How One Family and One Church Said “Yes” to God’s Call (Part Two)
What started as a normal information session at Sandy Valley Baptist Church has become a committed ministry within the church to abundantly bless a foster family outside their own congregation.
Recently, Middle Georgia Area Director Philip Blinson, visited Sandy Valley for the second time to raise awareness for Families 4 Families and the foster care community. On his first visit, Elizabeth Irby, Sandy Valley’s Director of Children’s Ministries, and her husband spoke to Philip about their interest in becoming foster parents.
Ten years ago, the Irbys welcomed a kinship placement who stayed with them for eight months.
“That was the hardest eight months of my life because of the stress involved in that,” Elizabeth remembers. “But my church family got us through that.”
Even after that difficult experience, Elizabeth’s passion for helping children in crisis didn’t wane. Before speaking with Philip, the Irbys had already started the foster care approval process with another agency.
“Then my nephew’s stepmother passed away unexpectedly, and he came to live with us. My four-year-old niece also stays with us,” Elizabeth shared. “So when we got to the point of a home study, we ended up with two kids who we weren’t expecting to have in the house.”
Though the Irbys decided the time wasn’t right for them to open their home, Philip’s second visit to the church showed them they could still surround children in foster care with love.
As Philip shared the many ways churches like Sandy Valley can support foster families, Elizabeth knew her church could help.
“I wanted to host a date night, and there were other people in the church who had also gone to the meeting with Philip and wanted to help do other things [to support foster families]. We did a diaper drive, we sponsored some ladies going to the Flourish event for Mother’s Day and we collected school supplies,” Elizabeth explained.
Without any foster families currently attending their church, wrap-around care is new to the congregation, but that hasn’t stopped them from exploring the many ways they can step up to serve.
“Philip visiting our church and informing us about [Families 4 Families] has warmed the hearts of so many who want to help,” shared Diana Wilson, Sandy Valley’s director of music ministries. “We have a love for all of God’s children, and our church is a mission-oriented church. So helping Families 4 Families came naturally!”
When Philip connected Sandy Valley with the Brouch family, who had just opened their home, Elizabeth was eager to help. “I said, ‘If they need church support, we’re here for it.’”
Since the Brouch family welcomed their first placement — a baby girl — in May, Elizabeth and other Sandy Valley church members have stepped up to serve.
“The day they got placement, one of our ladies’ Sunday school classes took up a love offering for them and gave them a Walmart gift card so they could get anything they needed,” Elizabeth said. “We try to do either a home-cooked meal or a meal card at least every week, and we are prayer partners with them.”
One of Elizabeth’s biggest roles as she leads the church in caring for the Brouch family is raising awareness — not just for the Brouches’ needs but for other foster families, too.
“A lot of people don’t know how to help, but Families 4 Families is really good about communicating how we can,” she said.
Not everyone is called to be a foster parent, but everyone can be a vital piece of the puzzle of foster care support.
“Giving a loving, safe Christian home to kids that are going through the worst time of their lives, that’s a ministry,” Elizabeth shared. “Supporting [foster families who open their homes] is also a ministry.”
Diana added, “To know there are people willing to help [children in foster care] is such a beautiful thing. We are to be the hands and feet of Christ, to embody His love and compassion in everything we do.”
For Sandy Valley, supporting foster families is more than a suggestion; it’s a scriptural command.
“James says to visit the fatherless in their affliction and be there for them. Support them. Love them. Because foster care is hard,” Elizabeth said.
To other churches that want to help but don’t know where to start, she has a simple message:
“Just ask the question, ‘What can I do?’ and Families 4 Families will tell you.”
