I have never thought more about adoption and foster care than when I have been a foster parent. I did work as a Social Worker in foster care for a few years and so I was thinking about children in care 8 hours a day, but I still think more about it now than I did ever before. Lately, my thoughts have shifted to the Biblical examples of adoption and foster care in the Bible.
My thoughts started shifting at Christmas as I thought more about Jesus’ birth and his adoption. Jesus was adopted by Joseph. Jesus knew his father was in heaven and Joseph was his stepfather. I’m slightly embarrassed to write that as someone who was raised in a Christian home and have held firm my Christian beliefs and values all my life I have never once thought about how Jesus was adopted by Joseph! It’s almost an entirely new thought to me! My reflections on Joseph and his role in Jesus’ life were mostly on how he listened to Gods call by not disgracing Mary, and married her even though she was pregnant through the Holy Spirit. I haven’t thought about how he would have raised a child not his own and held a stepfather role to Jesus.
Another Biblical example of adoption and foster care is Moses. (Exodus 2) Moses’ story is quite well known. Have you looked at it through an adoption and foster care lens before? I hadn’t (Insert more embarrassment here). I had seen it as a mother giving up her baby to ensure his safety; but the thoughts stopped there! Moses story is an incredible story of open adoption and foster care! Moses mother was able to make an adoption plan for her child. She knew the bathing spot of Pharaoh’s daughter and she planned for the basket to float down the river at the right time. She then got her daughter to help facilitate the first meeting and to play the role of the caseworker! Moses’s sister organized Pharaoh’s daughter to allow Moses birth mother to care for him until he was weaned. Pharaoh’s daughter even agreed to pay for her to care for him! (Exodus 2:9). I imagine once Moses was weaned and returned to Pharaoh’s daughter this was extremely hard and painful for her.
These Biblical examples are incredible to me. Adoption and foster care are ordained and loved by God. Moses was a key player in the Bible! Entrusted by God to do great things. Jesus is the Savior of the world! Rescuing all from sin! They both came from such humble, heartbreaking beginnings. Moses life was at risk just because he was a boy. Jesus being born in a stable to a mother and father who were probably scared and alone wondering what would happen next. It goes to show us that God has plans for all the children. Orphaned or not. Adoption and foster care were there at the beginning, in biblical times and are favoured by God.
Thank you for reading along on my blog so far. I am still trying to figure out how to share what the day to day of fostering looks like while also keeping the privacy of our little guy as well as his family. This has been a challenge for me. I can tell you, that if I were allowed to write a narrative of this little guys story and how he has ended up where he is now, your heart would break and you might be more inclined to learn more about how you can be involved in helping other families. I don't say this to guilt trip you or make you feel uncomfortable. I say this because this is how I started to have a heart for foster care. I was working at social services and working with children in foster care. I had access to their files and I read their histories and their families histories. I believe this is how our hearts start to open to something different. If we don't see it, read about it or are actually doing it, how else do we come to care about it? This is why I started this blog. My challenge now is to share the stories without sharing the stories! Wish me luck!
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