We were invited by Arbor Circle to help them with some video content creation to spread the word about their fostering and adoption programs. There are a few reasons they needed a hand with the work. One is the number of kids in Michigan who need a foster family or are waiting to be adopted. The second is to kind of talk about some of the misconceptions about fostering and adoption, of which there are many. As the stories unfolded, they were too cool not to share ourselves, and Dayana Williams is going to blow every thought you’ve had about fostering and adoption out of the water. Look out world.
From a home life that was complicated by some family turmoil, Dayana found herself living in a car with her brother at 16. Let that sink in a moment. 16. That’s a hard start.
In time, DHHS sent Dayana’s case to Arbor Circle and a family from Hudsonville is where she was placed. New home. New people. New food, new habits, new family routines, new things to get used to and an overwhelming sense of anxiety. As she caught her breath though, she found out a few things about herself. She found out first that she’s a big fan of downhill skiing! Next, water skiing. Hiking, the bugs and snakes caused some drama, but I have yet to meet a 16 year old that’s not freaked out about those…at such an age, the hope here is to point out the roller coaster. It’s an awful lot of ups and downs when you’re trying to be a teenager.
Arbor Circle embraced the entire situation. If the foster family needed a hand, they were there. Dayana…she was able to go directly to the support staff and get assistance if need be. Along with the one on one support for both, came lessons in practicality. Can you imagine trying to learn budgeting, cooking and managing to work with credit cards if you are living day to do in a car and eating fast food? Building entire people is what’s taking place in the fostering of kids and the tool kits begin with love, acceptance and the willingness to try. From there, Arbor Circle can give you the support you need to help assure that kids with as much promise and ability as Dayana are allowed the chance.
As we continue our chat, we manage to bridge a few gaps. Age, differences and life circumstances aside, two people come to the realization that we’re really all more the same than we are different and in hearing this young woman’s story, I cannot help but offer her some words from a few miles down the road ahead of her…..while I might have never been homeless, I have had some pretty big lows, and it’s in the understanding that from those places that strength and leadership grows….that I think I spotted one of the biggest success stories I’ll ever help share. I got to meet a true hero and an inspiration.
