CRESTVIEW — Residents may have concerns about adopting or providing foster care for children, Emmanuel Baptist Church’s Justin Wyatt said.
Prospective parents may be interested but “fear the unknown,” he said; concerns could range from financial — can they financially care for a child? — to emotional — would a foster parent grow too attached to a child in their temporary custody?
In addition, “there is a fear that the child may be difficult …. (but) they have to remember that these children did not ask for these circumstances,” Wyatt said.
Emmanuel Baptist Church and St. Mark United Methodist Church have scheduled meetings to demystify adoption and foster care.
Emmanuel's program will offer information on foster care services and local, national and international adoption.
"Many people think that adoption is a great idea, but they don't know where to start," Wyatt said.
Representatives of Crestview Orphan Care, a ministry of the church that provides awareness and support for adoptive and foster families, can offer some tips during the meeting, he said.
Lisa Ausley, a minister at St. Mark UMC, said becoming a foster parent can offer children some stability, and benefit guardians, too.
"Such a blessing comes with it," she said. "How many of us really have the opportunity to shape a life … possibly for eternity?"
WANT TO GO?
WHAT: Adoption and foster care meeting
WHEN: 6 p.m. Monday
WHERE: Emmanuel Baptist Church, 3252 E. James Lee Blvd.
CONTACT: RSVP to crestvieworphancare@gmail.com.
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WHAT: Foster care meeting, with lunch
WHEN: 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Nov. 10
WHERE: St. Mark United Methodist Church, 2250 P.J. Adams Parkway, Crestview
CONTACT: Lisa Ausley, lausley@stmarkcrestview.com or 682-5280.
Contact News Bulletin Staff Writer Matthew Brown at 850-682-6524 or matthewb@crestviewbulletin.com. Follow him on Twitter @cnbMatthew.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview churches set meetings on foster care, adoption options