By Bloom Foster Parent Brooke Potteiger
While attending Lee University, I went on a short mission trip to a foster care community where every family in the neighborhood was a foster parent. At that time, I thought, “I’d love to do that one day—once the timing is perfect. When I’m married, financially stable, and life is just right.”
I’ll never forget sitting in the back of the church one day when Peter Mutabazi came to speak. He shared his missions with the congregation and his experience as a single foster dad. It was at that moment that God spoke to me. He told me that He wanted me to foster. Not when the timing was perfect, but now, in this season of life with what I had. That’s when I knew I needed to make a change and started adjusting my life to prepare for parenting. I decided to move forward with fostering, and God provided me with the perfect home to raise children.
The first few months were a significant transition for me and the child I was fostering. There were times I questioned whether I could continue this long-term. But now, I’m on my fourth placement, and while it hasn’t always been easy, there have been beautiful moments—moments when I witness pure joy in my children. Each child comes with its own adjustment period, but over time, I’ve seen growth in every child I’ve fostered. Watching a child grow and flourish in my care has been a life-changing experience that I wouldn’t change for the world.
If you’re considering becoming a foster parent, visit https://bloomfosters.org/our-programs/foster-parenting/ for more information, or email m.bella@bloomfosters.org.