I wanted to write a post as I begin this new ministry. This will be my why of doing this. If you want more information about The Forgotten Initiative (TFI) as a whole, please go here or watch the video at the top of my homepage.
Now to get to my why this. In late 2020, my husband and I began talking about doing foster care and inviting our family to trust that God would help us show His love to those that are struggling in many ways. We opened our house to foster kids starting in December of 2021.
For the next three years, we were among the broken hearted. We wanted to practically show these kids that no matter what has happened to them that they are worthy. We also were able to show our sons how to view everyone as an image bearer of God. Many good and hard conversations, and things, happened during those years. Ultimately, we stopped because our sons asked.
Before we stopped, a fellow foster mom I knew asked me to go with her to a conference for foster and adoptive moms. I went with her and enjoyed a place that I wasn’t looked at as “special” and could empathize without really explaining things. I also was able to have God fill my cup there. Through this conference, I learned of a podcast called “Just Neighbors.”
This podcast was my first introduction to TFI. I fell in love with the idea of coming alongside the social workers at the foster care agency. I began to view the workers in a new light as well. They are also image bearers of God. They also deal with these broken kids and families, but they are often in the background of it all.
When our sons asked us to stop foster care, I completely understood, but I personally didn’t want to stop. I was wondering how I could still be a part of this community without pushing what my family needed to do aside. The podcast was talking about volunteer advocates to help connect churches and the agencies. So, after praying about it, I knew this is how I could still be a part of the foster care community without having kids living at our house.
So, I took a leap of faith (and out of my comfort zone) and applied to be a TFI Advocate. I went through the training and now this is the beginning! I am excited to see how God uses this to bring more awareness to the foster care workers, but also to have them feel loved and worthy as well. As the founder of TFI, Jami Kaeb, says, “Well cared for people care well for people.” This is my hope for this ministry. I want to encourage and care well for these social workers.
