A Team That Sticks Together, Even in Tough Times.
“The failing part was hard.” This is a strange remark coming from one of Central Florida’s finest parents, but all too familiar in the world of foster care.
Kirsten and Augie Rodriguez attend Genesis Church with their family in Orlando. When Commission 127 (C127) met Pastor Tim Grandstaff, veteran foster families were already creating awareness and passion for kids from hard places at Genesis Church.
C127 came alongside Genesis Church to undergird their passion with practical strategies, training, and tools that would strengthen their efforts to make a bigger difference in their community. At C127, it’s called creating a Family Advocacy Ministry (FAM). And the mission is simple: Help families foster longer and stronger.
The Rodriguez family did not set out to foster, but were inspired by those they had been watching at Genesis. After praying about it and talking to friends, they enrolled in classes to become licensed. Kirsten says she was used to succeeding and expected that she would tackle the job of fostering just like she approached everything else: through love, hard work, and organization.
A child from foster care looks like an ordinary kid, so this should be easy, right? But behind every foster face are hidden fears of neglect, pain, broken parents, and behavioral triggers. And though foster parents look like nice people, they look very different from the perspective of a foster child. To foster kids, these people are strangers who took them from their families, made them sleep in unfamiliar beds, and then dropped them off at scary schools where they had no friends. So, feelings of failing are just par for the course... for everyone.
This is why FAMs are important. The FAM model equips ordinary church volunteers with training and tools to lighten the load and create an instant community. This makes foster homes feel less scary as foster parents seek ways to bring stability and healing.
The Rodriguez care team is led by Jennifer Campbell. As an adoptive parent, she gets it. “These kids come from really dark places. And so foster parents have this pressure of having to live up to an impossible standard in order to care for these hurting kids.
When C127 explained their mission to Genesis, Jennifer said she jumped at the chance to be there for a family in the way she wished someone had been there for her.
The Rodriquez care team was formed in 2020. Jennifer says, “It was tough starting out because we had people on the team battling COVID sickness and concerns about their own families.” So they set up a team chat, private Facebook and held monthly face-to-face Zoom calls to keep everyone together. They encouraged and prayed for each other as they cared for the Rodriguez family. Jennifer says, “Looking back this helped us really bond. Now, we are a team of friends that does life together. And we have a lot of fun!“
Most FAM volunteers have never been foster or adoptive parents, so volunteering can look intimidating and time consuming. But Jennifer was quick to recognize what many other volunteers have shared, “C127 organizes the roles and responsibilities so that serving can be as easy as providing a meal or diving in deeper as your confidence grows. There is so much flexibility.”
As the Rodriguez family grew to six kids, Jennifer began encouraging her team to look for more practical ways they could bring them some cheer and relief to the family, especially as COVID was causing more and more isolation. Someone on the team noticed their lawn needed help. Soon a yard makeover was underway, complete with a butterfly garden. The whole team worked together doing something that not only complied with outdoor social distancing but also gave them the ability to be together.
As the care team leader, it is Jennifer’s role to be in touch with Kirsten once a week. This allows for a friendship form where the leader can key in on the personality of the foster parents. For instance, Jennifer knows that Kirsten likes to stock up on the basics so she won’t have to run to the store so often. Kirsten was encouraged to share her Amazon wish list with the team. This gave everyone the ability to replenish depleted resources as they could or send a very special gift to one of the kids. This was also a great avenue for anyone who was not on the team but wanted to provide a one-time gift. Now that COVID restrictions have been lifted, the team is helping with car rides and date nights. The team is becoming more than a team, but part of the familiar faces that make the Rodriguez home feel more like a family...for everyone.
The care team became especially crucial during a dark season in the Rodriguez foster journey. During this time, the gift of “time” became especially important as their most pressing need was meeting privately with experienced foster parents and professional counselors to receive wisdom and support on some very difficult circumstances.
When asked about other insights she had for those considering helping out on a team, Jennifer had a profound reflection for those who are new to any church or just looking meet friends, “C127 provides a great starting place for anyone that just needs a place to land. Care teams are the perfect place to immediately connect with others and enjoy the closeness of a group that is doing something meaningful together. Even if you are not interested in fostering, I think this is a great starting place to branch out into other avenues of purpose and growth.” C127 is grateful for the Rodriguez family, their church, and their care team. We are doing all we can to help the Genesis FAM thrive and add more care teams to their growing ministry.
If you or your church wants to jump in, reach out to us via email at sgriffin@c127.org.
