the fallen world we live in

i'm learning more and more every day at what a fallen world we live in and how much we need a Savior. since deciding to foster/adopt i have been researching, reading, educating myself and anything else i can do to learn more about "the system", our government, and just foster kids in general. and i must say the more i learn the more disturbed i am about this. i mentioned this on facebook earlier today and a sweet friend stacie told me as a nurse she sees this and it break my heart. so many kids out there are neglected and abused. those are the two main reasons any child gets into the foster system in the first place.

it's funny. if a woman is beaten by her husband we do everything we can to take that woman out of that situation. the husband doesn't get to try over and over and over again to be a good husband. however, with precious innocent children that are abused and neglected every effort is made to reunite the children with their birthparents. now, don't get me wrong. i agree that a child will do best in a healthy a positive environment with his or her birthparents. but here what kids in the foster system go through (this is just an example*).

• 2/10/07 Audra is removed to emergency foster home as a result of substantiated abuse.
• 2/12/07 Audra is placed in Smith foster home.
• 2/16/07 Audra is moved to Jones home.
• 3/26/07 Audra has supervised visit with his mother.
• 4/10/07 Audra has unsupervised visit with his mother.
• 4/11/07 Audra reports abuse that occurred during previous day's visit.
• 4/12/07 Visits with mother are terminated.
• 6/10/07 Audra is placed in Adams home for long-term foster care.
• 5/01/08 Reunification plan is initiated.
• 5/10/08 Audra has supervised visit with both parents.
• 5/20/08 Audra has supervised visit with both parents.
• 6/10/08 Audra has unsupervised visit with both parents.
• 6/25/08 Audra has unsupervised visit with both parents.
• 6/26/08 Visits are going well, and parents are cooperating.
• 8/15/08 Audra is returned to her parents.
• 9/18/08 School reports that Audra has bruises on her face.
• 9/18/08 Audra is placed in Evans foster home on an emergency basis.

And all of this is just in a year and half. The cycle goes on and on and on. as an adult we all know how fast time flies and a year doesn't really seem like that long. but as a child a year is a lifetime. a child can make roots and just be uprooted again in an instant. we tell these kids over and over again how none of this is their fault and that they are just victims. but the kids are the ones moving from house to house. the kids are the ones who have no stability or safety in their lives. and what are we teaching them by continuing to send them home to a place that is unsafe? how can we just sit by and let this happen?

i know all of this is a result of sin in our world. thankfully we serve a God who cares for each of these kids. he sees every tear, every scar, every bruise, every lonely moment, every nightmare, every scary thought. He sees. He knows. He is there. and most importantly He can REDEEM! i am just so anxious for our kids to be in our home. i want them to never have to move again. i want them to know they are safe. i want them to know love. i want them to be free to be exactly who God created them to be.

*information taken from "Adopting the Hurt Child" by Gregory Keck & Regina Kupecky