It was a cozy joint-intro tea session yesterday morning with Boys’ Town Fostering Services. All who attended were encouraged! A beautiful and very natural and heartfelt sharing by foster parents Alan and Eliz, who have been on this fostering journey since 2016! Here’s a few parts of their sharing: “Eliz carrying foster child (FC) in her sling while singing in the choir! He was so calm that nobody knew he was at the choir” “FC was in the hospital for a few months since birth…he smiled for the first time when they brought him home” “FC is our teacher, he teaches us how to teach him” “Eliz always places herself in FC’s natural mother’s shoes, and that helped in their first meeting at the hospital, and just small little details e.g. getting Alan to bring FC to natural mum, that reduces any potential tension when a mother meets another mother.” “Allan shared a few times about their conviction of the importance of reintegration.” More details from the sharing will be released. Watch this spa...

  Below is a summary of the sharing by Amy at the Fostering Tea Session with  Boys' Town Fostering Services  on 24 September 2022. Amy and Victor Amy was given an opportunity to host foster parents at one of the events organized by her workplace. It was truly a memorable and eye-opening experience for her to hear the heartwarming stories of the foster parents as they shared with Amy and one another their fostering journeys. One of the foster parents commented that “If there is a room in your heart to foster, you will create space in your house to foster.” “It was very touching to see a foster parent taking care of a foster child with severe disabilities, feeding and attending to the child.” Amy shared. This is not the first occasion that Amy was exposed to the world of fostering. At work, Amy had a prayer group with colleagues who are also foster parents. This was the push she needed to talk about fostering a child with her husband, Victor. Victor had initial apprehension...

  Foster parents Ping Loong and Donna shared their fostering journey at the Fostering Tea Session organized by  Boys' Town Fostering Services  and  Home For Good - SG  on 9 July 2022. HOW IT BEGAN... Donna has always wanted to foster. However she always imagined it would happen after they had children of their own. In 2019, Donna experienced a serious heart attack. She recalled different aspects of her life flashed through her mind as she was wheeled into the operating theatre. “ I might be seeing God soon. Can I say goodbye and leave in peace? My marriage... parents... have I done enough? ” In the last few moments of consciousness, Donna realised that she had two regrets – not prioritising God and spending more time with Him, and not giving back to the community. Thankfully Donna recovered and the near-death experience prompted her to look for opportunities to give back. However, she soon realised it was hard to find ways to help due to the restrictive safe dis...

  Sharing by Michael and Irene on 26 September 2020, with The Salvation Army Singapore (Gracehaven Fostering). Michael and Irene decided to foster as newlyweds as they love children and were willing to open their home to children in need. They met while on overseas mission trips helping children who were less fortunate. The couple first heard about fostering at a roadshow in Nex Shopping centre in May 2016. For a good 6 months, they pondered & prayed about the decision before finally signing up. They initially opted to take only 1 child at a time. But when they saw the great need (we hv another 600 children who still need foster families), they took in a 2nd child who was in need of placement. One thing led to another, and now they are concurrently fostering 4 children! The couple agree that while each child came with their own set of challenges, this has also helped them to grow in their parenting skills. They were able to discuss and work together to help each child settle in...

  Amy’s online sharing at the fostering intro with Boys Town on 18 July 2020. In her capacity as the Head of a legal department, Amy was not originally directly involved with fostering. Her first encounter with fostering was at a dinner where she had the opportunity to interact with foster parents. She saw a special needs child strapped into his wheelchair being fed lovingly by his foster parents. She was very moved by their actions. Another foster father told her that while his home was not big, “if you find room in your heart, you will find space to foster.” His words were seared into Amy's mind. The next year at the same event, she met an Indian foster father receiving a long service award. He had brought his biological daughter, and his Chinese foster son whom he had fostered for 19 years. The boy spoke fluent Tamil. The foster father was grieving over his wife's recent passing and this was the first time he had attended without her at his side. The boy recalled his late fo...

Joint intro session with Epworth Foster Care on 16 Feb 2019. Seow Kian Yong (SKY) and Yan Shan have no children and initially considered adoption. However, they had some apprehensions and later explored fostering. They took in their first foster child 3 years ago. Dan (not his real name) was in P4. At first SKY & Yan Shan didn’t want to foster him, given his behavioral issues. However, that Sunday Service, the message was focused on love and the couple changed their mind and decided to give it a go. Dan had been staying in KK hospital (KKH) for a few weeks due to his family situation. When Sky and Yan shan went to KKH to pick him up, he cried, threatened to run away, threw a fit and insisted on staying at KKH. It took the Child Protection Officer (CPO) some time to calm him down. They later found out that Dan thought he was being adopted and would never be able to see his family again. Eventually, he followed SKY & Yan Shan home. It turned out to be a very challenging first exp...

On 17 Nov 2018, Alan & Eliz shared about their journey fostering a 6 month old baby who is now an energetic 2 yr 8 mth old. What made this placement special was that it made this couple both first-time foster parents and first-time parents as well, since they had no children of their own. Not only did they have to cope with caring for a baby for the first time, they also had to manage the medical issues that came with this child being a premature baby. Nonetheless, the couple shared that the first time they met their foster child, it felt right that they should care for this child. He was warmly welcomed by their extended family, including Elizabeth’s mother. In God’s perfect timing and provision, her mother had just asked Elizabeth for a new babysitting job, totally unaware that the couple has just decided to start fostering . Her mother now cares for the child when Elizabeth is at work. Despite the love they have for the child, Elizabeth and Alan are prepared for the possible eve...