Needs Alert!
This week we have been in the process of placing three siblings (ages 4, 5, 6) in one of our approved Safe Families homes. The children's mother suffers from cancer and is not well enough to take care of them. They have been staying with a family friend who can no longer provide for them. I wish you could see these cute, well-behaved, and polite little kids. If you did, you would want to take them home with you. The family that is considering them has resolved all of the issues but one. They do not have a vehicle large enough to accommodate the children along with their six-year-old son. Because of their ages, all of the children would need to be in the back seat(s) in child safety seats and seatbelt restraints.
We want to keep the children together if at all possible. We need your help. We have sent out an alert to the Safe Family's church prayer chain this morning. Now we are asking you if you have a minivan or SUV in good working order that you would be willing to donate or lend for a few months -- let us know asap! Also, you will see that this need is listed under prayer requests. We will appreciate your prayers in this matter. There is some urgency to this appeal because the children will need to be enrolled in school quickly as classes are starting in about two weeks.
If multiple vehicles are donated, we have other families who are in need of transportation as well. This brings me to a related subject. Baptist Family is a regional and field partner of You Share, a nationwide virtual warehouse for folks who have goods and/or services they want to donate. You Share connects families with critical needs to people who can fulfill those needs. It is an opportunity for people to share their resources and develop relationships that will lead to better lives and better communities. You can go to www.youshare.org, register as a neighbor, and list the goods/services you wish to donate. We will be notified so we are aware of the donation. This is not for people who want to get rid of things right away. You would need to hold on to your items until you are contacted that there is a need for them. Check it out and help out families in crisis today.
SUCCESSES!
Note: These stories are taken from our monthly "PrayerGram." If you would like to receive the Prayergram by email, please click here and leave us your address. All names have been changed to protect the identities of our kids and families.
Melissa approved two new families for our Safe Families for Children program. One family is from Faith Baptist Church in Glen Burnie and the other is from North Harford Baptist Church. We also welcomed two new CHOSEN families earlier this month --one from Howard County and the other from Baltimore County. We are happy that they are willing to open their homes to children in need.
There is great news to pass along about Ching Lan, for whom you have been praying over the past several months. She became a naturalized U.S. citizen in January and started a full time job with benefits this week. Ching Lan is now looking at a more stable future.
Darron took his GED test this week. After he receives the GED, he has a job lined up and ready to go.
Kudos to foster parent Tamara Harris for her willingness to stay up all night during a recent hospitalization with her CHOSEN child.
Prayer Requests
...for a foster child who is having difficulty with the transition back to his biological family and is acting out.
...for a foster teen who has not had contact with his biological family for years and is hesitant to respond after they reached out to him through social media.
...for a woman who lost her husband on Monday; she is feeling overwhelmed by the logistics of his burial as well as the grief of losing him.
...for a foster child who is struggling to stay on task at school.
...for a young man who is seeking a diagnosis for chronic abdominal pain.
...for a foster child who has been experiencing suicidal ideations.
...for a man who will undergo cataract surgery next week.
...for a young mother who is recovering from a severe infection in the brain and going through physical therapy.