Let's Hear it for the Boys - Kristina Thom

For those that were at church on August 4, you got to hear a chapter of our story about the chaos of our first foster placement, 13-month-old twins, and how we had none of the essentials needed to care for them. What we didn’t get to share is that later in our foster care journey, we would find out about With Love, a local organization that champions foster families by supplying the needed essentials (diapers, formula, clothing, car seats, toys, toiletries, cribs, strollers, etc.) with each new placement and every 90 days afterward. Through this organization and its volunteers, we experienced the most generous home deliveries of bags filled well beyond just the basic needs/requests of the children. In their kindness and thoughtfulness, With Love volunteers would place extra items based on the season, upcoming holidays, a child's favorite superhero or color, etc. Because of this radical hospitality, amid what is a child’s darkest hour, there was joy, and both the children and foster parents felt a surrounding presence of love, worth, value, and dignity being spoken to their hearts.

As a church community, we are so excited that our children and family ministries, across all four campuses, are partnering in the “Let's Hear it for the Boys” clothing drive for With Love. During the month of October, we are collecting boys' clothing sizes 2T-8Y to help fill the empty & limited supplies on the shelves of With Love. Let’s face it, our boys often adventure differently, which means there are not many “gently used” boy items ending up at the donation center. So we are intentionally collecting for this need, knowing it will thrill the hearts of those whose hearts have been broken. Let’s fill the shelves designated for boys with clothing that builds confidence, supports their adventures, and truly helps restore their joy. 

"You changed my sorrow into dancing. 
You took away my clothes of sadness, and clothed me in happiness."
Psalm 30:11 (NCV)

 

Let’s truly hear it for the boys!
Kristina Thom 

Adoption & Foster Care Ministry | Hope City, New Hope, Beaverton CC, Willamette CC