Children are the most beautiful creations in the world, and they come into this world with love, care, and responsibility. They are a gifted blessing from God to their parents, but some parents reject them as a burden due to their financial situation. Foster care isn’t about having it all together—it’s about opening the good soul when it matters the most. Love and care don’t wait for perfect timing.
It simply shows up, holds on, and gives a child what they need most, a safe place, a steady hand, and a forever kind of love.
This story is about establishing love for orphans and foster children. Bethany and Jon are a lovely couple, and their journey to parenthood is heartfelt and inspiring. They were married in spring 2011, and their mindset was to have a large family. Their children were born around 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2018. Bethany always asked Jon how many kids they’d have, and Jon always says,“ He wants 12 kids.”
Bethany had always felt drawn to adoption, dreaming of it when she was young, and Jon supported her vision in every way. Bethany’s vision for adoption was strong, and after some time, they came with the good news that they would become parents.
Their first child was born in the summer of 2011. After their first child, Bethany’s love for children subsequently increased. After having their child, Bethany started researching adoption, because she thought that it was the perfect time to adopt, at that time, their children were 5,3, and 1 years old. Bethany was a stay-at-home mother, and Jon was running their small family business, because they were not in a good financial situation to adopt. How many local children needed homes? How many people think about it? It is rare to have a thought like Bethany’s. She started exploring foster care as a path to adoption, and she wanted to get involved.
So they started the licensing process for a child that they could adopt because they thought that they could not handle being foster parents. During the process, Jon was in a paramilitary police academy for six months. After finishing their processing, they found out they had another child, a girl, after three boys, and were stunned by this. However, they put placement on hold but maintained active licensing.
In this world, you’re lucky to have supportive family and friends. After their fourth child, they renewed their license, and after praying and being educated about this, they were willing to become foster parents. This thought of giving love to a child and a safe home, even if unnecessary, brought them so much joy, and Jon and their children loved the idea and were so supportive, even for a while.
In early summer of 2019, after renewing their annual license, they switched it from adoption only to foster care. Within a few months, she received a call: ‘Hi Bethany, this is _______ from Mary Graham Hall. Do you have room for a placement?’ At that time, she told them they were moving to another house in a week, and she told them that it was a 2-day-old baby and asked if she could take him. She immediately agreed! Then she asked Jon about it, and he also said yes. They got the kid with his new clothes and some diapers, and they were ready to give their best to their child and a forever loving home.
This was a short-term placement because the social worker told them that he would be taken back to his birth family. Every day they fell in love with that child, they reminded themselves and their children that it might not last forever. That year was the fastest year of their lives. Due to the adoption process, they faced some delays; however, they showed their love and care and built bonds with their foster son.
Bethany’s journey is more than just a personal experience; it is more of an invitation to others. She sends this message to those who may feel unprepared to foster, reassuring them that fear and compassion often go hand in hand. Children in care need love, consistency, and a chance to build a bond with someone who truly cares.
