer to who matters most.
Ways to help
Bring meals. Especially when a new child arrives. The first days are chaos.
Get approved to babysit. Many foster agencies let friends become approved helpers, so the parents can get a break. Ask the family how it works where they live.
Help with supplies. Clothes, shoes, a suitcase, car seats, school supplies. Children often arrive with very little.
Offer rides. Foster parents drive to many appointments, visits and court dates.
Treat the kids like any other kids. Invite them to birthday parties. Learn their names. Do not ask about their past in front of them.
Respect privacy. Foster families cannot share much about a child's story. Do not press for details.
Support them when a child leaves. Saying goodbye to a child who goes home or moves is a real grief.
Consider fostering yourself. Not everyone can. But many more homes are needed.
Welcome in his name
Jesus took a child in his arms and said that was welcoming him. Foster families live that out with children who need it most. If you know a foster family, you can make sure they are not doing it alone.