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Winter Cohort 2022 pt.2

Here is the second half of our Winter 2022 TFI Advocate Training Cohort. We were overwhelmed with how lovely these people are, and we are so excited for you to be able to get to know them better! Would you pray with us for the launch of their ministries?

Stephanie Osborn, Tuscaloosa County, AL:
Stephanie is a nurse by trade but is currently able to be a stay-at-home mother. She has been married to her husband, Heath, for 10 years and has 4 children, one of which was adopted through the foster care system this year. After their son’s adoption, they transitioned to a respite foster home. They live in Northport, Alabama, and attend a local church that has a heart for missions.
When asked, “Why do you want to be a TFI Advocate?” she shared:
“A few months ago, another foster family and ours expressed our deep desires to see the local church be unified in the calling that has been placed upon it. We strongly believe there are many churches in our community who want to step in and serve however, there needs to be a point of contact willing to do some of the work to make it more known and feasible. Christy and her husband and my husband, Heath, and I are presenting a Foster Care Initiative at our church this month to do just that. Make the need known– all the way from the caseworkers, to the biological family, to the foster children, to the foster family. Our desire is to draw near to Jesus and help others to do the same. We would like to pursue this endeavor as a group as well.”
Please pray that God will send workers- social workers, foster families for teens, local churches- to serve those most vulnerable within Tuscaloosa County and that the current workers would feel encouraged and empowered to continue the good work they have set before them.
Amber Pettijohn, Chipley, FL:
Amber, like so many others, wears multiple hats. She is a wife to her fabulous husband, PJ. They have been married for over a decade. She is also a full-time student at Liberty University, where she is working on her B.S. in Psychology. She and her husband are soon-to-be foster parents. They love their local church, where her husband serves as lead pastor. They truly enjoy serving their people.
When asked, “Why do you want to be a TFI Advocate?” she shared:
“I am interested in becoming a TFI Advocate because the foster care community is in desperate need of help. Advocacy and awareness can be vital to getting help to those who need it most in the foster care community. I love that TFI has a program in place to help advocates so that we don’t have to start from nothing.”
Please pray that our church will fully embrace the burden for the foster care community and commit their time, talents, and resources for God’s glory and service. Also, pray that our local agency will be strengthened and encouraged by the support and love of the local church.
Aimey McClanahan, Houston County, GA:
Aimey and her husband, Phillip, have been married for 20 years. They have a 25-year-old son, Austin, and a 14-year-old daughter, Emma. Their eyes were opened up to the world of foster care about 5 years ago and have now been certified foster parents for 2 years with a private agency. They had one placement of 3 brothers fr 17 months. They live in Kathleen, Georgia, and love hosting different events at their home, showing hospitality, and forming community.
When asked, “Why do you want to be a TFI Advocate?” she shared:
“Community … In general, community is important, but even more so with foster care. You need a group of people who are in or have gone through the same struggles. As well as a group of people who are not called to foster but that are ready to meet the needs of foster families and kiddos.”
Prayers for case managers to be sustained and for more churches in the community to be involved in supporting them. Pray for awareness to be raised regarding the needs of teens in foster care.
Dorothy Mendoza, Bangor, ME: 
Dorothy and her husband Chris live in Hermon, Maine where they operate a family business and work in student ministry together at a local church. They are passionate about serving their community through foster care and always have two or three little ones around to love, for however long they need.
When asked, “Why do you want to be a TFI Advocate?” she shared:
“As a foster family for over 3 years, we can not ignore the need for awareness and support in the foster care community. Foster families are overwhelmed, caseworkers are overworked and undertrained, the kids are suffering, and Christians don’t know. God has been working on my heart and saying it’s time to do more, but it’s hard to know where to start. I love the idea of being trained and resourced by an organization that knows what they are doing. This is so needed in our area. I’m done being discouraged about the need. I’m just ready to jump in and fill it.”
My prayer request for our local Foster Care Community is relational healing. I have never met a Foster Family in our area that is not discouraged by systems and processes that do not prioritize the children. Of course, policies could improve. But even more importantly, the relationships between bio families, foster parents, and state agencies need healing, so that all of the adults surrounding the kids in care, can work together and support each other through the hard work they are doing. There would be so much power in that unity!
Brent & Abby Holsberry, Wichita Falls, TX:
Brent and Abby were high school sweethearts and have been married almost 5 years. They recently moved back to their hometown, Wichita Falls, Texas where Brent is a physical therapist and Abby stays at home with their children Hudson and McKinley. They have been foster parents since 2020 and have seen 2 beautiful children join them in their home.
When asked, “Why do you want to be a TFI Advocate?” they shared:
“Since becoming foster parents, so many of our conversations with others have centered around the phrases, “I could never do that” or “I feel like I would protect myself and not love the kids completely.” We have found that these statements are simply untrue. We want to be able to help families who have considered fostering but have not taken the next step to recognize that our ability to love these kids has little to do with us and everything to do with God’s grace. We also recognize that not everyone is called to serve in the same ways, but everyone can play a role in helping foster children through donation, prayer, and mentoring. After reading about The Forgotten Initiative and what the organization’s goals are, we knew immediately it was the perfect avenue to continue our service to foster children.”
Our prayer request for Wichita Falls is that more people would step up and walk in obedience to the call to be respite providers, specifically for ages 6+ and sibling groups. The foster parents in our area are hurting for a break. In order to continue loving on their kids well, they need the ability to have rest and that is something that is not available for them right now. We feel that becoming a respite provider is a wonderful way to be a light and show Jesus to the foster care community.