Tamara came to an Agape foster home in June of 2018. The referral said she had some hearing loss, but communicated well.  However, the foster mother picked up a child who was completely deaf with no language at all. She pointed, grunted and threw fits to get what she needed/wanted. The foster family had no previous experience with a hearing impaired child.  DHR considered placing her at the Alabama School for the Deaf in Talladega where she would live away from family year round. The Agape foster family immediately reached out to the regional office of the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind (AIDB) to find out how to help her locally.

Tamara started sign language classes including one with her foster family. The family was also paired with an interpreter who spends the school day with her; this has allowed Tamara to attend regular classes at their local public school. According to the foster parents, Tamara’s first grade teachers and classmates were so kind. Together, they chose to learn her language and be part of her world.

Today Tamara is doing wonderfully.

She currently signs so quickly that the foster family has to slow her down for them to understand. She is making A’s and B’s and fits right in with her peers.  Tamara has been introduced to Jesus, and she loves Bible stories at bedtime. The foster mother says “we can’t imagine life without this sweet child.”

This foster family has done an amazing job of meeting the complex needs of this child. They are quick to praise the resources they accessed for Tamara and will tell you it has been a team effort.

Ecclesiastes 4 says: ⁹ Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. … ¹² And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

 Agape is blessed with great mission-minded foster parents. 

They are the hands and feet of our ministry.  They are the ones changing diapers, bandaging knees, wiping tears, calming fears, and teaching soft hearts about Jesus.  We are so grateful for the improvement in Tamara’s life.  Her future looks very different than it did a year ago. You are an important part of that future. Together, with your support and prayers, we can change the future for many more children.