Have you ever fed Jesus a cookie or gone skating with Him? I have. Before you reach for the net let me explain. It began in a courtroom years ago. I still remember seeing the 7 young brothers and sisters as they stood before the judge who would ultimately decide what would become of them. Some held hands, some held the youngest siblings in their arms, and some just stood there with blank stares as their case was discussed. They had been brought to court that day from several different foster homes. They had not seen each other since their last hearing 3 months earlier. It was heartbreaking as they took roll call. Each child was present as ordered but their drug-addicted mother failed to show up... again. The children had different fathers and none of them had showed up either. Not one grandparent, not one aunt, uncle, cousin, or neighbor.

No one showed up to say they cared. In the marble hallway outside the courtroom I watched their brave but tearful goodbyes. I cried, too. The chances of them seeing each other again until the next court hearing in 3 more months were pretty slim.

It was then my husband and I decided we wanted to do something for these and the many other children who are in these same circumstances in our community. We were already committed to help in the fight against child abuse by serving on the board of several nonprofit organizations and we along with our pastor had formed a ministry called Blue Sunday Child Abuse Prevention Initiative.

Our goals were relief, education and motivation. Our “relief” efforts took a new direction after that day in court. We began offering opportunities for foster children to be together. We threw parties! We held events designed just for fun. We went skating, to the zoo, children’s theater, and even to churches for special back to school programs. We knew these children needed to be together somewhere besides courtrooms. They need to be together in happier setting to make positive memories with each other.

One of our first events was held at the local zoo. From I where I stood at the main gate to greet the foster families I couldn’t help but hear a teenager arguing with his foster mom that he wasn’t going inside. He wasn’t loud or disrespectful but pretty adamant about not going inside. My heart sank. What was I thinking? The zoo wasn’t where a teenage boy would want to be on a Saturday morning. I instantly questioned if I really heard God about doing this ministry at all. I felt like I’d let this boy down so I walked over and began talking to him. I apologized for having chosen the zoo for our outing. I tried teasing him a little by asking him if at 15 he was already “too cool” for the zoo. He explained that wasn’t the problem. His little sister who was 11-years-old was living in a different foster home than he was. He wasn’t going to go in until she arrived so they could be together. My heart melted. He understood what we were there for. He needed what was left of his family. He needed to make a memory with his sister.

He made a big memory for me as well. I’d never ministered to children in this way. My heart was set. Foster children need to be together as much as possible. They need to bond. They need to share stories, share a meal, play, fight and make up. They need to make memories, good memories that included each other.

So when I say I’ve skated with Jesus, helped Jesus feed the ducks at the zoo, or shared a cookie—remember you can, too. You can if you believe what Jesus said:

Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me. Matthew 18:5

Blue Sunday is a nonprofit organization that ministers locally and strives to inspire others to join in the fight against child abuse. National Blue Sunday falls on the last Sunday of April each year. It is a time when churches all across America will be taking time in their morning service to pray for the victims of child abuse and for those that rescue them. Over 2 million participate each year.