"Sometimes the mission field is in your own living room!"

Bethany never signed up to be a foster parent, but that was the role that God asked her to fill for a little boy who needed a home. She said yes to this call to meet the needs of vulnerable children thinking it would be missions work around the world. She said yes to this call before knowing that God would put a child in her own home. She said yes to this call before knowing God would prepare the hearts of a Bible study group to come alongside Bethany and serve her family as a Care team. 

Michele’s husband leads a Bible study group that has been meeting for a dozen years. Serving God’s people has always been the heartbeat of the group, so when Michele proposed the idea to them of providing support as a care team to a foster family, everyone was on board. 

Their church’s foster care ministry connected the group to Bethany, who had recently taken in a young boy. Michele invited Bethany to come and meet with the group and explain the story of how Camden had been placed in her life. Instantly the Bible study group was drawn to the heartfelt story of this family and could see how God was orchestrating details in their journey. 

It was from then on that God began intertwining the lives of Bethany and Michele. For Bethany, it was difficult to have her family be out of state during this process, but she describes the impact that Michele’s support had, “She became a second mother that I could call and a shoulder to cry on.” 

For this care team, their support started as providing much-needed meals, but it continued with weekly calls, prayers for her older children, and texting. They were invested in this family’s life and were able to be present in the court for Camden’s adoption day. The loving support provided by this care team became family for Bethany.

 Michele was asked about her commitment and motivation to serve as a care team leader and she responded, “He calls us in Galatians to share one another’s burdens. In James, He mentions taking care of the orphans… It wasn’t hard, we already had that in our heart, and it was our mindset.” 

Maybe you identify with Bethany in this story, and you know God is specifically laying on your heart to be a foster parent. 

Or maybe you identify with Michele who knows God’s heart behind His call to serve and love the people who need support.

Whenever you are, God will meet you with faithfulness on the other side of your “Yes”.