It has been a really great season on sharing our lives with some incredible survivors. When the government of Afghanistan fell to the Taliban (Not really exactly what happened, but not my place to speak about that) there were thousands of men and women that had supported or work alongside our people that were at risk. Thankfully, many of those who had served were able to seek refuge status and come to the U.S. A few hundred of those refugees along with their families, some not all, started being settled here in the Kansas City area. Through a couple of connections we started serving some of the immediate needs. Taking our van to the hotel where they refugees were temporarily housed before permanent housing could be established. Some days were just a quick trip the local Wal-Mart others were runs to the health clinic for families too large to catch an Uber. Pretty quickly there was a need to begin teaching the folks to drive, first with classes for Driver's Ed. Then wit...
Rach & I lead Bridge Families in Kansas City where we support families that are stepping in the gap for children that often don't have a voice. We rely on our experience and training over 15 years of foster parenting and adoption. We both believe that every child belongs in a family that not only provides the basic needs, but supports the child to become all their potential holds. This often looks like phone calls in the wee hours with parents in crisis. Sometime this opening our home to host those in between housing. Assisting with getting re-established and re-launching into their own plan. Whether that is an apartment or dorm going on with further education. This has included provision of meals, clothes, and lodging in the form extended stay hotel rooms for a week or two until a plan can be established. We live in an area that leads to us easily seeing those in need. We also are the executive directors for Mike Ed...
In the last few years we have enjoyed getting to know some amazing people doing the work we felt so strongly called to be a part of in Kenya. We, more Rachel than I, made contact with this group out of Tanzania, Pamoja Leo, leading the way getting children back into families, keeping them in families and supporting families to stay together. Long story short, we have supported them along the way a couple times as we have been able. Most recently they needed to fund the re-printing of some resources for spreading the need. Due to the gifts we have received previously we felt called to assist with the printing costs. We received an amazing update from them just this week, here is an excerpt: "64 new foster families trained last month! Bringing us to 99 foster families total in Tanga region from 0 just 3 years ago! 6 adoptions pending all by local families. 2 rape convictions of 30 years for two girls that have been in our foster care program....
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