Messages of Hope
Real stories. Real hope.
Every child has the right to belong, to be loved, and to have a safe place to call home. Unfortunately, we live in a world where that isn’t always the case, but there are some who feel a specific calling to step into the world of caring for children not their own in order to bring hope, where hope is often in short supply.
Hear from Natalie from Lutheran Care who works in foster care family engagement as she shares her story of bringing hope back into the lives of children in foster care. Esther and Casey share their journey of being foster carers with its challenges and joyful moments.
Find out more about foster caring through Lutheran Care.
Lutheran Care is a South Australian foster care agency. If you’d like to learn more about foster caring in your local community, we recommend searching online
Listen to the episode
Key takeaways from this episode
Foster care provides safety and belonging. Every child deserves a safe and loving home, and foster carers step in to provide hope when children face trauma, instability, or neglect.
Foster care takes many forms. Carers can choose short-term, long-term, or guardianship pathways. Maintaining safe connections with birth families is vital for a child’s identity and wellbeing.
Challenges are real but not insurmountable. Children often arrive with trauma, mistrust, or behavioural struggles. The adjustment can be overwhelming at first, but with patience, training, and love, healing and trust can grow.
Joy comes through relationships. Foster carers described deep joy in seeing children flourish, reconnect safely with birth families, or form lifelong bonds. Shared moments—like family traditions or ‘jar of joy’ reflections—help build stability and hope.
Support networks are essential. Foster carers need practical help from their community, such as meals, childcare, or respite care. A simple offer—’What can I do to help?’—can make a big difference.
Faith sustains carers. Carers spoke about trusting God’s plan even during sleepless nights, challenges, and uncertainties, believing he has called them into this ministry of love and service.
Foster care is a ministry of hope. Providing stability, safety, and love—even for a season—transforms children’s lives and shows them they are valued and not forgotten.
Episode transcript
Click to view PDF transcript
Related booklet
There are scores of books for new parents or parents of toddlers, but few will prepare you for communicating with your pre-teen on the issues of peer pressure, sex, drugs, violence and death. This booklet offers practical advice on how and when to address these subjects with your children.
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- 1800 353 350
- enquiry@messagesofhope.org.au
- PO Box 731, North Adelaide SA 5006
- 197 Archer Street, North Adelaide SA 5006