My Heart Breaks...

I have a friend who has been plunged deeply into the world of foster care, and she is not one to mince words. She shares perhaps more than she should about the circumstances "her kids" come from. And yet, her stark honesty has been a part of how God has broken my heart for what breaks his. If these children’s darkest secrets stay in the dark, we in the church or in society in general have no idea of what goes on. 

She tells of the infant who was brought to her in a church parking lot, with little or no notice, as her other children were trunk-or-treating. This little one had been in three foster homes in the past 24 hours. He simply would not stop crying! The others had not been able to take it and Child Protective Services was forced to try and find yet another home to care for this little one. My friend ended up taking the baby to the doctor, only to find that the poor child was so malnourished that he had literally made a hole in the roof of his mouth with his constant suckling, when there was nothing to suckle. 

Another boy had been in her custody for a while when he was returned to his mother. The return was short-lived, however, and the boy was once again in her care. During that brief time—in what should have been the safety of his home, with the one who should have been his protector and caregiver—the little boy had been raped so badly that, in her words, he "couldn’t poop normal for a year."  My heart breaks, Lord, for what breaks yours.

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,

who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can

comfort those in any trouble with the comfort

we ourselves receive from God.”

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NIV

“May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other 

and for everyone else, just as ours does for you.”

1 Thessalonians 3:12 NIV

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.

Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,

not looking to your own interests but

each of you to the interests of the others.”

Philippians 2:3-4 NIV