A twelve year old girl decides to visit friends in a state she once lived in.  As she boards a plane, a foreboding comes over here that all will not be well on this trip.  Little does she know how her journey will take her on a downward spin!

Her friends had raised the money for the expensive round trip ticket.  She had been gone from for six months, and they were looking forward to seeing her again.  She stayed in the care of a nurturing family, who treated her as one of their own.  While there, Social Services caught wind that she was in their state.  They visited the family, and took away her return ticket home.  She was told she must remain in the state until a home inspection in the other state where she had traveled from was completed.  It could be as long as six months before she could see her family again.  She called me crying.

Her grandparents had not yet finished the steps towards the legal adoption.  They attend my church, and I had gotten to know their granddaughter before she left on her trip.  While she had only been here for six months, she had adjusted well, and had made friends.  She had been looking forward to returning to school in the fall to see her friends.  She had become attached to her year old nephew, who lived in their house. 

She wondered if she would ever be able to return to her grandparents.  Her grandparents assured her they would get the home inspection, so she could be with them once again.  She had already been homesick when this happened.  But the family she stayed with were kind to her.  The mother in the home had told her she had been passed around a lot as a child, and she wanted to make sure she was in a stable home environment.  They would be with her through this ordeal.

While there, she turned thirteen.  She had been looking forward to her birthday, planning it for months.  When she couldn't be with family on this day, she was depressed.  She called and said she did not want to do anything for her birthday.  It was too sad.  The family she was with were wonderful, though.  They took her out to eat, and showered her with gifts.

It became time for school, and the family decided to send her to a Christian private school in their community, along with their daughter.  They bore the expense of buying her the uniforms and paid for her tuition.  While there, rumors began flying about her.  She became upset.  One day, she called me to tell me about how the principal had suggested that she stay home for the rest of the week so rumors could die down.  She had to go before she could explain

The family decided she needed counseling because she was not doing well.  They asked Social Services again about the counseling they had offered.  A Social Services person came out to her school that day, and picked her up.  She was taken to a home with fifteen violent offenders and placed there.  A woman who visited her told her she would have to stay in the foster care system until she turned eighteen.  The girl became very upset, calling her grandparents, crying.

Social Services in our state finally made a date for the home inspection.  So the grandparents thought.  Instead, they were given a stack of paperwork that needed to be filled out.  They were told it would be April  before they could see their granddaughter again.

If you feel led, please pray about this situation.  I have not been able to talk to her because I am not on the call list.  Since I am not family, a caseworker would have to decide.  The girl has told her grandmother I am on the list and I can call, but each time I call, I am told I cannot speak to her.  I am concerned for this girl, who was homesick with a nurturing family.  I pray that she will have hope and strength to endure, and know that God is with her.