National Foster Care Month

May is National Foster Care Month.  Many of our church families are involved in the foster care system and it provides an important service to children and youth that promotes a healthy nation. In his Presidential Proclamation our nation’s leader, President Obama says “Half a million children and youth are in foster care in America, all entering the system through no fault of their own.  During National Foster Care Month we recognize the promise of children, and youth in foster care as well as former foster youth.  We also celebrate the professionals and foster parents who demonstrate the depth and kindness of the human heart.”

I would encourage anyone who has ever thought about it, to study further the possibility of becoming foster care providers.  The need is greater than ever, especially when it comes to foster care for special needs young people.  If you don’t have foster care in your life you can always be supportive of those who do.  Foster care can be especially stressful at times and moments of respite, appreciation and monetary support can mean the world to these families.

In a Biblical sense we are all in foster care, adopted by God when we were once far from home.  As I Peter 1:10 says “Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”   God has received us into his family through grace that was provided by the blood of Jesus on the cross.  That grace calls us to receive others in like manner with hospitality and love.