Be Hope During a Pandemic

For many of us, we've spent the past 5 months in quarantine, then more time at home as things slowly reopened, and now we are easing our way back into a "new normal." You don't have to look far to see or hear all the negativity, pain, heartache, and just plain hopelessness all around us. Hopeless. What an empty feeling word that yet holds so much weight. Why are people hopeless?

They wonder if they'll be able to feed their family or pay their mortgage next month. They wonder if their unemployment will be enough to cover all of their monthly bills, plus what about any unexpected expenses that come up? They worry about going out into public with or without a mask. They worry about sending their children back to school, and question whether or not they're making the best decision possible in whatever they decide. The most obvious worry and reason for hopelessness is the worry for good health of them and their family, the ones they hold dear. They fear contracting a virus and it causing sickness or possibly even death. These are just some of the reasons that people around us are insecure in what they believe, living crippled by fear, and yes, just plain hopeless.

Maybe you're one of these people. We ALL have experienced some of these emotions at one time or another during this uncertain time. But let's think about the children who were already in abusive situations before COVID. Let's think about children who were living their worst nightmare and on the verge of confiding in their teacher before schools shut down. Let's think about children who are right now, left alone in a home without anything to eat or drink, while their parents have left them to fend for themselves. Let's think about children who are living out of their family's car while we're complaining about quarantining at home. Let's think about children who are being sexually abused and exploited by family members that they should be able to trust the most. I know. It's almost too painful to think about, so what do we do? We often times turn a blind eye and don't want to face the reality that these things ARE happening right here in our community. We can confidently say they ARE happening, because these are some of the reasons children have entered care during COVID and we have helped provide resources they need.

While many of our own hurts and heartaches are legitimate and real, let's not forget these children. Let's put ourselves in their shoes. Let's contemplate what we can do to help. I mean really help. We have GOT to be a part of the solution as the Church and as the community of these children to support them when they can't stand up and advocate for themselves. They are helpless. So many "keyboard crusaders" stand up for justice in so many other situations, but what about helping these children? What ACTIONS, not words, are we offering to help them? I ask this in sincere, but frank, love.

Not everyone can feasibly foster and open up their home full time to children in need. We totally understand. That is why we constantly provide ways you can help them on our Facebook page. These aren't small needs that need to be met. They are important to someone. They are even life altering sometimes. Supporting our ministry financially helps us continue to advocate for and support these children and families. We know so many who are on the verge of a breaking point. Without support or encouragement, would they continue to foster? Maybe your gift can't be much, but every little bit helps. With great sacrifice comes great reward, we truly believe.

The greatest reward would be for us to FOSTER HOPE to a child in need. To show a hurting child that Jesus loves them and so do we by caring enough about them to provide for their physical needs, to give them a meal as they enter a new home, to provide them with school supplies as they start a new year at a new school, to love on them and their foster family at our various events, to give them a Birthday gift on their special day, to tell them about GOD and how He loves them SO much and wants a relationship with them through what His Son JESUS did for them on the cross! What greater HOPE is there than that for all of us, both through a pandemic and everyday?!

Be Hope,

Melissa

Fostering Hope Director