------------------------------------------
My heart goes out to you, dear ones. I have no experiences of being in your shoes and I don't fully understand what you're going through, but I've heard and read things that have broken my heart into a million pieces. Hold on and be strong. Run to Jesus; He'll keep you safe. No matter what you're going through or how hard it is to look for the light at the end of the tunnel, He cares and He'll hide you in His love. If I could, I would wrap you in my own arms and never let anything bad happen to you. My prayer is that you have been placed in safe and loving homes for the duration of your journey and not trapped under the discipline of an evil or uncaring caregiver. I don't know you, but I love you and I'm praying for you.
Love,
A friend
----------------------------------------------
Recently, I have been reading a book called Three Little Words: A Memoir by Ashley Rhodes-Courter. It follows the young life of a girl forced into the foster care system after her mother can no longer take care of her, due to drugs and other illegal activities. She is constantly passed from home to home and recounts all the struggles, fears, and sparks of hope that she experienced. Since this is a memoir, I feel like I get more of a realistic look at what really went on while little Ashley was sloshed about in the foster care system. Through her honest voice throughout the script, it seems clear that she did her research and went back to find out what exactly happened to her. Her details are clear and she's honest when she isn't sure about something.
Not everything that happened to her was bad. She reminisces about time she spent in her grandmother's care, a few calm homes where she was the only or one of a small number of children in the house, and short visits with her mother where she was given presents. But the bad things she experienced broke my heart. One of the worst homes, so far as I've read (which is about halfway through), was the home of a wicked woman who relished discipline. She was angry all the time, only changed the bedsheets every months (even if they wet the bed), made the children drink hot sauce or squat under a counter if they were naughty, and made all 14 of them bathe in the same 8 inches of bathwater - babies, toddlers, and elementary children alike! Once when little Ashley threw up and didn't make it to the bathroom, the lady shoved her face in it and made her clean it up. This horrible woman would then turn around and bake cookies and brownies, and serve lemonade on days the caseworkers came to visit. But of course, the children never got any. All they got was a stern warning not to say anything that made her look bad.
This afternoon, I spoke to a friend who informed me that she had actually spent some time in the foster care system herself. I was shocked. She explained that there really are some terrible foster families out there. She remembered always being hungry while she was there and having to sneak out to steal food while the foster mom wasn't awake so she and her sister wouldn't starve. She even heard the foster mom tell one of her friends at some house party that those kids in the other room were helping her "rake in the dough."
Hungry, unloved, mistreated. This is NOT how children should be raised - if you can even call it raising. If there is ever a child I know who is teetering between a rough life and the system, you bet your buttons I'll take them under my roof in a heartbeat if they'll let me. No child should have to go through such terrible conditions.
On a happy note, I was so thankful to learn earlier this week that some good friends of mine are looking into becoming foster parents! They are fantastic people - so loving and caring and focused on Jesus. I know that they will do everything in their power to give the kids that come their way a good home filled with only happy memories. I am so thankful for goldhearted people like these!
Not everything that happened to her was bad. She reminisces about time she spent in her grandmother's care, a few calm homes where she was the only or one of a small number of children in the house, and short visits with her mother where she was given presents. But the bad things she experienced broke my heart. One of the worst homes, so far as I've read (which is about halfway through), was the home of a wicked woman who relished discipline. She was angry all the time, only changed the bedsheets every months (even if they wet the bed), made the children drink hot sauce or squat under a counter if they were naughty, and made all 14 of them bathe in the same 8 inches of bathwater - babies, toddlers, and elementary children alike! Once when little Ashley threw up and didn't make it to the bathroom, the lady shoved her face in it and made her clean it up. This horrible woman would then turn around and bake cookies and brownies, and serve lemonade on days the caseworkers came to visit. But of course, the children never got any. All they got was a stern warning not to say anything that made her look bad.
This afternoon, I spoke to a friend who informed me that she had actually spent some time in the foster care system herself. I was shocked. She explained that there really are some terrible foster families out there. She remembered always being hungry while she was there and having to sneak out to steal food while the foster mom wasn't awake so she and her sister wouldn't starve. She even heard the foster mom tell one of her friends at some house party that those kids in the other room were helping her "rake in the dough."
Hungry, unloved, mistreated. This is NOT how children should be raised - if you can even call it raising. If there is ever a child I know who is teetering between a rough life and the system, you bet your buttons I'll take them under my roof in a heartbeat if they'll let me. No child should have to go through such terrible conditions.
----------------------------------------------
On a happy note, I was so thankful to learn earlier this week that some good friends of mine are looking into becoming foster parents! They are fantastic people - so loving and caring and focused on Jesus. I know that they will do everything in their power to give the kids that come their way a good home filled with only happy memories. I am so thankful for goldhearted people like these!
No comments:
Post a Comment