CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates)

Are you looking for a way to support those doing foster care?  


"CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) needs volunteers. A lot of volunteers. There is an especially strong need for male and minority volunteers.
There are currently more than 1,000 pending juvenile abuse and neglect cases in Peoria County matched to a current roster of about 180 trained CASA volunteers. That means more than 80 percent of the cases move forward without the benefit of a CASA volunteer representing the individual needs of the children in the system who have been removed from their homes by a court order.
CASA will hold an informational meeting about the program on Thursday, Oct. 10, at Two25 in the Mark Twain Hotel, 225 NE Adams St., Peoria. The meeting will be from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Light snacks will be provided.
The next 30-hour training class begins Saturday, Nov. 9, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and continues on Nov. 11, 12, 13 and 14, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 16, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and concluding on Monday, Nov. 18, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
The training location is the Detweiller Center, 809 W. Detweiller Drive (west of Knoxville Ave.) in Peoria. A swearing-in ceremony will be held at a later date in Courtroom 424, in the Peoria County Courthouse, 324 Main St., Peoria.
For more information, or to register, contact any one of the three advocate supervisors by email: Terry Pyatt, tpyatt@peoriacounty.org; Dominque Alexandre, dalexandre@peoriacounty.org; or, Michael Zerneck, mzerneck@peoriacounty.org. Or call 309-669-2939."

Check out the full article here:
 http://www.pjstar.com/news/x1343101777/CASA-volunteers-help-shoulder-burden-of-child-abuse-cases#ixzz2hGJHwRzQ

Foster Care Prayer Vigil

"A vigil isn't really about holding candles, staying up late,  or even about the event itself.  A vigil is about heartfelt, concentrated prayer.  A vigil is about setting our hearts on things that matter-- petitioning God to move in our world." - Cry of the Orphan

On May 8 we will spend some time in concentrated, heartfelt prayer for the over 400,000 children, workers, and families (birth and foster) affected by foster care in the U.S.

For more information about the National Prayer Vigil for Foster Care check out www.cryoftheorphan.org

Join the Open Hearts, Open Homes Orphan ministry of the Bethany Fellowship of Churches as we seek out the Lord in prayer.  Anyone is welcome!

Foster Care Prayer Vigil
When:  Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Time: 7:00pm
Place: Bethany Baptist Church, Senior High Room
          7422 N Heinz Lane, Edwards, IL

Would you like to offer respite to a church family?

We are always looking for ways for the body of Christ to walk beside those families in our midst that are caring for foster children in their homes. Here is a simple way to learn more about offering respite for a foster child/ren in our church family without having a foster care license.

Family Core is offering a one-night class that will help you understand, in a compact form, the unique pieces of caring for a foster child so a foster family can have a break.

Respite Information Classes

Thursday, February 16, 2012

6-9pm

Place: Family Core offices, 330 SW Washington St., Peoria

To sign-up call: Tina Frier at Family Core - 676-2400.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact the following:

Amy @ levisix@frontier.com or Lisa @ schwarz8@mtco.com

Connecting Hearts with the Forgotten Conference

Check out this wonderful adoption and orphan care conference for FREE!

Connecting Hearts with the Forgotten exists to help people capture the heart of God for the fatherless in our own backyard and across the world. You will find resources for fostering, adoption, post-adoption and orphan care.

Bethany Fellowship of Churches' own Daniel Bennett and Jerry Sanderson will be participating!

Date: Saturday, February 25, 2012

Time: 8:30am - 2:30pm

Place: East White Oak Bible Church, 11922 E 2000 North Rd., Carlock, IL

This conference is hosted by several Bloomington-Normal churches.

Check out the website at: http://www.connectingheartsconference.org/

Foster Parent - Pride Training Host Site

In keeping with the desire of the Open Hearts, Open Homes Orphan Ministry to encourage families in the area of foster care we are a hosting site for PRIDE classes beginning February 2012. These classes are required of both spouses for a family to become licensed for foster care.

To begin the process of becoming a foster parent you first need to choose a local agency to work through. The following are the more known agencies in our area:

Children’s Home 309- 685-1047

DCFS 309-671-7900

Family Core 309-676-2400

Lutheran Social Services 309-671-0300

Catholic Charities (in flux) 309-636-8000

Once you have chosen an agency you will receive a packet of information that includes an application. They will then do a home visit and the agency will sign you up for the PRIDE classes. You can request to be put in the classes being held at the 7229 N. Knoxville Ave. building of Bethany Baptist Church (please note these dates are on the DCFS schedule under Living Waters Church because that is the sign that identifies the building on Knoxville Ave). :

Feb. 18 9-4pm (2 sessions in one day)

Feb. 25 9-12noon

March 2, 10, 17, 24, 31 9-12noon

April 7 9-12noon

These dates don’t work for your family? Don’t let that be a deterrent there are other classes available in our area that may work better for your family!

As we are going into the Christmas season and these particular classes are open to any prospective foster parents it would be good to start talking with an agency before the holidays.

As part of the licensing process you will need to fill out an application, have physical exams on each family member, and anyone over 17 in your home will need to be fingerprinted. One of the parents will need to take the Educational Advocacy class; this class is being offered at Proctor Hospital on April 14, 2012 from 9-4pm. The licensing worker from your agency will walk you through these steps.

In need of something to do while you are waiting to be licensed? –

1. Pray that the Lord would help you to minister to the children that He will bring to you.

2. Pray that the Lord would help you to minister to the birth families of the children.

3. Pray that the Lord would prepare the hearts of your family for what He will teach you.

4. Make a list of the things the Lord brings to your mind when you are praying – this will

be great to reflect on as you minister to the ‘least of these’.

If you have any questions please feel free to call Amy Park - levisix@frontier.com

Resources

Christian Alliance for Orphans has a great site to check out for resources concerning adoption and fostering. Below is the link:

http://christianalliancefororphans.org/resources/resource-library

The Open Hearts, Open Homes Ministry does not recommend all the resources on this site, but there are many that you may find helpful. We encourage you to use discernment as you look through the list.

Call for Focused Fellowship Tonight!

Open Hearts, Open Homes Moms!

We have had a request for some needed Focused Fellowship so...


Consider joining us tonight, April 6 at 6:30pm at the North Knoxville Ave. Panera's to give and receive encouragement to other moms on this crazy journey of fostering and/or adoption!


We'd love to see you all!

Sorry for the last minute decision, but sometimes we have to seize the day!

Connecting Hearts Conference- Feb. 20, 2010

Here is a link to a conference in the Bloomington/Normal area. A few of us attended this conference last year and found it to be interesting. I am doing some checking and will post more later but last year it was especially helpful for those in the earlier stages of adoption.

Check it out! http://www.connectingheartsconference.org/

National Foster Care Month

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. for everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened." Matthew 7:7-8

Because May is National Foster Care Month I thought that I would send out a few thoughts about praying for those involved in any way in foster care. These are taken from the "City by City, Church by Church, Child by Child: Praying Together for Children in Foster Care".

"Pray for the Workers:

• that God would raise up laborers to fill every void.
• that God would move more Christians to launch careers in the foster care system.
• for the families of the workers, that the overwhelming realities they experience each day will not prevent them from giving 100% at home.

Pray for the Families:

• that God would draw foster children's biological families to Himself and that they would experience the life transformation that will allow them to parent their children well and with great wisdom.
• that God would intervene in the lives of other at-risk families and provide them with mentors who can help prevent the removal of their children in the first place.
• that God would raise up an army of godly foster parents who are equally committed to reunification and adoption when necessary, trusting God alone for the outcome He desires.

Pray for the Children:

• that the children in the foster care system would come to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
• that these children would experience God's love through the love and care given them by all involved in the system.
• that God would heal the deep hurts these children have experienced.
• that God would transofrm the children's lives and hearts and that they would be able to forgive those who have wronged them.

Pray for the Church:

• that God would raise up people in many churches throughout our city to launch ministries for orphans and waiting children.
• that believers all over the state would be consumed with compassion for the children in foster care, and would make themselves available for how God wants to use them.
• that believers in our state would be unified in Christ and that our unity around this issue would draw others to Him.
• Ask God what He would have us do in the future in relation to the foster care system and the children it serves."

With more than half a million children in foster care in the U.S. this group of people seems difficult to wrap our minds around. However, there are several families in the Bethany Fellowship of Churches that are already licensed for foster care, are in the process of becoming licensed for foster care, or have adopted through foster care. These are families right here in our own community that would be encouraged through your prayers.

When you pray, ask the Lord how He desires for you to respond to the needs of the many people that are involved in some part of foster care.

"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves..." Proverbs 31:8a

Bringing Home Your Child

“For this child I have prayed and God has granted me what I asked of Him.” I Samuel 1:27

It is such an exciting time when you bring a child home. You are so ready to have the waiting over. If you have other children at home they are ready to have a real body with the name they have heard over and over. You have readied your hearts; you most likely have readied a room, and had a great time shopping for special items for this new child of yours. You have prayed for this child and dreamed of their future. Your preparation has been careful and loving. You are ready!

As you embark on the journey to pick up the child, whether from a foreign country or the local social services office there are some things to consider as you bring a child home. One of the most important things to consider is that while you feel very prepared for this next step this may be totally a new thought to your child.

The following are some helpful suggestions to consider before you do your pick-up trip.

1. When you pick up the child ask as many questions as possible about their routine. This will help you to know what is “normal” to them. If you are able to bring an object such as a blanket, stuffed animal, etc. from their previous home this will help to have some thing that is familiar. In a fostering situation if you have an opportunity to speak with a willing birthparent about this it will also help them to know that you care about their child. Visiting the orphanage a child has been living at would allow you to see how life is handled through the day.

2. Take a good look at your commitments beforehand. Because of the pace we tend to live at in all likelihood some thing or some things will need to be scaled back. While you are used to the busy pace a child trying to get used to a new family, home, food, smells and perhaps a new language will possibly find it downright scary.

3. Stay close to home. For an extended period of time it would be reassuring to the child to stay home. Give them time to explore, get comfortable, learn what is expected of them, and get in their routine. Even a very young child is comforted by routine and an older child will need time to adjust to a new routine. You may expect some things of
them that they have never heard of before. Staying home also help will help you and the child to work on bonding without them being overloaded with more newness.

4. Keep life simple. This is probably not a good time to host a party. Have family over a little at a time so as not to overwhelm your new family member.

5. Remember you are the parent. While everyone will want to hold and cuddle a younger child that child needs to know who to go to when they have needs to be met. Whether it be cuddling, food, or comfort that person needs to be you and your spouse. This doesn’t mean another child in your home can never hold them but overall you need to be the person on the frontline. Remember a child that is used to many different caregivers isn’t necessarily going to seem to mind being passed around so they need to learn who the go-to-guy is. (That’s you - the parent!). An example of this is: the new child is playing out back with an older child
and skins his knee – the older child brings the child to you to be comforted.

An additional thought to consider is that being used to being passed around is not necessarily an issue of attachment, but is just what normally occurred where they came from. It will take them a while to understand that their needs, both physically and emotionally, are going to be met by someone specific.

6. Be consistent. Find the routine and keep it as much as possible. Consistency for a child that comes from an orphanage is familiar. Consistency for a child that has come from a chaotic situation is comforting as well.

7. Expect some developmental delays. When a child comes into foster care they may have some delays that were brought on by their environment, working with them at home may bring some quick changes in those areas. A child from an orphanage is often delayed as well, sometimes due to the lack of stimulation or just opportunity. Don’t get overly anxious at first; give the child some time to adjust. In our area Easter Seals is a great place for a developmental screening, if they are over the age of three the local school district does the screening. There are many services available for children in our area that are a great help to families if they are needed.

8. Socially a child may seem behind in how they relate to others or how they emotionally respond to situations. Often children don’t understand how something is supposed to be done because they have never seen it done before. For example perhaps a child lacks table manners – but maybe they never ate at a family-type table before. Or a child may have had a very limited number of toys before so playing with them is something new not to mention sharing them.

Again these are some things to consider as you bring your child home, I know there are other things as well. It is good to remember that everyone is adapting – parents, new child, new siblings and so it takes time to find a new normal for your family.

Lastly, for some people instant feelings don’t always come. Don’t be too hard on yourself if that is how you feel. Show yourself some grace in that area and give yourself time to get to know your new little one and them to get to know you. Those feelings will come as you come together to be the family that the Lord has knit together.

Note: Michelle Gardner has written a very good book about life after the homecoming entitled, After the Dream Comes True.

Becoming a Foster Family

When we first began to foster we had someone ask us, “How can you make a difference in a young life when they are only with you for a short time?” As I have thought about this over the years I wonder, “How can you not make a difference in that young life?” When a child enters your home, if only for a short time, they are able to see the love of Christ lived out on a daily basis. They are able to see how parents love and lovingly discipline and teach their children; they see a secure family.

It takes a different type of commitment to be a foster family than an adoptive family. Because of the uncertainties that are inherent in fostering your faith will be challenged in new ways. Your reliance upon the Lord and His sovereignty will grow as you trust the Lord for all the details. Your hearts will be stretched to new limits as you begin to love a child that may not stay with your family forever.

“If this job is so hard than why do it?” you might ask. I think the only answer for a believing family is, "that the Lord has called us to fostering." To those families I would remind you that even when the Lord calls you to something it isn’t necessarily easy. It is perseverance that gets you through different stages of fostering, whether it be waiting for a court date or dealing with some other difficulty. Scripture tells us in James 1:4-5 that “Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking in anything.” Let the Lord use your time as a foster family to refine you and your family.

Getting Started

So how do we become a foster family? The process itself is fairly easy though it does include several steps.

1. Choose a local agency that you will work with.

• Talk with the agency.
• Ask them: How they place their children?
• Are they in need of fosterfamilies for a certain age group?
• What type of support do they offer after a child is placed?
• What does the agency expect from their foster families?
• As with anything some people you will mesh with right away, others you might want to check off your list.

1a. This would be a good time to also get together with a family/families you know that have been or are currently fostering. Ask them about their experiences - good and bad, helpful hints, etc.

2. Attend PRIDE Training.

* Requirement in our state.

*9 weeks of class, each class is 3 hours

*Both foster parents must attend each session,
possible make-up of missed class.

*Followed by 2 weeks of Educational
Advocacy - only one parent required to attend.

Currently, BBC is hosting on-site PRIDE training twice a year.

3. Simultaneously, you will be meeting with your licensing representative from your agency. You will be required to do such things as, but not limited to:

-A physical on each person living in your home.

-Obtain a copy of your marriage certificate, driver's licenses.

-Fingerprinting on any person over the age of 18.

-Criminal background check.

You will also be answering many questions regarding your childhood, family history, your family's feeling about fostering. Also, how you parent, discipline, handle conflict in your marriage, etc.

The licensing rep. will conduct home visits also during this time. Our experience is that they are willing to work with your schedule. (On an ongoing basis a licensing rep will visit your home every 6 months).

The agency will walk you through each step. Often it is your willingness to gather the needed paperwork that keeps things on track. If you have questions along the way give the agency a call. If they are questions you want to talk about in person write them down so when the licensing rep visits you won't forget to ask your questions.

It is during this time with your licensing rep. you can decide the age/sex of the child or children you are willing to take. You will be given a checklist of things that you would be willing to accept in a child. Be realistic. It is much better for everyone if you are honest about what you can handle. Pray about who the Lord desires for you to reach out to in this way. Be thoughtful about the children that you may already have in your home. Remembering, sometimes things are inconvenient while other times things are best not entered into.

4. Once licensed you will wait. Be in prayer during this time of waiting for the child that will come into your home. Pray for your heart to be accepting of them and for the Lord to use you in that child's life for His glory.

There will be many questions, most have answers, but be prepared for some unknown as you foster. Each child is uniquely put together, each case is distinctly different. You may not agree with everything that you are presented with but you do need to understand the regulations that you are required to follow.

This is a ministry that your entire family can be a part of and one in which you could very possibly change the course of a child's life for eternity.

The Park Family

We are Ken and Amy and this is our crew: Allison, Joel, Daniel, Natalie, Molly, Brandon, and Nathan. We began our journey about 13 years ago when we became foster parents. The Lord had placed on our hearts the desire to adopt, we pursued this originally through foster care. We had envisioned being a family that had many foster children coming and going, but that was not God's plan. We have had four foster children over time and three of them have become permanent members of our family.

Thinking that our quiver was full with six children we became involved in this orphan ministry. As we prepared to go on a short term mission trip to Guatemala in 2007 the Lord opened our eyes and our hearts to the need of children around the world. The Lord used that information to prepare our hearts for Nathan who came home this past summer from Guatemala.

We are both in awe and humbled by the way the Lord has put our family together. Our plan did not look like His plan for us but His plan is perfect. We are excited to see our children growing in their understanding of who God is.

We are excited to be a part of Open Hearts, Open Homes Ministry and to watch as the Lord works in the heart of His church on behalf of the orphan.

"And whoever welcomes a child like this in my name welcomes me." Matthew 18:5

The Lonergan Clan

We are the Lonergans. John, Monica, Jack, Elizabeth, Caleb, and Grace. Finally, coming to the point where we fostered and adopted was long journey for us. It took many years for our hearts, minds and life to be in the place where God had us ready to move. We actually found out about our kids at a church picnic. A member of church was fostering our daughter and telling me all about her fostering experiences. Just a few weeks later I saw a prayer request that the kids' situation had taken a dramatic change and the agency was looking for a potential adoptive home. That was the beginning of the beginning! We fostered for 1 1/2 years before the adoption became final in 2007. Even after the adoption, it still took awhile for God to complete His work in becomming a genuine family. We are at the point now that I sometimes forget that fostering is part of our history and I dare you to pick out from the picture who is bioligical and who God added via adoption! We are praying about the opportunity to do it all again!