Summary:

This month’s guest post is by the CEO of Caring Family Network, Stacy Bruce.  Caring Family Network has

become a great partner to Restore Austin and Austin New Church.  In partnership, we have about 8 couples working through the foster-to-adopt process in order to give these children homes they deserve, along with that we have just recently began to inquire about working with them in areas of tutoring and mentoring through the summer.  But not only that, Stacy has become a pretty good friend to Restore Austin’s Matthew Hansen.  Stacy is an amazing leader and is doing some amazing things with Caring Family Network.  If you want to know more, read below:

In 1999, I was hired by Caring Family Network (CFN), a local foster care and adoption agency in Austin.  I was a young, green social worker ready to take on the world.

In 1999, Darrel and Melody Dussetschleger became a licensed foster family with CFN.  At that time, Darrel and Melody had 3 children of their own (high school and middle school aged).

In 1999, Jessy and Shela were removed from their young mother in Corpus Christi and put into the State’s Care.  After several placements, Jessy (age 4) and Shela (age 3) were placed in the Dussetschleger foster home and I became their case manager.

That year, all of our lives changed.

This story illustrates the biblical need to focus on God’s calling, outlined in James 1:27, right here in Central Texas.  If it weren’t for Darrel and Melody’s faith and trust in God’s calling, faith in one another, faith in their own family and faith in CFN, Jessy and Shela would have very different lives today.

And so the story begins…Jessy, born deaf, was placed in the State’s care at age 4.  He was removed from his young mother’s care due to the neglectful environment of his biological home.  While in his mother’s care, Jessy never learned to communicate.  After six foster care placements in three months and no attachment to a caring adult, Jessy had absolutely no communication skills, no exposure to rules or structure and no social skills.  I remember thinking “this child reminds me of the Tasmanian devil.” Jessy arrived at the Dussetschleger’s heavily medicated.

Shortly after placing Jessy with the Dussetschleger’s, we placed his little sister, Shela.  Shela was 3 years old, had been in 9 foster homes (including psychiatric hospitalizations) in six months and also appeared to be deaf.  It wasn’t until a thorough medical examine was completed that we were told her hearing was fine.  As I write, I recall a picture of Shela taken around the time of placement.  In this photo, she is holding a baby doll.  While most three-year-olds are full of life, Shela appeared lifeless, her 3-year-old spirit was deeply buried by the abuse and neglect, and there appeared to be no life in her little body. She was also heavily medicated.  But at last they had arrived in a safe, nurturing family, committed to accepting this challenge.

Within the first couple of years, the entire Dussetschleger family became fluent in sign language.  Jessy was beginning to communicate and Shela’s eyes were showing signs of life and love.  While Jessy continued to struggle with his disability, social skills and many developmental delays, he was beginning the process of healing. At that time, Melody began the daunting task of navigating the Medicaid system to pay for a cochlear implant for Jessy.  After advocating up the chain of command and ending with Carole Keaton Strayhorn, Melody was successful!

In 2005, Shela reached permanency through adoption by the Dussetschleger’s.  Due to the financial difficulty of meeting Jessy’s special needs, the Dussetschleger’s chose not to adopt Jessy at that time.  However, they remained 100% committed to him and in all of our minds; he had reached permanency as well.

During the July 2008 CFN Annual Summer Celebration, I was privileged to watch as in walked two lanky, well-adjusted, UNMEDICATED, much loved, and very beautiful, young teenagers.  Shela spent her time admiring and picking out the perfect prom dress, while Jessy spent time talking (yes, talking not just signing) with staff, foster parents and other children.

At the August 2009 CFN back-to-school celebration, I was able to erase the haunting picture of Shela at age three, broken by such a wounded spirit.  It has been replaced with a vision of life and energy that she emitted with every step she took.  And there sat Jessy, as if completing the cycle of healing, holding his 18 month old foster sister, a beautiful little girl, also a victim of child abuse and neglect.   The unconditional love, the commitment, and the faith in God’s Plan…the healing is so apparent.

Now to the present day!  Jessy continues to struggle with his disabilities and has been diagnosed with a macular degenerative disease.  He attends the Texas School for the Blind, where he is loved and quite successful.  In fact, Jessy has made such an impression that the school produced a video of him to use as a model for all deaf blind children in the U.S and Canada. The Dussetschleger’s will adopt Jessy within the next month. Shela has graduated from middle school and moved to High School.  She is a beautiful young woman, full of life.  I’ve watched Jessy and Shela grow and heal through our Powerful God and the powerful therapeutic care, love and nurturing that the Dussetschleger’s have provided to these two children.  It is almost impossible for me to have a conversation about Jessy and Shela without crying or at least tearing up.  Gone are the Tasmanian devil and the little girl so wounded she showed no spirit. What a powerful testimony to a family who chose to put God first and to allow Him to use their hands, their hearts and their family and community to bring healing to these children.  Today, the Dussetschleger family consists of two proud doting parents, 5 children, one grandchild and another grandchild on the way.  Along the way, the Dussetschleger’s have provided a loving, healing home to more than 20 foster children with special needs.  And that young case manager that was ready to take on the world is now the CEO of Caring Family Network.  I can see the Fingerprints of God all over this!!!

Our lives changed forever!!!!

WHY FOSTER, WHY ADOPT the children of Central Texas.  The numbers speak for themselves:

In 2009,

• There were 68,326 confirmed cases of child abuse/neglect in the State of Texas
• 12,107 children were removed from their home as a result of a CPS Abuse/Neglect Investigation
• On August 31, 2009, there were 15,932 children in foster care
• At the end of 2009, there were 6,386 children waiting for adoption
• In Region 7 (Travis and surrounding counties) alone, there are 1,761 children in foster care
• Sadly, in 2009, 1453 children emancipated from the State’s care without a family.

Why foster or adopt or get involved…because James 1:27 gives us our instructions.  If you are called to care for children from hard places, if you are ready to be a part of one of the most unique, exciting and meaningful experiences in life, if you are ready to be challenged, changed and charged with an awesome privilege and responsibility, if you are ready…Texas children, like Jessy and Shela are ready and waiting for you!

Stacy, thank you so much for your friendship, your leadership, and your commitment to these children.  We look forward to a much deeper partnership as time goes on.  We love you and all those at Caring Family Network!