A Ministry for the Whole Family
Looking at anything through the eyes of a child can completely alter our perspective. Fifth-graders seem like adults to kindergarteners. Christmas being two weeks away is f-o-r-e-v-e-r. And a flat tire at the park can mean more time to play, not an inconvenience.
FaithBridge foster dad Stephen Watts had the joy of seeing foster care through the eyes of a child as he saw his little girl react to a made-up bedtime story one night after a foster family party at their church. This story posted here was originally shared on the Mt. Bethel Church blog with other stories that have come out of their Called to Care Foster Care Ministry.
By Stephen Watts
As I was tucking our 4-year-old daughter into bed after a foster family event at our church, she asked me to tell her a story about her and her teddy bear.
I told her how one day she and her teddy bear were walking through the woods when they came across a beautiful castle. As she walked into this castle, she was greeted by the queen and king, who happened to be her mommy and daddy. My daughter asked why we were given this castle, and I told her that it was for her to live there as well as other children whose mommies and daddies could not take care of them right now.
During the whole story my daughter was smiling and bouncing up and down on her bed because she was so excited. When I told her the part of the story about the children staying with us, she became so excited she started shaking. She has truly enjoyed helping us take care of these children in foster care.
As my wife so perceptively pointed out the other day, it is a great ministry for our family because it is something all of our family can do together. While we can’t go out together and do something like build a house on an international mission trip because of the ages of our children, our daughters certainly can help us take care of children who need a family.
My prayer is that God will grant me and our church the same excitement that my daughter has in serving these children.