Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Saying goodbye to J

I know I haven't posted much recently and this has been due mainly to the day by day dramas and talks with the social worker about J.
Having been approved as emergency and short term foster parents we were told that we'd have children for up to 6 months.
Fifteen months into a placement which is still open-ended legally and with deteriorating behaviour that impacts on the other kids, we made the hard decision to ask for J to be moved on. Today it finally all came together and half an hour ago she moved.
How strange that when foster children come to you and when they leave. you can see them so easily as hurt little children whereas in those weeks and months in between they so easily appear as clever adult manipulators and experts in psychological warfare.
We spent this weekend knowing J was moving on (although she didn't) and when she was the celebration child at our family Friday celebration, it was especially poignant as Paul blessed J. The blessing can serve as our goodbye to her;

Lord, I thank you for the blessing of J. I ask that You fill her with Your Holy Spirit and guide her footsteps. I ask that you guard her path. I ask that you build her character in Your likeness, in truth, honour and light. I ask that you remove fear from this child and fill her with Your Holy Spirit. Amen

1 comment:

Nan P. said...

This must have been a very hard decision to take. I feel for you and Paul, and for J. I too pray (to my agnostic god, but it is still a prayer) that she finds peace, and that her path becomes filled with love and light.