Moriah is a Foster Carer in Melbourne, Australia. She shared with us about her experience of fostering and her motivation behind stepping into this space.
I’m an Emergency and Respite Foster Carer and I look after children and teenagers for anything from one night up to one week or so at a time. I foster because I’m passionate about children having healthy experiences of family and of home. Fostering is an incredible opportunity to create a place of safety and restoration for children, whether it’s for a number of days, or months, or even years, with the long-term hope that one day they can be restored to their families.
The gospel calls us to a life of radical hospitality and putting the needs of others before our own. Foster Care is hard, it’s messy, it’s complicated and the gospel calls us to hard, messy, complicated things.
Fostering has been one of the most challenging and stretching things I’ve done in my life, but it’s also been one of the most beautiful things I’ve done as well.
One of the greatest joys of fostering for me, and one that’s been a little bit unexpected, has been connecting not only with children but with their families through respite care. These are families that for a whole range of reasons just need a break and respite provides that for them. It’s a really difficult thing to see a family separated but it’s a really beautiful thing to see a family restored. Through respite I get the opportunity to just be one small part of that journey of restoration.
Another joy of Foster Care for me has just been getting to spend time with some amazing children. Kids in care are just simply kids. They’re fun, they’re silly, they’re brave, they’re resilient, and they have really bright futures ahead of them. To get the opportunity to welcome them into your home, to get to be a little part of their lives, is a joyful thing to be a part of.
Opening our homes to children, opening up our spare bedrooms, creating a place at the table for them, is one of the most beautiful ways that we can express the gospel in our community.
That’s what Jesus has done for me. He’s created a place at the table for me and in response I want to create space in my own home. I think that’s a way that we get to outwork the gospel in our communities and I think that’s His grace and His goodness and His mercy at work.
Foster Care is not for everyone, but I think everyone can play a role in being the Church and being the village that comes around carers and the children in their care. I’ve been so grateful for the support of my church in this fostering journey.
Sometimes the smallest things can be so significant. A friend texting me asking how they can pray, other friends messaging to see if they can do anything practical, or even just being able to bring a child to church where that’s appropriate and know that it’s a safe and inclusive place. These things are small, but they are so significant when you are fostering. They’ve helped me and I know it helps other carers to keep going through some of the difficult times.
Every child needs a village and every carer needs a village around them too.
If you’re interested in Foster Care, explore it further here.
Even if you’re not currently in a position to open your home through Foster Care, there are so many ways you can get involved in serving children and families in the Out-of-Home Care system. Learn more here.
