RLC Orphan Care Conference

As I ponder on my foster care journey I am frequently reminded of an old Hindu parable called the Drop of Honey. Once there was a man who as he was walking... through a forest fell into a well. As he was falling he reached out and grabbed hold of a branch that was growing through one of the cracks in the wall. When he tried to climb out he looked up and saw a hungry tiger growling above. He then looked down and to his dismay there was a fire breathing dragon below. As he is hanging there he hears something, and looks up to see two mice gnawing away at the branch he is hanging from. While pondering his predicament he looks over and sees a single drop of honey hanging from a blade of grass growing out of a crack. He gently reaches over, gets the drop of honey on his finger, and as he carefully places it on the tip of his tongue he sighs and says, How sweet. There have been many times in my foster care journey that I have felt like that man hanging from the vine, with a hungry tiger above me and an angry dragon below with two mice nibbling away at my lifeline, but the drop of honey has always been there. Usually they are small like a colored picture, or a sweet letter expressing love and thanks, sometimes it’s a hug or a smile at the end of a very long day. Sometimes it’s just simply looking back and realizing some progress has indeed been made. I cherish each of those drops of honey and as I think on them my heart sighs and says, How Sweet. The other side to this story is that when our kids come to us, they also feel like that man in the forest. Their lives are full of fear and danger. They are hanging onto anything they can grab hold of. They see tigers above and dragons below and mice nibbling away from the only thing helping them to survive. As a foster parent, I need to help them see the drops of honey in life. So they too can reach out and say, How sweet. I am grateful for each drop of honey that has entered my home. I dearly love each of them. And when I think back on my experiences, I sigh, and say, How Sweet. - Utah foster parent, Kirsten Wilcox

www.reframingfostercare.com

Some really helpful facts and tips in here to help families and children of all ages.

Don't miss out on a great opportunity! The Adoption Exchange is facilitating a Full TBRI Caregiver Series Training for those who are parenting youth from hard places. Register here https://TBRI-3dayfullseries-taeutah.eventbrite.com