So there are certain things most people never consider googling (that's a word now right?). Things like: how does incest effect a child, what is gross sexual imposition, what's the difference between aggravated murder and murder (still not sure, but pretty sure I don't want a kid in my house whose done either), and how likely is a child to get huntingtons disease if a parent had it (turns out it's pretty likely, oh and throw in "what is huntingtons disease?").
Ian and I sat down one night to fill out this child characteristic checklist which states what we will and won't consider for foster placements. This thing is 5 pages long and that picture is just a sample. We made it through page one before we needed a break. This is basically a list of all the horrors that have entered the world since the fall of man and we have to go through it and decide if we will care for a child who has been exposed to them. And I want to answer most of these questions the way most questions in foster care are answered: I DONT KNOW!
Anyway, I've tried to go through some by myself as I have more discretionary time than Ian but, as you can see in the picture, there are some things I just don't know how to answer. We are only accepting a placement for a baby, but I'm well aware that a baby could have been physically or sexually abused. A BABY! It's almost too sickening to think about. I know I will need to remind myself often of John 16:33
"I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world."
Jesus already overcame all these horrors and I don't need to be strong enough to overcome them or even carry them on my own. That doesn't necessarily help me answer the questions, but it does give me peace either way.
