Twenty-two thousand. It's a big
number that represents a group of small
people. That's because it's the number of children awaiting adoption in
this country. Today on Listen Up, a child's right to a home and ways
that you can foster or adopt these children!
Over
the past decade, the number of children in foster care in Canada has
increased 65 per cent. It's a shocking reality that translates into
disturbing numbers. More than 76-thousand children live in foster
care. 22-thousand await adoption. Only a small percentage of them will
ever find the homes and families they dream of.
Today: a story
that defies the odds. Vicki Mansell's childhood was headline-making for
abuse and the loss of her parents. What's happened to her in the 20
years since her horrific tragedy?
We'll visit a BC couple who
spent 25 years fostering, and who call 12 children their own, including
Vicki Mansell, and interview a group of people who care about Canada's
need to find homes for 22,000 children. They gathered in Toronto
recently, to bring attention to the problem.
THE GUESTS
JUSTICE
KENNETH PEDDLER
ONTARIO SUPERIOR COURT OF JUSTICE
REV.
DR. JOHN NILES www.drjohnniles.com
AUTHOR, HOW I BECAME
FATHER TO 1000 CHILDREN
FOSTERED OVER 1000 CHILDREN IN CRISIS INTERVENTION FOR CAS
BRUCE
CLEMENGER www.evangelicalfellowship.ca
FATHER TO TWO ADOPTED DAUGHTERS
PRESIDENT of THE EVANGELICAL FELLOWSHIP OF CANADA
DOMINIC
VERTICCHIO www.hamiltoncas.com
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR of THE CHILDREN’S AID SOCIETY OF HAMILTON
When children enter into foster care they enter a system. But it's a
system built on a foundation of individuals. And more often than not,
those individuals care deeply about kids. Child welfare is handled
regionally in Canada - under provincial and territorial jurisdictions.
Listen Up decided to go to the experts at our local
Children’s
Aid Society in Hamilton, to help us understand the scope of the problem.
VICKI
MANSELL
Vicki Mansell. It's a name that captured the headlines 20 years ago -
for tragic reasons. Then only five years old, little Vicki lost her
entire family in horrific circumstances that caused many Canadians to
wonder just how much sorrow one little girl could possibly bear.
Twenty years later, Vicki Mansell is all grown up. What happened after
her story faded from the headlines?
RON
and CATHY VICKI’S
ADOPTIVE DAD AND MOM
When 5-year-old Vicki Mansell's life catapulted through tragedy and
turmoil leaving her an orphan, it was a foster family that opened its
arms to offer her stability and love. Vicki's foster family became her
adoptive family, and raised her - along with their 11 other children -
even as they continued to foster. Listen Up sat down with Vicki's
parents to find out their source of strength.
ARE YOU INTERESTED IN FOSTERING
OR ADOPTING A CHILD?
For more information call Lesley at 905.336.9777 ext. 27
Or email ldelmar@listenuptv.com.
LORNA’S WRAP
Few topics challenge me more than when we report realities where
vulnerable children won’t get what they deserve.
Injustice that we can
do something about. When we realized Listen Up had a story
that
highlighted 22,000 children in Canada that are still looking to be
adopted, we found two things we thought we could do about it.
First
– show you some of the amazing joy that comes when families
get outside
their comfort zones and adopt. Our family in Victoria , with
its 9
adopted children, and Vicki’s own remarkable recovery was
proof to me
that God is waiting to partner with families to help heal children.
Secondly
– we’ve set aside a resource person to handle your
sincere emails and
calls or letters into this need. If you want to begin the
inquiry into
adopting one of Canada’s 22,000 children looking for a home,
we want to
help you get there. We’ll have some help available
for you to navigate
to that goal, write to us at listenup@listenuptv.com.
We’re making it
a priority to help follow this story right through to home sweet home
for the children in
need.
Listen Up with Lorna Dueck is available ON-LINE in a variety of ways.
Click here to find out more!
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Read Lorna's Globe & Mail columns by searching
our archive.
Read 'Media & The Message'. Lorna says if the church wants to impact society, we need to share our stories.
On April 30, 2005 Lorna was privileged to receive an honorary Doctorate of Christian Ministries from Canada's largest Christian university, Trinity Western University. Lorna was recognized for the witness and leadership that Listen Up TV has provided in public messaging: "a leader in the voice of evangelical life in Canada."
