Innocence Gone - Against child abuse and for real hope
Thursday, September 27, 2007 at 03:18PM We, as human beings have got to reach the point when we say enough! I have personally seen so many children that have suffered at the hands of those who should be protecting them not hurting them. How can you look into those sweet little eyes and cause them pain? What is inside you in place of a heart? I am a mother of ten children, five of which were adopted from the foster care system.
The foster care system has a lot of wonderful people working for them but when I saw the amount of children they handle I was sickened. How can so many people be hurting their children? In 1999 my husband and I went to an Easter egg hunt were we met a sibling group of four and felt very attached. They had been in the system 6 years and would probably never 
be adopted because of some physical and mental problems. One week before Christmas of 1999 they joined our family.
Through that process we learned about the suffering they had endured. The oldest child was eleven and had been sexually abused by her father, mother and grandparents, along with her brother who was nine when we adopted him. The two youngest were neglected and beaten. They faced horrible neglect as they pealed paint off the walls for their daily nutrition. Hearing about these types of abuse on the news is one thing, but when it has a face and beating heart attached to it changes everything. What can you say to make them understand?
Recently my adopted son and I heard a story about a teenage boy that lived in foster care after having been sexually abused. The teenager had "forced himself" on someone else and was now facing a ten year jail sentence. On the flip side, my adopted sons parents lost parental rights to him and his siblings, yet they are free, never having faced a judge for criminal charges or serving any jail time. Our adopted son wanted to know why his sister and him didn't matter to those in power. "Why aren't these people in jail?" What can I say, "It's OK 
to rape and beat your family but not strangers?"
We don't have all the answers, but I know I won't give up on helping these hurting children. We work to make others aware of the need for people to get off their butts and get involved. Maybe you can't adopt but there is something you can do.... You can help us!
While adopting our 10th child we started Ark of Hope For Children where we are building a group of loving, Christian homes for siblings, children and youth that must live in foster care. We have 80 acres of land just waiting for us to build the homes to fill with these beautiful children. Please learn how you can help us because these kids, they need you. Don't read this and go back to life the way it was, this is your chance to make a real difference! I know you have been waiting for one! Start today by going to our website at www.arkforkids.org and learning how you can get involved. Volunteer time, money, subscribe for our newsletter, whatever you can.
Do something to help the innocent children know that not only are people out there listening but they are getting involved.
Verna Corbett, passionate mother of 10
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Reader Comments (1)
Verna - congratulations on the recognition you received for your post on abuse. I worry about the statistics on faster care. I am thrilled that you and your family are making such a difference in these children's' lives. I read most of your Ark of Hope website and was glad to read that your spiritual focus is multi-denominational, that you will never force a spiritual belief on a child, will honor their previous beliefs, and will follow the example of Jesus, who loved all people equally. Thanks for that. You give Christianity a good name.