Kelly and Tracie Ward were recent guests on the Foster Friendly Podcast. The Wards are a compassionate and visionary couple deeply committed to fostering and adoption and have opened their hearts and home to numerous children. In the past two years alone, they’ve had 29 kids in foster care come through their home and they’ve also adopted two kids.
They’re both in ministry together as well and are pastoring at Element Church in Gainesville, Georgia. Through their church, the Wards have created the same culture of care and compassion in the foster care space that they’re personally living out in their own home. Not only are they growing the ranks of foster and adoptive parents in their city, but they’re showcasing the many ways their faith community can support foster and adoptive families around them.
They’re also emphasizing the importance of reaching the biological parents and breaking the cycle of children entering foster care. It’s not uncommon on a Sunday worship service at Element to have foster families and some of the biological parents of the kids in foster care worshipping together. That’s a powerful picture and is at the heart of their compassionate vision to “go upstream” and help equip and support these parents to have successful reunifications with their kids.
Kelly and Tracie Ward’s story is a powerful example of personally living out the mission they are calling others into and a profound picture of the ripple effect of the deep relational and restorative impacts made within their communities for those greatly needing to be seen and to feel belonging.
Listen to episode here or watch below:
5 Key Takeaways From the Interview:
The Wards highlight the need for churches to be open and welcoming to all, creating a “big table” for everyone.
True ministry involves meeting families where they are and providing support.
The church’s involvement in foster care can lead to significant growth and change within the congregation.
Fostering is about more than providing a temporary home; it’s about building lasting relationships and community support.
The Wards emphasize the importance of reaching out to biological parents to break the cycle of children entering foster care.
