Ally was only 5 when she entered foster care for the first time. She was able to reunify with her parents after her first placement, but things only got worse for her when she went back home. Beatings were more intense than before. She was locked in her room, starved, never being able to play outside. This is not the life a child should have. School was a place Ally loved to be, it was the only safe place for her, a place where she could distract herself from the reality of what was going on at home. Ally got good grades in school despite all the abuse she was experiencing. Her parents would pull her from school as a punishment, taking away her only sense of safety.

Thankfully Ally was removed from her home a second time at age 14 and she was placed with Betty, one of Agape’s resource (foster) families. Betty took Ally in as her own and gave her the love and care she deserved. She was able to process what she had gone through in her past and focus on her goals for the future.

Ally is now an incredible young woman who has graduated college from Cal Poly with a 3.5 GPA!! She made the Dean’s list, has applied to the Peace Corp and is looking into a Master’s program in International Apparel Management. She has a love for learning and is excited to see where her passion will take her. Not only is she a kind and caring person, but she has overcome so many obstacles and is thriving.

This is the kind of story we love and are proud to tell you about! We know Ally is going to make a big impact in the world. She already has, and a big part of that is the love and care she had from her foster, now forever, family. However the costs to help kids like Ally are high and we cannot do what we do without YOUR financial support!

It is because of donors like you that stories like Ally’s are possible!

Ally recently said, “I was able to have great social workers from the start with Agape Villages because of the advocacy I got while in care. In Agape Villages I was able to have a great foster home where I was able to find my forever home. Through the staff members and resources I was able to get the guidance I needed. They always made sure I was well taken care of. The social workers and foster parents work very closely to make sure they are both advocating for the child.”

This is what YOU make possible!

Watch Ally’s Video

A Former Child In Foster Care Through Agape

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As of 6 months of age, the boys are meeting their age appropriate developmental milestones. They are happy boys and have grown a lot!

The boys’ birth mother has since dropped out of touch. It’s possible parental rights will be severed. If that happens, our resource family would love to adopt the kids. We can’t be sure what the future holds, but we are sure the kids are well cared for with us!

He is father to two sons, Nate and Dillon, and loves walking, hiking and spending time with his family. You might run into him at estate sales, consignment stores, Home Depot or Lowes, as he loves home improvement projects. When he takes that well-deserved break, he’ll sit on the deck enjoying his park-like view in his backyard.

Thank you Dave for all you do!!

Unfortunately, her mother continued struggling with a substance abuse problem and was unable to follow the safety plan required for caring for Grace. Her father was out of the home and was a registered sex offender.

Grace was then placed in foster care with Agape Villages with one of our single parent resource families. At first, Grace was very quiet, cried a lot (especially to see her mother), and would eat very little. Agape Social Worker, Courtney McAlister, was able to arrange counseling ser- vices for Grace to help with her adjustments. We are pleased to report that after several months, Grace is doing much better. She is happy, loves her foster mother whom she calls “Grandma,” and is gaining weight.

We continue to work with the referring County Department of Social Services as efforts are made to work out a permanency plan for Grace.

We Need More Volunteers!

If you would like to be a volunteer, please Get Involved or call us at 866-922-4273.

There is no such thing as a throwaway kid. Every child deserves a chance to reach his potential in life. Agape Villages is there to provide these children with a happy, normal life. What can you do to help? Please consider donating time in volunteer service with Agape, prayers for the success of the mission of Agape, or a financial gift to assist in this good work. You’ll feel like you hit a bonanza! I know!

Written by Allison Rangel, Agape Foster Parent:

In January of 2013 Dave Roach, our Agape Social Worker, called me about a placement for a 13-month-old little girl. At that time, we had already had a 3 month old and 20 month old in our home. We said “yes!”

When we received this little girl, she was scared, terrified, and screamed most of the time. She came with nothing. Agape was on the ball and the next day dropped off a load of supplies. During the next five months, with prayer, Agape’s help, and our amazing Agape social worker, we watched this little girl turn from fear, panic, and anger to loving, nurturing, joyful, and funny.

We were on the path to adopt her when her family members stepped up to the plate to adopt her. After the due diligence was done, this little girl was removed from our home and placed with her relatives. However, this lasted only for three months. Unexpectedly, we received another call that they would like to place this little girl back in our home with the intention of adoption. Once again, Agape was amazingly on the ball. They helped make the transition of her back into our home go very smoothly by outfitting her, providing age appropriate toys, and most important to her – a blanket.

We could not be the foster parents we are for these children without Agape. We could not provide for these children like we need to without the love and support from Agape. The foster children that have come into our home have all felt the love of their Agape workers and they have returned that love back to them. From our experience, Agape continues to go above and beyond to support their foster families. Thank you, Agape!

CAFO (Christian Alliance for Orphans) wants Orphan Sunday to be a local effort, led by individual churches. They hope to see each church discover the best way for their congregation to get involved with addressing the needs of children in foster care and orphanages both here in the U.S. and abroad. Orphan Sunday events vary, for example, events in previous years included special messages on God’s heart for the orphan, prayer gatherings, fasts and simple meals, student-led fundraisers, foster family recruiting and live concerts.

A story found on the testimonials page of the Orphan Sunday website details how one church was transformed by its participation in Orphan Sunday.

“Clay and Tami joined Emmaus Church in Redlands, CA along with their two daughters adopted from foster care. Tami approached her pastor about doing an Orphan Sunday event and he was very supportive of the idea. The last few years Orphan Sunday at Emmaus Church has involved a message about “God’s Heart for the Orphan” and a panel of adoptive and foster parents. Emmaus Church encourages everyone to participate. Clay relayed a story of a young single man who doesn’t feel he’s in a place to adopt but knows he has a part to play in supporting families who do.

Orphan Sunday at Emmaus is one of the largest attendance Sundays of the year. It has grown the church as well, from 2 adopted children in Clay and Tami’s family to over 20 children who have been placed in families from U.S. foster care and international adoption. They even joke that there was a couple who didn’t come on Orphan Sunday because they knew if they did, they’d be signing adoption papers. Turns out they didn’t attend but months later adoption papers were signed!

What’s encouraging about Emmaus Church is the ethos of “everyone has a part to play.” Not everyone is called to adopt and there are numerous ways to support Christian orphan care, from respite care to preparing meals, and mentoring a child in foster care to financially supporting an orphan care ministry or organization.”

Agape Villages Foster Family Agency would love to partner with any church or other faith-based community that would like to do an Orphan Sunday with their congregation. We can have someone come and speak about foster care in your church’s community, the need for foster families, and ways to get involved. If you belong to a church or other faith community, and would like to participate in Orphan Sunday, please contact Katy Partan at kpartan@agapevillages.org.

“Orphan Sunday engages God’s people to put our FAITH into ACTION…as we unite to advocate for the most vulnerable.”

– ANDY LEHMAN, Vice President, Lifesong for Orphans

CAFO has put together a lot of great materials that offer ideas and ways to get involved. Click HERE to view their resources and suggestions for involvement in the foster care system.