The Next Generation of Homelessness

You may not know that I was a foster parent for 10 years. That’s how I learned that foster children are the hidden homeless. Not only that, but when they age out of the system, without a safety net and something like a loving family, they will end up as one of the very visible homeless we see on our streets each day. Often, their condition lasts for years. And it can pass on to their children, too.

I took on high risk boys. Often, these are the most difficult cases. The first six months, it seemed like they would think up all kinds of awful things to test my commitment. They wanted to see if you would send them back. It’s kind of ironic that they hunger for stability and yet sabotage their chances in their effort to find it. But it’s understandable, after so much moving around and disappointment, they don’t want to get hurt again. So they figure if you’re going to give up on them, sooner rather than later will be less painful.

But I learned to stick it out. To demonstrate to these kids unconditional love. This is no easy task for youngsters who have had their siblings split up and send all over the state. Whose parents have abandoned them. Who have been told since they were young that one day they would be in a permanent family again. It takes time and persistence to work through that. But God makes a way.

At the Mission, we experience some of this as well. Many of our homeless guests and residents in our recovery program are former foster children. They never learned the basic life skills to provide for themselves. They have no family ties to nurture them. We teach them here that, even though there are consequences for every action, they are also part of our Mission family. There is nothing they can do to lose the love God offers here. And we also feel a responsibility to help them succeed.

Sometimes people come back after they’ve left the Mission just to visit. Sometimes their car broke down and they can’t get to work. If we can help pay for bus fare or find a repair to help get them stable again, we talk that through. In turn, many people come back to volunteer, some collect clothing and hygiene items or even donate. They pay forward the love that they receive.

In all these ways, we are a community of believers, not just an institution or a one-time shelter. It’s all about relationships with each and with God. Thanks for being part of our community.