The journey to become parents is not always easy or straightforward. Deborah and Clint Randall of Mesa are foster and adoptive parents, drawn to these alternative paths to parenthood following years of infertility and after opening their home temporarily to needy family members during the economic crisis.
Foster Care and Adoption
As a “Foster-Adoptive Home”, the Randalls have had nine child placements varying in length from a mere two days for one child, to providing forever homes to the two young children, aged two and three, that they have now formally adopted through Catholic Charities. Rounding out their busy household is a two-month-old infant that they are currently fostering and hope to also someday adopt. Having three children under four years of age is hectic, but Deborah Randall says “I feel like the grace of God is helping me as a mother to provide me with strength and patience.”
“Catholic Charities’ foster care and adoption programs uniquely support all parties – the child, the birth parents, and the foster parents – in a positive, loving, and life-affirming way,” says Randall. “Rather than look to make quick connections, Catholic Charities does extensive work to ensure that each placement is right for both the child and the family.”
Randall acknowledges the difficulties when children leave their home but wants folks who think being a temporary foster parent would be too difficult emotionally to consider opening their hearts and homes to the nearly 20,000 children currently in foster care in Arizona. “The sacrifice we make as foster parents is paid back to us many times over as we see positive changes and growth in each child who has spent time in our home,” says Randall.
Classes, Training and Support
Catholic Charities Foster Care and Adoption Program provides adoption classes, training and support for parents, mentoring programs for foster kids, kinship foster care coaching, and 24-hour support.
For more information about the Catholic Charities Foster Care Program or to get involved, please call 602-650-4825.
