Michael and Debbie's Foster Care Journey with PCHAS

When Michael and Debbie reflect on their decision to become foster parents in their late fifties and early sixties, they quickly reach the same conclusion: "It was God's timing. We truly believe that God called us to this."

A Calling Years in the Making

The couple's journey to fostering began years ago in California, at their church. Michael and Debbie served as counselors at a camp for children in foster care. They felt deep compassion for the children; they wanted to protect them and ensure they had the safe, loving family every kid deserves. They began dreaming of being much more involved than the one week as cabin counselors; they envisioned themselves fostering and becoming family for children who need one.

"We knew we had more to give," Debbie shares. Their children were grown, and they felt a new chapter beginning.

Life took an unexpected turn when Debbie received a job opportunity in Texas. Leaving California and all they had known seemed daunting, but they felt certain about the move. "My aunt always told me I should do hard things," Debbie recalls with a smile.

Finding Their Way Through Challenges

Debbie’s positive outlook laid a healthy and helpful foundation, because their path to and in Texas got rocky. After 16 months in Texas, Debbie’s company restructured, and she lost her job. Michael found a job working overnight shifts at a grocery store, but the schedule was not ideal. Life in Texas was not turning out like they imagined, but even in the uncertainty, they felt continually nudged toward foster care.

It was during this time that Debbie discovered Presbyterian Children's Homes and Services (PCHAS) on Facebook. "I thought it was too good to be true," she admits. On a whim, they took a drive to see The Foster Care Village in Itasca. They met Phyllis Carlson, the Village Life Coordinator, and she gave them an impromptu tour. Connecting with Phyllis and experiencing The Village first-hand cemented their decision and gave them the confidence they needed to move forward with their dream.

They completed all the required steps for verification as foster parents, which included extensive training, paperwork, and background checks. Then, they signed their lease and got the keys to their six-bedroom home at The Village. Michael and Debbie are responsible for all the groceries, clothing, recreation, and other expenses for themselves and the kids they care for, but they receive a generous per diem for each child in foster care to offset those costs. Additionally, PCHAS provides all utilities, including internet, maintenance, and lawn care.

Families who foster at The Village do not pay rent; instead, they help us steward the large homes on our historic campus by agreeing to foster five or six kids at a time. The community of spacious homes and connected, supportive foster families create an ideal environment for sibling groups in foster care. Even when a sibling group is too large to live under the same roof, when kids are fostered by families at The Village, they can see each other daily, visit each other’s homes and get to know their sibling’s foster parents. They even ride the school bus together.

Creating a “Giant Cabin” of Love

Michael and Debbie have been fostering for nearly two years, and they have welcomed thirteen children into their home. Right now, they have a house full of teens and pre-teens, and they could not be more excited about it. They refer to their home as their "Giant Cabin," and they are affectionately known as "Uncle Mike” and “Aunt Debbie.”

When asked why they chose to begin fostering at an age when many are traveling, relaxing, and coasting into retirement, Michael's answer reveals their heart: "If I can make one child feel safe, it means the world. I never felt safe as a kid. Getting to be the first positive male voice in some of these children's lives is rewarding."

The couple credits PCHAS's support as essential to their fostering journey. "We couldn't do this without them," Michael emphasizes. "Through the struggles and the good stuff, the PCHAS community has been there."

Their advice to prospective foster parents? "Come in with a totally clean slate mind. Celebrate these children. Remember that your role is to let them be kids again."

Ready to Make a Difference?

Do you think fostering might be in your future? With PCHAS, you can care for kids in the community where you live, or you can move to The Foster Care Village in Itasca and foster in a neighborhood designed just for foster families.

Ready to change lives like Michael and Debbie? Join us at our next Foster Care & Adoption Online Info Session or take a Virtual Tours of The Foster Care Village in Itasca, Texas. Sign up at www.pchas.org/FosterAdoptEvents or text "FOSTER" to (281) 324-0544.