Eva shares about her journey in the care system: things she needed to unlearn, things she’s discovered about God, and how she has become a Foster Carer herself.
Eva experienced significant abuse growing up. After moving to a new, unfamiliar country and with the abuse getting worse, she felt completely alone. Through school she came to learn and understand that what she had been experiencing was not ok and that something needed to change. She disclosed what was happening to her to the school chaplain and the same day she was placed in foster care.
Eva describes her time in foster care as “turbulent”. While there were some healing moments, it was predominantly not a good experience. Eva ended up in a group home, where there was increased freedom but also loneliness.
Looking back, Eva sees how God placed people in her life. She met people through a local church who she learned to trust over time because of their consistency and integrity. They loved her, even in really small ways, and God used them to bring hope and healing.
Eva says there was a lot of unlearning and learning who God was. She came to know God as her Father; a constant source of love, protection, and identity.
Eva married one of the young men she met through church and they are now foster carers, with one child welcomed into their home through a permanent placement. Eva says it’s because of God’s ability to turn brokenness into good, that then brings healing into the world.
She says, “If you’re sensing a nudge that this is a space God would have you explore, Foster care is a world that needs people of God to actively step in. Don’t let fear stop you. Listen to Him, step out in faith. It might be the most exciting journey that you go on.”
We’re not all called to be Foster Carers, but we can all do something to support those who are and to make a difference for children in families in our local community. What’s your something? Explore how you can get involved here.
Your church can build a ministry of Out-of-Home Care that helps recruit and support carers and mobilises people to get involved in a range of ways. Explore this here.
This video was provided by our friends at ARK Australia, a movement of communities dedicated to providing family and belonging to vulnerable kids through foster care & adoption. You can find out more about their work at www.arkaustralia.org
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