Neil Davies shares updates, encouragement and prayer points related to Home for Good’s work across Wales.

Welsh resources

In March, we produced our very first Welsh Language video – an updated version of one of Home for Good’s core videos. We also took the opportunity to record a Welsh accent version in English, which has already been used in our online Foundation Course. We hope this will be the first of many Welsh language and Welsh accent resources – as we continue to reflect and resource our Welsh context.

Advisory group

The new Home for Good Wales Advisory Group met with Neil recently to help shape plans for our work in Wales. The initial meetings of this important group have been hugely significant, with lots of wisdom and knowledge being shared. Please pray for the group as they continue to meet together and work together throughout the year.

Home for Good vision events

Our series of local vision events has continued with gatherings in February (Newport) and April (Cardiff). Both evenings included some great conversations and a number of people were inspired to take the next steps to explore fostering or adoption. These events are a lovely mix of information, stories and inspiration – and a great way to find out more about our work and our vision. Our next event is in Parklands Church, Swansea on 12 May – and we plan to meet in Pembrokeshire in July.

Volunteers

Our volunteers continue to play a vital role in our work across Wales. Some examples of this recently have been leading a Sunday service, taking part in Advisory Group meetings, contributing to our new Welsh language video, helping with strategic planning, leading and forming support groups. There’s lots of ways in which you can play your part as a volunteer – see our volunteer page for further details.

Partnerships with commissioners

Our partnership with St David’s Adoption Services has been running for 18 months. In April, we ran an event with Safe Families and it was a joy to be joined by the CEO and Development Manager of St David’s – they were really complimentary and encouraging about the event. Currently we are focusing our engagement and recruitment efforts in South East and South West Wales.

We also continue to work with Swansea and Neath Port Talbot Fostering and Western Bay Adoption Service where we are holding an event in May. The event has been organised by two great volunteers who recently had the opportunity to interview a foster carer and social worker in their Sunday morning church service.

Support groups

Home for Good support groups offer foster carers and adoptive parents a great opportunity for mutual sharing and encouragement. We’d love to see more groups starting up across Wales. If this is something you’d be keen to explore, please get in touch. Do also let me know if you’d be interested in connecting with either the Cardiff or Kinmel Bay support groups or joining the new Llanelli group – which will hopefully start in the coming months.

“In the weeks running up to our children coming to live with us through adoption our pastor and his wife took an amazing interest and made a point of spending time with us to ask how they and the church could help us during this transition and beyond. They took onboard all that we said and the church has simply been amazing in the way they have looked after us. The children have fitted in so well to church life.”

What can I be praying for?

We would love you to stand with us in prayer as we continue to work to find a home for every child who needs one in Wales.

• Pray that God would bless the plans for a concentrated focus in Monmouthshire and that there would be good fruit from the endeavours there.
• Pray that people will be inspired through the vision events to respond and play their part, whether that be by helping their churches get informed and involved or by taking their next steps to explore fostering/adoption/supported lodgings.
• Pray that the existing support groups would flourish so that those involved feel encouraged, held and blessed and pray for more groups to emerge.
• Pray that the Holy Spirit would speak to people so that they would be stirred to investigate, apply, be approved and begin to foster, adopt or offer supported lodgings.

Are there any events happening soon that I can attend?

Swansea Vision Event on 12 May, which is being run by some great volunteers in Parklands Church, Swansea.

Head over to our Wales page to find out what is happening in the area and find all the local support groups.

Take me there

How do I get in touch with a member of the Home for Good team in Wales?

Neil Davies, Wales Lead - [email protected]