Having a dream is not a bad thing. Some of us have been chasing after the same dream since childhood. For others, it’s a new dream added to the long list of dreams to chase after. A few years ago, Melissa and her husband Jack had dreams. Dreams of what they wanted as soon as they got married. They dreamt of an acreage, a big family with lots of kids and for Melissa to stay home with them. Jack had a dream to start his own business. They had a plan and began taking steps toward accomplishing their dreams. A few years into marriage they had their acreage, their first child, and Jack launched his business. They both would have said that they were happy, but not fulfilled. Something was missing. A question kept coming to mind and it made them stop and listen. The question was “Are you building your kingdom or mine?”
“God opened our eyes,” Melissa said with conviction. “Through all these things, we felt the Holy Spirit asking us “What are you serving?” God showed us we were pursuing what is not fulfilling and therefore, not his.”
Melissa and Jack, and now two kids, began to pray more intentionally and questioned where God was calling them and what that could look like. They asked if it could be global missions. So, they attended Citylight’s Discovery class. They met with people they trusted and a few pastors for counsel and prayer. Each time they started to pursue what they thought God was directing them to, a door would close.
“All of this caused us to think and pray,” Melissa shared. “At one Discovery class, we were given an assignment to write a mission statement. We took a long look at where we felt God was calling us to serve. After that exercise, Jack and I looked at our lists and we both wrote down children and serving those who are unseen and fatherless. This was the direction we were both being pulled towards.”
Melissa and Jack started taking the steps toward what that would look like and each time it led them to foster care. They met families who were fostering and had conversations with the Director of Kid’s Ministry at West, and soon came up with an idea.
“Stephanie, the Director of Kid’s Ministry at Citylight West, arranged a foster care awareness night a few months ago,” Melissa described. “We all got together and talked about the difficulties for foster families. It was a start to see if there was interest. For Jack and I, we couldn’t foster ourselves at that time, but felt the need to support the foster families. Foster families have so much on their plate.”
The typical foster parent on a regular basis devotes time to the court system, bio parents, visitation, children with trauma, etc. To gain a better understanding of the need and how to best support foster families, Stephanie with Citylight Kids connected with Nebraska117, a non profit ministry dedicated to caring for these families. Nebraska117 gets their name from Isaiah 1:17. It says, “learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause.”
“We all met with the director to see if there could be a partnership,” Melissa shared. “Their organization puts structure together for churches who want to support foster families. The director provided training, materials and essentially, a goal to create care teams that then surround foster families. These care teams meet the real need so the foster families can then invest in the kids. The goal is to have 6-8 families who come alongside each foster family and become, really, an extended family.”
Since the meeting, two care teams have launched. One care team is currently supporting a family at One Hope Church in Benson. A few weeks ago, the second care team launched and is supporting a family at Citylight Omaha's West location.
“Really, the goal is to have people to come alongside these families and use their God given gifts,” Melissa said with hope. “It could look like meals, helping fix a basement, childcare to give mom and dad a break, mentoring one of the kids, cleaning the house... there’s a wide variety. Also, for the foster families to know someone is praying for them and finding little ways to help with things so that they have the time and the mental awareness to be with the kids and to manage the demands. This is huge.”
Since these two care teams have launched, Melissa and Jack have been given a front row to God’s giftings in his people and stories of service and care. Melissa shared one story.
“One story is a member at Citylight who said to me “I felt like God was putting foster care on my heart six months ago. But I said, “How Lord? With my season in life, that makes no sense to me.” God was already working in her heart before we launched the care teams. This opportunity has now made her jump in and support foster families. The Lord was working in hearts before this all happened. Bringing together different people who have a heart to serve these kids and families has been a gift to witness. I’m not in control... the Lord is working this out and bringing to life.”
Looking ahead, Melissa and Jack are now dreaming of caring for more foster families in the church, serving kids, for more people to join care teams to serve foster families and to invest in them and the kids.
“There are so many foster kids that have no place to go,” Melissa said. “Sometimes the kids spend the night at an extended stay motel. They need people who will love these kids and know they are loved by the Lord. But also, the need is to support these families. To know they will not have to go through this alone and instead have the support of their church. I want foster families to know you are not alone. We want to come alongside you. The church wants to be there and there are people who want to walk alongside you. We commit to being there as you raise these kids. It’s okay to say it’s hard and that you need help. We would love to walk on this journey with you. Who knows... the more support we give, maybe more families will want to foster.”
If God is putting this dream on your heart and mind, to serve and support kids and families in the foster program, as he did for Melissa and Jack, please reach out to them. You will never regret “bringing justice to the fatherless.”
For more information, please Email Melissa.