Praying for a Family

At any particular time, we have a number of children at Intermountain in residential care that are looking for a family. They are categorized as “hard to place” because of their age, their difficulty in previous foster homes, and their history of emotional disturbance that causes acting out in unsafe ways. Each of these children make tremendous strides towards healing and wholeness while they are in our care, and they desperately want a “forever family” that will continue to help them grow in relationship.

Now, I have been a foster parent and am an adoptive parent of an emotionally disturbed child that acts out at times just as severely as the children in our care at Intermountain. It is terribly hard, sometimes, to be the type of parent that these children need. When I see the kids I work with each day, I see my own children… children that are hurting, looking for hope that things will be better. And, many of our children have fantastic homes, supportive parents, and they know where they are going after they have done their work here. But, for those few that have no prospects for an adoptive placement, my heart breaks.

On a fairly regular basis I solicit prayer requests from the children. Invariably, I get a note like the one in this article: “Chris, Pray and ask God to keep his dreams [for me]. I hope I get a family. Help my mom to be a great person. Watch over me. Help me be strong and reach my goals.” Thankfully, the child that wrote this prayer has found a family. Her prayer was answered. In that I rejoice and I am thankful to God.

But, sadly, not every prayer for a family gets answered… at least not right away while they are in our care. I have to believe that our churches and communities could do something to meet this need and be the answer to a child’s prayer. Would you consider what you, your church, and your community could do to provide homes for these children that have made such tremendous progress in trusting adults and relying on God’s help in the process?

This fall Intermountain is going to draw special attention to the needs of children in our care and throughout the state that need foster and adoptive homes. November is National Adoption month. Many churches seek to get information out to their congregations about the need for foster and adoptive families through celebrating National Adoption Sunday, which this year falls on November 23^rd.

Ideas for faith-based communities can be found at: http://www.nationaladoptionday.org/communities/faith-based-organizations. And, of course, be on the lookout for more information from Intermountain, as we seek to get the word out and help ensure that our children’s prayers for a forever family are answered.

Chaplain Chris Haughee

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