TYLER, Texas — One East Texas church wanted to help connect foster families with each other and what better way to do that than with some Christmas Spirit.
One mother who attended the Foster Family Christmas Party at Green Acres Baptist Church described this event as an opportunity to build a sense of community with other foster and adoptive parents.
"Not a normal parent understands all the stuff – the bumps, the road, the CPS, the courts," said Bonnie Murphy, an adoptive mother.
All bumps in the road to be able to give a child a loving family. Bonnie Murphy has been fostering kids for 21 years; in total she’s fostered 53 kids and now she has a total of seven, five of which she's adopted and is also in the process of adopting one more.
During the Green Acres Baptist Church tree lighting ceremony, families from adoptive and fostering backgrounds got a chance to connect with one another.
And with Christmas around the corner, this is the first celebration many of these kids have with their new families.
"We want to help them to see that there are some highlights to be in a foster family and there are some highlights to being in an adoptive family," said Justin Hayes, Executive Director of The Foster Collective.
The event offered food, family photos and other activities. Hayes says having this dinner is a way to recognize the hard work these families are doing.
"We just want to celebrate those families. And tell them that we see them and we see them doing some wonderful things and that God has a purpose for these kids," said Hayes.
After the Foster Family Christmas Party, the festivities didn’t stop there. No, the festivities moved outside where, yes, it’s snowing in East Texas!
Texas style snow fell silently on this block party.
Food trucks and carnival games added an extra touch of fun to the experience and the rain didn’t deter families from coming out.
Families like Bonnie’s who says despite the obstacles, "...it’s a bumpy road but the kids are worth it," said Murphy.
If you're interested in being a foster or adoptive parent, Green Acres Baptist Church will be having a meeting this Tuesday at noon and 6:00 p.m.