From Scared to Swimming

This is WHY your investment into the lives of children who’ve experienced early child abuse and neglect MATTERS. Their brains spent so long surviving, sometimes they didn’t have time to develop all the other emotional, developmental, and social skills they need to thrive. We’ve been able to partner with this foster family to watch this child bloom! Here’s a note from his Oconee foster Mom and Dad about the miracles they’ve gotten a front row seat to watch! We all love this happy and affectionate boy! Come foster faithfully and you can see miracles happen, too.

January 25, 2024: We had our first swim meet today! Thank you to @fosteringfaithfully for getting us here, from helping with swim lessons to helping with swim team fees!  Thank you to the most patient, kind, angelic coach, @davis__dial for EVERYTHING! Thank you @ymcabluefins  for welcoming our boy with open arms and open hearts!

This kid used to SCREAM and brace himself in the doorway of the bathroom because he was so afraid of water. Look how far he has come. I was nervous, he was nervous, but when I saw him high five the swimmer in the lane next to him after his very first meet without being prompted because he’s seen his big brother do this so many times, I shed a tear.

 Today was beautiful. #foster #adopt #mywhy #swim #community

From Foster Dad:

“In 2020, we had a wild four year old dropped off at our house. Couldn’t speak. Terrified of me. Cried at the drop of a hat. Still in diapers. Fast forward a few years. He’s on the swim team. He’s in a regular education classroom most of the day. He speaks and communicates amazingly well. Never would I have imagined bringing him to an NFL game at all much less by myself, but we just made that amazing memory together. Fostering is hard. Fostering is stressful. When you get discouraged just remember the why. “