It's 2010, Let's Get Busy!

"...Once our eyes are opened, we can't pretend we don't know what to do. God who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls knows that we know, and holds us responsible to act..." Proverbs 24:12

I think this may just become my life verse! I gotta say, I'm pretty pumped! The Lord has opened my eyes to some specific ways we can serve the kids in our local foster care system. I am excited to share these opportunities with you because as the body of Christ, WE are called to be the hands and feet of Jesus. It is our call and our privilege as Christians - exciting!

I have visited our local DCFS a few times in the past week. It started with a simple phone call (inspired by a women who did this in another state) where I asked, "When kids come into care, what do they do as they wait to be placed in a foster home. Do they have nice toys to play with, snacks to eat, videos to watch to pass the time?"

Our DCFS office has 2 rooms approx. 11 x 11 where the kids hang out while their social worker calls available foster families. Visits and other meetings are also held here. The DCFS staff member I spoke with was very open to me coming in to take a look and so I loaded up my three kiddos and drove on over.

My kids were nervous about it at first, unsure of what they would see. I honestly had no idea either but I was excited. (Later that night, the kids told Clint we had visited an orphanage! Obviously I hadn't explained it clearly enough.) :)

Anyway, this is what I found. (I was only able to take a picture of one room, the other is very similar though.)

The rooms are not horrible BUT they are certainly not great. Not very welcoming and definitely not warm and inviting.

This is my dream - I would love to see these rooms as a welcoming, sunny, and peaceful space. A place where sweet kids are able to escape, even just a little from the harsh realities of their present circumstances.

DCFS is completely willing and excited about us coming in and giving these rooms a COMPLETE MAKEOVER!!

This is where you come in.

Would you help us bring a little sunshine to kids who need some?

There are many ways you can help.

*You can donate money so that we can buy paint, bookshelves, toys, etc.

All donations can be made out to Lifesong For Orphans P.O. Box 40 - 202 North Ford St., Gridley IL 61744 Attn: Foster/Waiting Children's Project.

My dad is the President of this orphan care ministry. By sending donations to Lifesong, all gifts will be tax deductible. If we would end up getting more money than we need for this project, the remaining monies would be donated to Lifesong - where 100% of donations go directly to help orphans!

*You can buy toys yourself, but since these rooms are fairly small, I would like to keep a tally on what toys are being purchased so we don't get more than will fit. I really want everything to be brand new as opposed to just giving these kids our leftovers

*You can come volunteer on the day(s) of the makeover (when we get a date set). We'll need volunteers to to help paint, assemble shelves, or some of the larger toys, pick up the old toys and take them to Goodwill, etc.

I hope to be getting even more specific info. by Friday. If you are interested in helping in any way, PLEASE comment or email me.

Let's do this thing together my friends! We are his hands and feet. Let's get busy!!