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Thursday, March 08, 2007

Children in Arkansas

I have been a foster parent.
I am an adoptive parent.
I know - firsthand - what I am talking about.

In 2004 in Arkansas there were 6,502 children living in foster care.
6,502 kids without a place to call "home."
6,502 kids without stability and security.
6,502 kids languishing.

Are there too many foster homes?
Are there too many people willing to open their lives to unwanted and needy kids?
Is there a long line of people waiting to adopt and raise with love and care kids who would not get it anywhere else?

Why then is the Arkansas legislature considering handicapping the opportunity for children to find loving, stable homes by restricting foster and adoptive care to heterosexual, married couples?

Let me be clear. I believe homosexual activity is outside of the bounds of God's design for us as human beings. I also believe that the best possible place where a child can be raised is within the bounds of God's design for us - namely, a home with a mom and a dad. But we live in a world that is far from ideal. In my estimation, it is far better for a child to be in a home - any home - where he or she is wanted, is the center of someone's world, than to be shipped here and there without ever being able to put down roots.

People are being discriminated against in Arkansas - and none more so than those children whose families have been destroyed by abuse and neglect. In the interest of justice, those children deserve a chance to be placed in a home - any home - that will provide them with love and stability and security.

For those heterosexual, married Christians who want to argue with me about this, I have one simple question, "How many?" How many kids have you fostered? How many kids have you adopted? If your home is the ideal, how many children have you opened it to?

If you live here in Arkansas, I want to join me in asking our legislature to think about the kids before they pass this law.

The ACLU Response

2 comments:

klasieprof said...

Well...I totally agree with you. There are about 500,000 kids in the USA TODAY..(The LAND not the Newspaper) who have their Parental rights terminated and no HOME to go to.
They languish in "group" homes, institutions etc.
Some of my BEST homes have been to Single parents...I didn't go into depth into the "alternative lifestyle" because I didn't want to have to address it.
The kids??? are LOVED. Are Cared for. Are ADORED. Are understood. Are pampered, motivated, encouraged and everything else.
No...I don't "like" gay marriage. But....LOVE..they do seem to have in abundance. I do believe the track record...Gay "moms and dads" do NOT molest their kids. They are not "Grooming" them to be future partners.
Sorry for the graphicness of this..but it is Foster Children's reality.
"Christians" picket abortion sites, lament how horrid it is but FEW..VERY VERY few, ask to take in a pregnant teen, help her learn how to parent, and encourage her in how to keep her child healthy and strong.
Foster Children sometimes have Less rights than prisoners. IF they violate 'terms" they can be "incarcerated" in all kinds of institutions for years and years.

FAITH= Families Are Important To Him.
Fostering through the state is FREE. Call your local Children's services Division. YES it is Invasive, and we ask all kinds of personal questions..You think we should just hand over kids that have been abused to people we don't know the backgrounds of?
Maybe GOD is calling YOU to be a Missionary in YOUR OWN HOME!!
"God Places the lonely in Families.""

DO IT .

Donna Kriss
Foster Adoptive Recruiter
mid michigan
989 875-8232
krissd2@michigan.gov

Unknown said...

It doesn't look like anyone wants to step on this landmine!