Fostering Tea Session on 29 Sept 2018 HFG foster parent, Hope, shared how she was convicted by James 1:27 . She had been helping to run a monthly children’s programme for orphans. She and her husband David began to pray for God's leading for something they would do together. They attended a Focus on the Family Singapore screening of the Dropbox and talk on fostering. This time David felt a strong conviction and they began to explore the possibility of fostering. They understood that they needed to talk to their whole household because this must be a family decision, a commitment needing everyone’s buy-in . When they began, Hope was homeschooling both of her two daughters, now 13 and 10. David travels 50% of the time which would mean Hope would be the primary caregiver. She also had her longtime helper attend fostering training, which also helped them all understand trauma better and how it affects these children in various ways . There were challenges as they took on their firs...

25 Aug 2018 - Joint Fostering Tea Session with MCYC. Anne & George previously spent a month volunteering in an orphanage in Philippines when their own adopted daughter was about 2 years old . But they had never considered fostering seriously until someone challenged them to look within Singapore as a mission field instead. The couple also feels that the best place for kids to experience life is within a family, and not in an orphanage . Spurred on by their daughter who was 20 years old by then, they registered as foster parents with MSF and took in 4 year old Apple (not her real name) in 2015. During this process, Anne & George were grateful for the support (advice, clothes & useful items) of HFG-SG members . While Apple came willingly with them and had no problems sleeping that first night, Anne cried to herself when putting her to bed, feeling a deep sadness that such a young child had gone through so much, and now had to be placed with strangers. Having been blessed w...

14 July 2018 - Fostering Intro Tea Session with MCYC Our foster parents, Grace and Kelvin, showed how fostering was used by God to change a child's life! Grace and Kelvin gave a very heartfelt sharing of their fostering journey in caring for a 6 year old girl with health challenges and speech delay. They had many struggles with the child's tantrums, crying and vomiting. They cried out to God and were amazed that everything just fell into place ! They saw God's strong provision - MSF/fostering agency's support on medical fees and the occasional need for transport, childcare arrangements, overwhelming support from extended family and Home For Good (HFG) all just came together! Their own children rallied behind them as they cared for the child. In their loving care, their foster child improved and they rejoiced as she "won her own victories" - being able to finally pronounce words, and even volunteering to sing "twinkle twinkle little star" at her chi...

2 6 May 2018 -  So blessed to hear again Land and Joyce share about their Fostering journey... God has used their love and care to transform their foster son, who was initially frightened of everything (going down escalators, the dark, water etc) into a resilient and confident child! ! Although it was sometimes stressful to parent a child who is not your own, the couple’s marriage was actually strengthened through an effort to communicate more with each other and self-reflection on how each could improve . Through this process, they also saw their own son (who was 12 when they started fostering) mature and contribute as member of the family team to help these children in need of a loving home.

10 March 2018 - Joint Fostering Tea Session with MCYC “ Fatherless, Orphans, Destitute, Needy "... These were words which God relentlessly showed to Audrie. God struck her with His heart for vulnerable children and the darkness, grief and confusion they felt when they had to leave their own families and their need for a loving and caring family to heal. She had applied to be a foster parent some years back but had pulled out because of fear. With the fresh vision from God, she eventually obeyed and applied again. Now she is finally fostering. Six months ago, her family took in an 8 year old foster daughter, Ellie. When she went to KKH to pick her up, Audrie was informed to bring some clothes because the child had nothing on her back except her hospital gown! H er family had to adjust to a new member and it was back to basics (or worse) in many ways. For instance, the girl had never been taught to sit and eat at a table and dropped food all over the floor; she wasn’t able to read o...

11 Nov 2017 - Heart-warming intro to fostering by Li Li and Hock Lye. Hock Lye had considered fostering many years ago but Li Li was not keen then. When “a Home for Good” foster carer shared at t heir church a year ago, Hock Lye heard the Lord speak directly to him to step up to meet this need and uttered a prayer for God to move his wife because he couldn’t do it on his own. When he retrieved his car to pick his wife, Li Li informed him that she had just signed them up, without consulting him! Within 6 months of being approved as foster parents, the couple who have 4 boys of their own (aged 14-26), found themselves foster parents to 2 more boys at the same time - a 3 year old boy first, followed by a 7 year old boy. The younger boy came at 2.5 years and could only speak single words, being diagnosed with global developmental delay. Within half a year, he is now speaking full sentences and has caught up developmentally with his peers. The 7 year old boy joined the family a month ago,...

9 Sept 2017 - What a heartwarming surprise for visitors when Vi's foster daughter handed out cards to adults and children which she crafted on her own initiative! Before the sharing, a new MSF fostering video on fostering teens was played. In it, the Minister highlighted the positive impact of helping these teens at the crossroads of their lives, and featured foster kids overflowing with gratitude. Hwee Ling then shared her amazing journey as a foster parent. God had previously put it in her heart to help disadvantaged children although it seemed impossible as she had 4 young children then. She and her husband Kelvin started by taking in a baby through a Voluntary Welfare Organization, but the family and especially her kids, were heartbroken when the infant was abruptly returned to her birth family. However, God worked out a miracle such that after the couple became MSF approved foster parents, that same baby, who was removed again, ended up with her family once more . The child ...

29 July 2017 -  Heartfelt sharing by Teh Hsin and Joyce at our joint fostering intro tea with MCYC. When Teh Hsin was first faced with a request to help take in a baby with high medical needs who was stuck in hospital, he knew he had to chose between walking on by like the Priest/Levite in the Parable of the Good Samaritan OR actually stopping to help. Convicted by God, he chose to stop and help. He says, " If u have room in your heart, there will be room in your house". While Joyce struggles with the prospect of "losing" this child she has raised when the time comes for reunification with birth parents, she now understands her stewardship role in caring for foster kids, be it just for a season of their lives. She knows that He can use even a short time of contact with a loving foster family to change a life . Joyce feels she has grown so much in the Lord herself in just answering the call to foster, because it is about depending on Him. The couple, who have foste...

  25 Feb 2017 - Home for Good SG-MCYC Fostering Tea session Ann shares deeply from her heart about what's important in fostering - 1) full commitment , never giving up on the child 2) flexibility, our expectations about children and family life will need to remain flexible to accommodate the needs and issues of the child 3) self care , the foster carer needs to make sure that he/she is well and has enough rest and support 4) focus, focus on what the foster carer can do , NOT what the birth family can do

17 Dec 2016 - Heartfelt sharing by Hope & David, and by Joyce & Land. Hope and David's prayer is that, by obeying the call in James 1:27, they can play a part in restoring a child's belief in "family" . They shared the joys and challenges of fostering their first foster child (a teenager with special needs), and how it brought out the nurturing side of their own young daughters . In the short time their foster child was with them, they were able to help her open up a lot more about what she had gone through. Joyce and Land are not Singaporeans but they stepped forward to foster to serve when they heard about children in Singapore who needed out-of-home care. Currently fostering a boy plus providing respite care for another boy, they shared how fostering revealed their own flaws and weakness e.g impatience etc, but it pushed them to grow and to rely on God even more.

16 July 2016 -  Wonderful sharing by Teh Hsin & Joyce to potential foster carers. Through their care and prayers, their 3-yr-old foster child "Dora" who was at risk for reactive attachment disorder & global developmental delay as a baby, has now blossomed into a confident, bubbly and loving child. While they dread the day she leaves to be reunified with her own parents, they know that loving her AND wanting the best for her means letting go of their own desires AND being willing to get hurt in the process....But it's worth it for the sake of the child!!! Having met a displaced survivor of Hurricane Katrina recently, Joyce reflected that the trauma a foster child experiences at being suddenly removed from her birth family and brought into care is just as devastating - it's like a hurricane blowing through her home, leaving nothing in its wake & removing her from everything she knows. How lost and bewildering that can be !!!! And similar to being swept away...