Ministry Highlights: Foster Parents' Night Out
| Ministry Highlights | Amy Hirsch
On Friday, December 10, our Women's Ministry hosted a parents' night out for foster parents in the area. In our latest Ministry Highlights blog, Grace Ann Cooper, a member of our Women's Ministry Program Advisory Council, shares about her experience serving. We hope to plan other events like this in the future - if you're interested in serving foster families, contact Amy Hirsch to learn more about how you can get involved.
If I’m being completely honest, I did not have the best attitude going into our Foster Parents’ Night Out on December 10. Don’t get me wrong: I thought it was a wonderful idea and I have always been curious about the people that open their homes up to kids who are in need - it’s just that it was a Friday in December after a long week, and I wasn’t sure I had it in me to tackle the night.
Well, thankfully God can surpass my attitude and tiredness. As the families came in and dropped off their children, I became energized by their giving spirit and the kids’ eagerness. It was contagious, and I noticed that the other members of MBBC who were organizing this were excited too. We started with pizza and then went to a short worship rally in the Chapel. Then the kids were led through a series of activities such as games in the gym, music, and crafts. They also got to shop for a Christmas gift for their parents and wrap it. The evening was topped off with hot cocoa, cookies, and a Charlie Brown Christmas movie.
All through the night there were glimpses of God’s goodness. The kids were very open to us even though they did not know us. They were warm and engaged with all of our activities. The parents were so appreciative to have had a chance to shop, go out to eat, or just talk to each other without being interrupted. The kids beamed as they told their parents about the night and showed them the gifts they had chosen.
Once again, God showed me that if you will just show up, he can turn that into true blessing. I definitely felt blessed to be a part of this night; I would even say it was my favorite thing I did during the Christmas season. As I got in my car to leave after cleaning up and talking with all the church members about the different affirmations we had heard, I was grateful that I had been a part of something like this and had experienced true Christmas joy.