The first one to feed you a midnight snack. The first one who let you pick out a stuffed animal friend “for keeps.” The first one to dry your tears and coax a little smile from you. The first one to sit with you until you slept and be ready to greet you when awoke. The first one to hear your deepest, darkest secrets and tell you it wasn’t your fault, and everything would be O.K. The first one to make you feel safe.
One of the most profound honors I’ve had in my lifetime – to be the first foster parent who had the opportunity to do these things. Little boys and girls would often come to us in the middle of the night, brought by the police, just removed from a dangerous and scary situation. OH, the heartbreak and fear in their eyes! But guess what? I could help.
Their journeys are long, complicated and heart-wrenching – but not hopeless. Things CAN and DO change for the better. The people who are on their side are countless – this is just my story. Maybe it’s time for you to be a child’s First One.
~ A Koinonia Foster Parent’s Voice
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