Foster Care and Race

Foster Care and Race

This topic has been on my mind a good bit lately. Such a touchy topic- but over and over and over again during this process I hear/see/read people talking about how it's "great" that that families are willing to take in children of a different race, but that the child is not blind is going to see the difference, they should be in a home of the same ethnic background because we cannot meet the needs of a child the opposite race.

Personally, we are willing to take in whatever child needs a family. White, Black, Spanish, Asian...you name it. God did not see skin color when loving, serving, caring, helping and taking in people. Neither do we. We will love on, take care of, advocate for and pray for every single child that comes into our home with everything we have. I read this today, and it pretty much sums up how we feel about this:

"My husband, bio son and myself are white and we adopted two Haitian children. My Haitian daughter really struggles with the fact that we are white. She feels alone in a sea of white people and often says she wishes a black family had adopted her. I think in some ways I agree with her. I don’t understand the issues she faces as a young black girl living in a white community. I can teach her all I want that race doesn’t matter, but in her world – it does. She is discriminated against by other students at her school – yet she refuses to come home to be homeschooled as my bio son is. She’s my social butterfly and longs to be in an accepting group. I praise God that she has found that in our church, but even there – she is one of only 2 other black people – one of whom is her bio brother.

It’s a struggle that doesn’t seem fair to her – and my mama heart aches to know that I will never truly be able to understand that struggle. Would it have been easier for her to be adopted by a black family? Perhaps. However, would she have been adopted and brought to America for a better life had the government only allowed a black family to adopt her? Most likely she would still be living in poverty and sickness or even dead as she had TB when we brought her home. All I can do is pray that the Lord brings good people into her life – be they black or white or any other ethnicity – who can show her that her value doesn’t depend on the color of her skin but on Whom she believes and how she lives her life."

It may or may not be a struggle for us if we foster a child of opposite race, every child is different & we plan on prayerfully caring for each child's ethnic needs to the best of our ability, and trusting that God will take over and it will all be just fine. Our God is bigger than ethnic ratios, percentages, statistics, and negative opinions.

If you are a foster parent/adoptive parent- do you take race into consideration before accepting a child? Why or why not?

-Please note- I'm aware this is a touchy topic, please be respectful & do not take my questions or anyone's comment on my post in the wrong way. As we are at the end of our licensing process and nearing the "wait for a call", this is a common & honest concern and I am simply asking for your opinion based on your experience. Thank you! :) -