Orphan teen begs church for a home

[Buzzard]

http://m.naplesnews.com/news/2013/oct/1 ... e-adopt-h/

My heart is breaking for this kid, so sad it didnt work out. It seems this boy, 15, has been bouncing around foster homes his whole life. He's presently in a group home with some other boys who are "troubled." His mother died over the summer but spent the majority of his life in jail.

Apparently he acted on the teaching that "god helps those that help themselves" and asked his caseworker to bring him to church. After pulling up his grades and losing some weight he spoke and begged someone to take him in. There were no takers, and he's still in the group home.

The church, St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church, doesnt appear to be Gothard related and seems to have suggested that adoption is a good thing, so no snark there.

stmarkch.org/index.html

I know there are a million kids like him out there - but I really want to see this one get a real home soon.

Whats that organization the duggars are pimping next week? HEY LURKERS FROM DUGGARVILLE - help this kid!

edited to break church link

[Coconut Flan]

Awww. To try so hard and then nothing. I hope someone steps forward for him.

[Mela99]

I read a similar story - foster girl literally put an ad in the paper asking for someone to adopt her.

Heartbreaking...

[theologygeek]

I sent this article to someone who knows someone who might be able to help.

[Kailash]

I'm so sad for him. Ugh. I'm so mad/sick/hurt I can't even articulate my feelings.

[laura oz]

In between husbands my mom waited tables. The local orphanages would bring the kids to eat sometimes, and she was amazed what good manners they had and how polite they were. One evening a little boy asked my mom to adopt him, and she said it broke her heart because she wasn't able to (we were so broke we were hungry a lot). She cried about that for such a long time & we both prayed that little boy would find a good home with people to be kind to him & treat him as if he was their own. He still crosses my mind & I pray life is being kind to him.

[Buzzard]

I sent this article to someone who knows someone who might be able to help.

Keep us posted! Even if someone cant formally adopt him, getting him out of a group home is a huge step. The orphanages of old look like palaces compared to the group homes I've seen.

No child should have to beg for someone to love them.

[rward]

Ezekiel 16:49

Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy.

[Buzzard]

I totally "get" that no one takes a child into their home the same way that some people take a puppy from petsmart on impulse. I also understand that this child, being 15 and an unknown quantity does have some danger. You dont know if he'll steal, you dont know his psychological issues (the article mentions anger)... a teen is hard. But seriously, THREE HUNDRED families and not one can offer a guest room? What about the minister?

This article has pretty much gone viral. I've seen it in my facebook feed 6 times now, so hopefully someone raises their hand for this kid. I just have to believe that there is an empty nest family out there thats willing to make a 2 year commitment to save this kid.

[Ex 2x2]

I have a friend who has left a message and is waiting to hear back from the social worker. He wants to adopt him. I've been trying to get my husband on board, but we really have so much going on with the two we've already adopted...therapies and what-not. I just don't know that adding another one who will have things that need working out is a good idea right now. My heart is breaking for him.

[twinmama]

I just have to believe that there is an empty nest family out there thats willing to make a 2 year commitment to save this kid.

He needs a family for the rest of his life, not just a 2 year commitment. I know what you're saying, but I hope he finds someone who can be his family for the rest of his life.

This is just so horrifically sad. But even more sad is that he is just one of so, so many.

[Beb]

No takers from the church. No takers from FJ?

[already hungover]

I seriously wish I hadn't read it. Yes, I know things like this happen in the real world but it just makes me sick that all this kid wants is a family and nobody cares. I cried.

I also hope that if he does find a family, they're not ridiculous fundies.

[JMarie]

He was featured in the "American Strong" segment of ABC World News tonight.

[FiddleDD]

See, stories like this are why I've always wanted to adopt. Because I know there are kids out there who just desperately want a family, and they deserve one.

[already hungover]

See, stories like this are why I've always wanted to adopt. Because I know there are kids out there who just desperately want a family, and they deserve one.

Me too! Both my parents are adopted. Everybody deserves a family. Everybody.

[theologygeek]

I never mentioned this but I took someone in when he was 15. I loved him like my own and still do. He's 19 now and moved in with his mother. She straightened her life out and is doing a good job. He works and goes to the community college. I miss him, but he visits. He was born of my heart and I just adore him. My sweet baby still calls me mama. Did I mention that I miss him? Yeah, I guess I did. sigh

[maybeizfundie]

:( So sad. I am not in a position to adopt right now (like, wouldn't get approved because of my own circumstances) but that story was heartbreaking. I did see an update that there has been quite a lot of interest following the plea in the church, and I hope that one of those families works out for him.

[Jana814]

It was on ABC World News last night!! Tons of person have connect his social worker saying that they would love to adopt him!! I hope he finds someone soon.

[Mama Mia]

That was the absolutely worst part of working in group homes for me. All these kids who'd been bounced from one foster home to another all through their childhoods, then being shuffled off to group homes as teens because they were too "damaged" and troubled to deal with more foster care. Heartbreaking.

[chaotic life]

He's had several people inquire with the desire to adopt him. Now his case worker gets to sort through all of the files and find several families that are good, solid, experienced candidates to actually adopt him.

The toughest part about adopting a teenager is that you simply cannot do something TO them. In fact, most states require they give their consent to the adoption. But, whether it's legally required or not, if they are not in agreement then the placement will almost always fail. Teens who resent having control of their lives taken away from them will not cooperate with such a drastic change in their lives.

One of the interviews I read about this child, he said that until his mother died HE was unwilling to consider adoption. It was life changing to discover she had died and he had no one in the world and HE wanted this change. It was his idea to travel to multiple churches begging for someone to adopt him.

He will have a rough road. He will not escape a lifetime of fostercare and group homes unscathed. However, any teen that wants a family should be able to have one. The sad reality is that most will not, but in a perfect world they would have that there for them.

Our oldest adoptee was just shy of 15 when he came here. There are reasons people are nervous about teens. They aren't the same as smaller kids and you really have to recognize your dreams and hopes and let them GO. You have to give a teen respect and space and allow them to either integrate....or simply co-habitate with the resources and safety net that family provides even when they don't understand family provides that safety net.

This child will find his family. Families have come forward for him now. Ultimately, he will likely succeed because he made a choice to embrace this step. There are thousands more just like him who want a family to call their own and will age out of the fostercare system in this country without that family ever being found for them. There are two strong ways to help these kids. Get involved in adopting or mentoring these teens. Secondly, find your state's foster care alumni association and see if you can give support to them. They try to become the safety net that fostercare alumni don't have when they age out without a family.

[Kailash]

I am happy to hear that he will likely find a home. Thank you, chaotic life, for your input and suggestions on how to help others in this situation.

[Marianne]

I was like this boy. Just... foster home and foster home and foster family who don't care about you and foster home ans foster family who care about you but can't adopt you, and foster home, again and again, since my 4 untill my 18. I learned how not feel feelings for someone. Never found a family for me.

It's difficult to explain what's your mind in this situation (especially in another language, i can't find my words in English to describe it). But i'm so happy he can have a family. And not a foster home.

[theologygeek]

This is who I told my friend to send the article to because they know each other. Guess she got it. lol http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... amily.html

[tropaka]

They just had this boy on The View. I hope things work out for him.