[11.24.08] A new project of Focus on the Family (FOTF) seems to be convincing Christians in Colorado to adopt a foster child.
Hosted on Saturday by New Life Church in Colorado Springs, “Wait No More” (icareaboutorphans.org) launched its campaign to find homes for every foster child currently living in the state’s system. “It was beyond what we could ever ask or think,” said Kelly Rosati, senior director of the Sanctity of Human Life, a pro-life division of Focus on the Family. “God just blew us away.”
Of 1,200 registrants and hundreds of walk-ins, Rosati told Charisma nearly 250 initiated the adoption process on Saturday morning.
“The absolute historic nature of this event … we have not faced a single obstacle with [state and local governments],” she said. “We have kept our eye on the ball—working together for the sake of these kids.”
Christians were urged to adopt at least one child from Colorado’s foster care system, which Rosati said has a current pool of more than 700 children. She estimated the average age of a foster child at 8 years.
In explaining the process of adoption, representatives from adoption groups and child welfare agencies also told prospective parents the truth about its hardships. “It was not only inspirational … we gave them the stark reality of what some of the challenges are of the kids’ behaviors,” said Rosati, who has four adopted children herself.
Brady Boyd, senor pastor of New Life Church, told Charisma an overwhelming response came ahead of the event. “I am discovering that the church is ready to rally around ministries that are really helping the poor, the widows and the orphans,” he said. “We are very excited that children will soon find homes in loving, caring, church communities around our state.”
Rosati noted that many churches from eight surrounding counties, all of them on the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, participated in Saturday’s launch.
She said St. Louis, Mo., would likely be the next stop for the “Wait No More” campaign, but that the group’s long-term goal was to raise awareness nationwide, in order to end the “systemic practice” of kids “aging out” of the foster care system.
“There are 26,000 who age out each year. … There’s just no reason for that,” said Rosati, adding that many of them experience homelessness, unemployment, public assistance and even prison. “We have 300,000 churches in America. We can end this.”
Boyd agreed, and sees the plight of the nation’s orphans as a great opportunity for Christians. “In an hour that the local church is often maligned, this is a positive testimony to people really caring for the orphans,” he said. —Paul Steven Ghiringhelli
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