Sunday, May 5, 2024
Johnny and Lucinda Rose have already instilled happiness in their four adopted children, Zoe, Karter, Ayden and Averrea.
But what about the children who are forcibly removed from their homes from child protective services and are stuck waiting at the CPS office until they are placed in foster care?
That’s where the Isaiah 117 House comes in.
Originally started in Tennessee by Ronda and Corey Paulson in 2017, the Isaiah 117 House serves as a temporary home for children while they await foster care placement.
“We were informed that when children are removed from their homes, they often have to come to the DCS (Department of Child Services) office and wait for placement. As I looked around the cubicle filled space, I couldn't imagine a scared child sitting in such a sterile, cold environment waiting to learn their fate. That is when I believe God put on my heart the Isaiah 117 House,” Ronda states on the Isaiah 117 House website.
The Bible scripture, Isaiah 1:17 reads, “Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.” Ronda said she believed God led her to create the Isaiah 117 House in Carter County, Tennessee.
“I see a home with a girl’s bedroom, a boy’s bedroom, fully stocked bathroom, playroom (and) nursery,” the website states. "I believe this home has the potential to positively affect the children who are coming into custody in ways far beyond what we could ever imagine as well as support the DCS staff of this region.”
The Roses said that they felt compelled by God to start a home in Hood County once they heard about the Isaiah 117 House.
“Well, I knew that there was a need, because CPS offices can be very triggering to kids, and plus, you know, it's like an office, an office you do paperwork in; it's not very comforting,” Lucinda said. “Second of all, we need one of these because when kids are in care, the parents have visitations with their (child) and typically that occurs in a CPS office as well. It occurs usually in a room that has some toys in it and maybe a couch, but it doesn't look like a home and so the Isaiah house would also provide parents with being able to meet with a CPS caseworker and having a visit in a home setting.”
Currently, there are only five counties in Texas that offer an Isaiah 117 House: Brazoria, Dallas, McLennan, Walker and Montgomery. Tennessee has 25 counties that offer one.
“That's their (the Paulson’s) goal is that every CPS office in the state of Tennessee has an Isaiah House that they can use and that ultimately would be my goal for Texas — that every CPS office in every county would have an Isaiah House that would help support them,” Lucinda said.
As of now, only four other states offer Isaiah homes: Indiana, Florida, Virginia and Georgia.
Lucinda has started the process of developing an Isaiah 117 House in Hood County by reaching out to the director of the house in Dallas County, and the Paulson family in Tennessee.
“We need to build a house, we need some property and we’ll need some funding,” Lucinda said.
Lucinda and Johnny — who has worked in law enforcement for more than 30 years — started their journey to become foster parents in 2013. That ultimately led to them adopting four siblings as their own in August 2021.
“When we got our placement, they came with absolutely nothing. They didn’t even have shoes on,” Lucinda said. “When kids come into foster care, they typically don't have anything with them. They have about 10 minutes to slam some stuff in a trash bag, typically. No kid should go to a foster home with a trash bag, and so my goal of the Isaiah house is to have some donated suitcases full of clothing that they can (take) to their foster home.”
According to the 2020 report from the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, 47,913 children were in foster care and 103 of those lived in Hood County.
“My goal of the Isaiah House is just to be an in-between for Hood County, to support kids that go into foster care, to make them feel loved and not scared and to try to make their worst day into their best day,” Lucinda added. “By God's grace, I'll be able to get it done.”
To donate to the project, you can call Lucinda at 817-408-6770 or send her an email at lucindarose141@gmail.com.
For more information about the Isaiah 117 House, visit isaiah117house.com.
