Foster Care: A Story in Ministry

by Sister Liz Sjoberg, D.C.

I work in the overnight emergency program at Marygrove, an agency in St. Louis that serves abused, neglected and homeless children and teens. The kids we see in our program are ones experiencing a major crisis, such so that they cannot live in their family home or foster home anymore. Their stories are heartbreaking and dark.

One of the girls at Marygrove shared poems she wrote about her experiences. This is the third poem we've shared over the last couple of weeks. Please keep Marygrove and the children we serve in your prayers.

Foster Care

They take you away from your real mom and dad, then expect you not to get all mad.

They try to place you in a home with a stranger, every time for me I'm sent away because I'm the danger.

I maybe finally found the one place I belong, I've been progressing and happy, it's been so long.

I'm growing and learning to be more free, trying to become the best I can be.

My past may form me but it's not who I am, so watch out foster care–I'm taking a stand.

• Read the first poem and entry in this series.
• Read the second poem.

Too Far Gone: A Story in Ministry

by Sister Liz Sjoberg, D.C.

I work in the overnight emergency program at Marygrove, an agency in St. Louis that serves abused, neglected and homeless children and teens. The kids we see in our program are ones experiencing a major crisis, such so that they cannot live in their family home or foster home anymore. Their stories are heartbreaking and dark.

One of the girls at Marygrove shared poems she wrote about her experiences. We'll be sharing three of them over the next couple of weeks. Please keep Marygrove and the children we serve in your prayers.

Too Far Gone

They tell you to stay strong, but you can only stay that way for so long

They tell you that you can make it another year, but I don't think I can while I'm here

In a shelter for a second time, I just want to be free and take the life that's mine

People say disrespect will get you nowhere, but to be honest I don't really care

Caseworkers think sending you away will make you better; it just makes it worse but to them it doesn't matter

These experiences put more damage into my heart; if they want me to change that's not where they should start

I just want my choices to be heard, then maybe my life could move forward

The girl who changed and is happy–I want to be that one, but it's too late; I'm too far gone

• Read the first poem and entry in this series.

Too Much Baggage: A Story in Ministry

by Sister Liz Sjoberg, D.C.

I work in the overnight emergency program at Marygrove, an agency in St. Louis that serves abused, neglected and homeless children and teens. The kids we see in our program are ones experiencing a major crisis, such so that they cannot live in their family home or foster home anymore. Their stories are heartbreaking and dark.

They come with a lot of baggage and we try to be a place where they can just lay it down, even if it's only for a few days or a couple weeks. I see Christ in them: Jesus who had to flee to Egypt, Jesus who had "nowhere to lay his head," Jesus whose friends left him all alone. This is the suffering Christ. And he walks through our doors at Marygrove every day.

One of the girls at Marygrove shared poems she wrote about her experiences. We'll be sharing three of them over the next couple of weeks. Please keep Marygrove and the children we serve in your prayers.

Too Much Baggage

Home to home, family to family
no one knows how much it emotionally damages me.

Every family admits they don't want me
I just wish I was what everyone wanted me to be.
I drive myself away from everyone
every family ends up saying, "I'm just done."

I ruin everything I have going for me, and in the future I'll finally see
it's always my fault, it's always me.

I cannot change, this fact is true
I'll just ruin more lives with the things I do.

Everyone has baggage but mine must be too heavy
I'll just have to grow used to the fact that no one wants me.