More about More Than Enough
The name More Than Enough comes from the story of Jesus taking a young boy’s meal of fish & bread & multiplying it to feed thousands of people!
You may think- what I have to offer can’t possibly make much of a difference, but believe this, whatever you have that you bring to Jesus, He can multiply it in ways you could never foresee!
A foster/adopt story
My second foster placement was a nine-year old girl. I had heard from social services just a fragment of her story. She & her brother had been abandoned when she was four years old & her brother was a baby. She had done her best to take care of her brother, changing his diapers until someone found them a few days after they had been abandoned. This acute trauma of abandonment led to a pattern of self-sabotage- “I’ll be the one in control of when you get rid of me, thank you” -& she had been moved from foster home to foster home due to various behavioral problems.
I was her ninth home at nine years of age.
When I first pulled up in my car to pick her up, I saw her dart past, like a frightened fawn. The next two months were indeed difficult- she required vigilant supervision, and I was in tears almost every night about how to best handle her behaviors with love. I was determined not to be another foster parent who deemed her too difficult, & thankfully she responded well to my commitment & love. The reason she ended up leaving my home was because a relative was able & willing to adopt her! That was her first healthy move & transition! We celebrated!
But sadly, years after being adopted, there came a season of unexpected hardships for her adopted mother, and this triggered an escalating series of self-sabotaging behaviors that resulted in this young girl being sent away to a group home. She spent the night with me one last time before she left & I haven’t heard from her since.
This story is far too common in foster & adoptive homes for many heartbreaking reasons. You can learn more about the disruption of foster placements & potential adoption as well as dissolution of completed adoptions by clicking these links.
But there is good news!
Relational support - specifically, a broader base of trusted friends & trauma-informed support- can make a significant difference in preserving foster placements & a safe nurturing environment for adoptees. One remarkable difference is seen in the longevity of foster parents who have this wrap-around support: the national average of families who continue fostering after their first year is about 50%, but when supported by a Care Community, 90% continue fostering into a second year.
Through More Than Enough’s Care Communities, the opportunity we are providing to volunteers is this: a structured way to build a real relationship over time (at least a year) with a family & children dealing with the unique challenges of foster care & adoption or in danger of family separation.
What all these families need is faithful prayer,
trustworthy, caring, committed friends,
and practical support that fits their specific needs.
Things like Christmas presents, clothing closets, and practical supply bags for kids entering a new foster home are definitely a blessing & do meet immediate needs! But goods cannot provide the emotional support or the rest that these parents need to maintain a safe home.
Be a part of a refuge for vulnerable families!
I can’t help but think of how much the story shared above could’ve changed had there been a better support system available at any point in this young lady’s story- to her young, overwhelmed parents, to any of the foster parents who were not able to keep her, or to her adopted mom before & as a brutal storm system of difficulties buffeted her family.
Being part of a Care Community is not a glamorous role in the least. But it is a chance to represent the faithful care & presence of Christ to families who often feel alone or overwhelmed.
Like the little boy who simply offered his food to Jesus when asked, you may not initially see how your small offering of prayer, a listening ear, or a monthly meal can make that much of a difference. You may not ever clearly see the difference you are making… the stress and additional trauma you are helping to prevent!
But your small seeds of love will be multiplied.
Your message of the truth of Christ’s faithful, servant-hearted love will reverberate into eternity.
“Whoever welcomes a child in My name welcomes Me.” - Jesus
As a Care Community gets to know their family, they can customize their care to the specific needs they see. It is hard for most families to turn down help they don’t need or ask for the help they do need- this is why relationships are so important!