Editor’s Note: For privacy reasons, names and certain details have been changed. These stories are shared by former houseparents who have served at various children’s homes to offer insight, encouragement, and prayer for those considering this role. To respect the privacy of the children in these stories, we use artistic depictions rather than real photos.
A Village of Love: Jaden’s Journey
written by a former house parent
Jaden’s mother made the hardest decision a parent can make.
She had moved to the United States from West Africa years before, but when her husband died suddenly, she was left to raise Jaden and his siblings alone.
She worked third shift to provide for them, but as Jaden became a teenager, she worried about the environment he was growing up in. She wanted something better for him—a future filled with opportunity and faith.
So she did the unimaginable.
She found out about our program, applied for placement, and traveled across the country on a Greyhound bus to bring him here.
A Leap of Faith
At 15 years old, Jaden was placed with his first houseparents, adjusting to a new home, a new school, and a new life. He joined the football team and started building a future.
A year later, that house family transitioned out, and he moved into another home—one where he would stay for the rest of high school. Both families, though separate, remained in his life, cheering him on every step of the way.
When COVID hit, Jaden’s graduation looked different than he had imagined, but that didn’t stop him. He enlisted in the Army National Guard and went on to play D3 football at a small college before eventually transferring to a Division I program as a walk-on.
And when he needed a place to stay off-campus, he asked if he could live with his first houseparents.
A Full-Circle Celebration
Jaden graduated from WKU, and his mother made the long journey back—once again by Greyhound.
Both house families came together to celebrate, along with his church family and friends. His mother, humbled but full of love, brought gifts and cards to thank the women who had helped raise her son.
“This is what family looks like.”
Jaden is now pursuing his master’s degree and hopes to make an impact in the football world.
And through every step of his journey, he has been surrounded by a village of love.
Heavenly Father, we thank You for the parents who make hard, selfless choices for their children’s futures. We pray for the children who need a village of love and stability to reach their full potential. Lord, we ask that You bring new houseparents to fill the empty homes in children’s ministries across the country—parents willing to open their doors, invest in lives, and stand in the gap. We pray this in Jesus’ Name. Amen.