I came across this article today about Evangelicals’ growing concern for “orphan care.”
This taps into a lot of my own personal experience, having grown up in a family that brought in foster care kids. I remember being in college in a public speaking class, giving a presentation on foster care. I was really enthusiastic about the experience, if a little unreflective. Going through the counseling program has given me a lot of time to step back and think about both the blessings and the scars that came from the way I grew up. I’m still thankful, but there’s also a place where I feel a little sad for the disruptive elements that this introduced.
This article had an interesting effect on me, in light of all the self-reflection I’ve been doing over the past year. It’s gotten me out of my head for a little bit and reminded me again of the needs of the people that we served. It reminded me of the brokenness of the world that cuts you by its jagged edges when you make the decision to love. But love is what we’re called to. Love is how we heal.