By Jennifer Taylor
Social workers can access this “supply closet” to provide toys, clothes, diapers and other necessities for biological parents and foster parents who are in need.
When Marcus and Julie McClure began to investigate foster parenting, they had no idea it would change not only their family, but their church and city as well.
“The McClures became foster parents and ran out of room for more kids in their home, but felt a huge burden to do more,” says Chris Hornbrook, lead pastor at Momentum Christian Church in Chula Vista, CA. “They had a vision for encouraging and educating the people in our church””and the Christians across San Diego County””to get involved in foster care and adoption.”
The McClures started Rooted in Love, a ministry that partners with county foster care and adoption agencies to be an advocate in the Christian community. Already more than a dozen families at MCC (a church with just over 200 members) have become licensed foster parents or begun the process. “Our goal is to eventually have more families waiting on kids than we have kids waiting on families,” Hornbrook says. “This is completely doable by 2014 if the churches in our county will step up and care for its orphans.”
A businessman in the church donated office space for a “supply closet”; local social workers access the closet to provide clothes, diapers, toys, and other necessities for both biological and foster parents in need.
“The closet is available for any family in crisis,” Hornbrook says. “We want to restore biological family relationships when possible, and eliminate excuses about expenses for potential foster families.”
Other Rooted in Love volunteers create networks with area churches, organize prayer, and connect with county agencies. Social workers are becoming Christians, says Hornbrook, and God is opening doors.
“We realize one church can”t solve this problem in our county, but the church can,” he says. “We”re excited to do our part.
“”Jennifer Taylor
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