SDA CHURCHES INVITED TO FOSTER 2,400 CHILDREN IN STATE CARE

Feb 06, 2010

For the 5^th consecutive year, the Child Development Agency paid tribute to its foster care families, and, made the call for qualified persons to join the programme for the sake of the over 2,400 children in institutions; at a service of thanksgiving hosted today, (Feb. 6) at the North Street Seventh Day Adventist Church. The Church service marked the beginning of National Foster Care Recognition Week.

 

CEO of the Agency, Mrs. Alison McLean, in thanking the over 820 existing foster parents already in the programme, made the observation that, if one family from each congregation of the West Indies Union Conference of Seventh Day Adventist Churches; which is the single largest denomination in Jamaica were to foster a child, then these 2,400 children in state care would have a home.

 

She continued by saying, “Despite the economic challenges, most foster parents say that fostering is one of the most rewarding experiences they have had.”

 

This sentiment was echoed in Donna Cohen – Scott’s presentation, where she wrote, “God has sent me an angel. I used to wonder if anyone was capable of giving love to someone else’s child as they do their own. I learnt for myself that you can. You can give love and treat each child equally without bias.”

 

She encouraged members of the congregation to sign up with the programme saying, “I want to encourage others to come on board and be a foster parent…children give perfect love. We must be prepared to receive and give this special love.”

 

The week’s activities will highlight some significant achievements of children in care who are participating in the national foster care programme.

 

This year, the Jamaica Observer and Juci Patties have partnered with the CDA to reward and encourage foster parenting. The Jamaica Observer has sponsored thirteen surprise makeovers for (13) foster mothers, while Juci Patties joins the ‘Circle of Love,’ sponsoring the agency’s annual ‘Circle of Love Road Rally.’

 

In this year’s rally, the CDA will be introducing ‘Chalk Talk,’ a bold new way to communicate the message of opening your heart and home to a child through the creation of temporary sidewalk murals. This exercise will involve our foster care family – children, parents, Children’s Officers and representatives from Juci Patties, who will have fun in the parking lots of selected Juci Patties locations Island wide, creating colourful murals around the theme ‘family is love’ with sidewalk chalk.

 

There will also be a variety of activities taking place across most parishes. These include exhibitions, foster care recruitment drives, a poetry competition for foster children, and various other presentations in communities.

 

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