The Spirit of the Lord
We are thankful for church partners like Luke 4:18 Fellowship in Mobile that have been a steady and loving presence in the lives of foster kids in our care. Matthew Jacobs, student pastor, shares below creative ways they’ve been able to serve.
How did Luke 4:18 Fellowship get involved with helping foster children?
From the start of our church, we have always had a heart to serve others. It is part of what Luke 4:18 talks about. When it comes to serving at Alabama Baptist Children’s Homes (ABCH), we see it as a local mission opportunity to be able to help serve a group of kids, and now foster parents, in our backyard. We can love and encourage children in the gospel.
How has volunteering to help foster children impacted your church members?
I think when it comes to our members, it has softened the hearts of many, for the kids as well as the foster parents. My sister, as well as my former pastor, both fostered kids, and it is hard. I think it opens a lot of our eyes to see some of the hurt in the world around us. It paints the picture truly of what is spoken in James about true religion. None of these kids woke up and said, I really want to be taken away from my family. Yet in the midst of hurt and pain, these kids get to feel safe, fed, and loved. Our church members have felt that love when we have been around the people at ABCH. This is a ministry, and there are often hardships that come along with it.
What does it mean to you to see Luke 4:18 Fellowship live out the calling to care for hurting children?
I think it is a beautiful picture of the gospel being lived out. We were all hurting and lost until Christ came into our lives and gave us a big family in Him. For me, serving and seeing this in our backyard reminds us of the hurt around us and to think differently before we judge or look down on others. I pray that God will raise up people from our church body that can be encouraged to love on hurting kids in foster care. And on a selfish note, it is always good to see the kids smile when we have served with them.
What are ways your church has volunteered and helped foster children at ABCH?
In the last year our church has collected household goods and helped to fill the pantries, as well as toiletry needs of the families. Last fall our student ministry took the foster families bowling and out for ice cream afterward with our students. Then this year, at the start of the school year, our student ministry went and took foster families to a trampoline park here in Mobile. Another group washed and detailed all the vehicles for the ABCH foster families here. Another group went and cleaned up and planted flowers in a flower bed for them. This is big for our students as well as our adults to see simple yet tangible ways to serve foster kids. We heard that one of the things that the kids love to do is go to the movies, but it is often hard because of the expenses. So, our middle school girls’ small group is raising money and collecting gift cards for the theater. In a few weeks we will take all they have collected and will give it to the foster parents to be able to take the kids to the movies. We hope they have that family connection and time making memories with kids in their care. One way I am hoping we can start to serve in the future is to help create opportunities for foster families to be able to make memories together while doing stuff together.
How would you encourage other churches to get more involved in foster care and impact foster children?
I would simply say what is put out for us in James is that true religion is to look out for widows and orphans. God has given us a great resource to help alongside ABCH and be able to encourage, give, serve, and love the children and foster families. I would encourage them to look into their local foster care system and see how many children are currently in it. The numbers would shock you! If we are truly going to be pro-life people as a family of God, we have to care for them in all stages of their life. These kids did not choose to be in the situation that they are in. Praise God they are in a situation where God is part of their daily rhythm, and may we as the church come alongside people in whatever ways we can to help love these kids as well as the adults serving them.
Not everyone is called to foster, but everyone can help. Learn different ways your church can help bring hope to foster children here.