According to James 1:27 and Isaiah 1:17, caring for orphans is one specific way God wants His people to serve others. BRACE foster families at Integrity Baptist Church in Hueytown is one way members seek to have an impact on the 6,000 children in foster care in Alabama.
During its Sunday morning service on May 18, Integrity Baptist celebrated those who have been trained through the BRACE ministry to be foster families and to volunteer to help foster families. Currently, six foster families are supported by 12 volunteers in a church that may be small in number and resources but is big on compassion.
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BRACE was brought to Integrity by Derry Johnson, wife of the church’s pastor, Morris Johnson. A family law attorney who “sees the brokenness every day,” Derry has a heart for children and families and heard about the BRACE program as a board member of the Alabama Baptist Children’s Homes & Family Ministries.
5 components
BRACE is a support ministry that includes five components:
- “Bear with” by helping to lighten the loads of the foster families.
- “Respite provider” by giving time for the foster parents to recharge.
- “Appeal in prayer” by committing to pray for the foster parents, foster children and the foster children’s parents.
- “Cater needs” by bringing meals or helping with household tasks.
- “Encourage consistently” by watching over, supporting and inspiring the families.
“Knowing that parents, as well as foster parents, really need our help to come alongside to help them get through their day-to-day responsibilities — whether or not it’s a foster parent or parents who are trying to parent their children — we have had the opportunity to visit those foster parents who were given to us to come alongside,” Derry Johnson said.
The volunteers help the families by bringing them meals, buying them clothes and supporting them in other practical ways.
“By embracing this approach and partnering with relevant organizations, we hope to see both our church and the communities it serves grow and flourish in the love and compassion of Christ,” Morris Johnson wrote in the church’s brochure about the BRACE ministry.
Hannah’s story
Chip Colee, chief administrative officer of ABCH, spoke at the service and shared what this kind of program can do.
“Let me tell you a story, though, about one of those children,” he said. “Her name is Hannah. Hannah describes life growing up in her home as chaotic. She says that it was even abusive at times. Her father would abuse her, abuse her sisters or abuse her mom.
“She says that’s all she really remembers about growing up in that home. But Hannah was smart and Hannah loved school. She had found a safe place to go. There was a teacher there at school who noticed that something was off, something wasn’t right, about what was going on with Hannah.
“So this teacher and her husband went through the classes that you go through to become foster parents. Eventually they would bring her into their home through the Alabama Baptist Children’s Homes to become Hannah’s foster family.
“Well, fast-forward to years later. I’m really happy to share with you that a short time ago, Hannah graduated from the University of Alabama with not one, but two degrees. She was the first from her family to graduate from college.
“Most important thing”
“But if you talk to Hannah and you ask her all the things that this foster family did for her — all the things that the families in that church that came around and supported her, all the things that the Alabama Baptist Children’s Homes did to support Hannah — that of all those things, including that wonderful education, it was introducing Hannah to the love and grace of Jesus Christ that was the most important thing that happened in Hannah’s life.
“Fostering is so hard, and these families oftentimes get discouraged and so do we. So the families that come around these foster families and offer them support — whether it’s bringing a meal, offering a word of encouragement, cutting the grass, whatever it is — to come around and support these families.
“Let’s come alongside and support these babies. Not everyone is called to foster. But everyone can do something.”
If small groups, Sunday School classes or churches across Alabama are interested in implementing BRACE to support foster families, they may contact David George, director of engagement at ABCH, at dgeorge@alabamachild.org or 205-982-1112.
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