Home for Good: Making a Difference for Vulnerable Children

by Krish Kandiah

Tying in to a nationwide joint campaign by the Evangelical Alliance and Care for the Family, Krish Kandiah wants us all to take seriously Jesus' call to 'suffer the little children' by engaging with the needs of the many thousands of children up and down the country who are in care and whom the church could and should be helping. Krish and his wife Miriam have adopted and fostered children themselves and their experience - and that of the many others in this book - is very different from the popular myth which suggests social services seek to prevent Christians from getting involved. Krish argues that whatever the state's stance may be, it is a part of our calling as God's church to get involved where it's hardest, and to help these children out of the tough realities they find themselves in. Filled with stories from people who have adopted or were adopted themselves, alongside practical advice on how it all works and the challenges that will come, this book makes a compelling case that the church can and must make a difference in these children's lives, and asks us all to consider our response.

Genres: Christian, Nonfiction, Parenting, Family, Adoption

153 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 1, 2013

About the author

Krish is the founding director of Home For Good, a young charity seeking to make a real difference in the lives of vulnerable children by finding loving homes for children in the care system. He is an advocate for fostering and adoption. He has written 13 books including the catalytic "Home for Good: Making a Difference for Vulnerable Children"and the award winning "Paradoxology" and now his latest book "Faitheism: Why Christianity and Atheism have more in common than you think." (Hodder 2018) Dr Kandiah has been published in the Times of London. the Guardian and is a regular broadcaster on BBC Radio 4 and Radio 2.

Dr Kandiah is in demand as a speaker at both national and international conferences. He recently spoke to a full house at TEDxOxford on the topic "Can Hospitality Change the World?" Krish is a consultant offering both creativity and academic reflection to bring strategic change, culture shift and innovation. He has expertise in the overlap between faith and development, faith literacy and communication. Krish is an ambassador for the UK aid and development charity: Tearfund.

Reviews

[Faith Spinks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent read and really thought provoking.

[Aimee · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this book, Krish Kandiah sets out sound theological reasons why Christians should become adopters and foster carers, or should support those who foster or adopt. It is a practical book with 'points to consider' at the end of each chapter, as well as some personal stories from adoptees and adoptive parents and foster carers. Krish also speaks very openly about his family own journey and some of the struggles he and his wife have faced as foster carers.

It was a very useful book for me and my husband to read together as we consider whether adoption is right for us. As a youth worker who has been involved with child protection cases, most of the information wasn't new to me, but the 'points to consider' raised issues I hadn't considered. I would recommend it for Christians who are drawn to the idea of fostering/adopting but who aren't quite ready to take the plunge; by the end of the book I felt much more confident and certain about our calling to be adoptive parents someday.

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every 15 minutes a child enters the uk care system.

Reading this book will encourage you to offer them a home for good.

Challenging, biblical, many first hand accounts.

[Richard Wardman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really excellent! Easy to read, practical but grounded in the gospel. Impossible to get through this book and not be challenged by its central message that Christians and churches can provide the necessary care for fostering and adopting children in need of a home for good. A massive challenge to the UK church.

[Rachel Bishop · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recommend this book to everyone, no only if you're a Christian, or thinking of adopting or foster. No matter your age, financial situation or social circle!

It isn't trying to convince you to adopt. It is illustrating the command from God to every single one of us; to look after the orphans. Krish wonderfully and clearly explores scripture to show that to foster or adopt a child or children can be painful, time consuming, challenging, frightening and uplifting, exciting, rewarding and an opportunity for you to KNOW you're making a difference for the better.
However, this is not Krish's strategy to illustrate the 'what does it look like in my life' to God's commandment to care for orphans (fatherless). He uses scripture, his family's experiences of adopting and fostering, and those of people who have been adopted, to clearly state that the 'pro's and con's' (as it were) above- mean nothing.
Our reason for giving our time, money, love and sacrifices is not for the rewards WE will gain, but because we are those children. No sacrifice made by us can ever come close to that made by God. No deception, violence, ungratefulness, slander or uncertainty offered by those children will come close to what we offered God. And he took us. Sin and all. Time and time again.
We are called to forgive because we were forgiven. We are no less called to adopt because we were adopted.
I read this as a person set on adopting when the time came, but I was also a person who said 'I couldn't foster, I would love to much to let them go'. This has shown me that I am selfish and who ever caused harm by biblically loving too much?!

You should read this, if only to take Krish's advice and guidance in how to best support families in your community facing challenges in raising, loving and supporting their adopted or fostered children.

[Gill Albany-Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a life challenging book on how we are all called to care for the Widow, the Stranger and The fatherless. Krish Kandiah focuses his attention on the Fatherless. We have a huge number of children who are in need of fostering and adoption. They run into thousands. It is all too easy to make excuses, to not carry out one of the fundamental commands of God. It is too easy to leave it to others. Children have little say in how they are treated and cared for. When they are removed from their birth family, they need to be placed into foster care, with a family, not an institution. To be cared for within a family who can give that child the love and security it needs is paramount for them to grow up into stable and secure adults. Read this book and be moved to DO something.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Krish Kandiah presents a powerful case why Christians and churches should offer vulnerable children a ‘home for good’ through adoption and fostering. But this is no rose-tinted view - he’s also refreshingly honest about the complexities of caring for traumatised children. And let’s remember that all children in care have experienced trauma, whether bereavement or abuse or neglect, compounded by the additional trauma of being removed suddenly and placed with strangers.
But the best thing about this book is that it echoes the loving heart of God towards every child, and it is impossible not to be moved and challenged by that.

[Carol Kinne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerfully compelling and for everyone

Family members are planning to foster and adopt. And they’ve asked me to read this. Its everyone’s responsibility to care for the vulnerable amongst us. And not just through compassion, but through being part of what author Krish Kandiah calls giving them a home for good, permanently - like God offers me, wholeheartedly- like God extends to me, and to bless me - like God does for me.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good overview of God's heart for the vulnerable and orphan and call on our lives to love and are for them. Although this book does not go into depth about all the issues around adoption and foster care, it does an excellent job of showing the joys, heartaches, struggles, and heavenly rewards of obedience to God in this area.

[Evan Hoekzema · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an inspiring read. Kandiah makes the case for fostering and adoption for anyone who follows Jesus, citing that first and foremost we’ve all been ‘adopted’ by God. Such a beautiful picture of welcoming vulnerable children in need of a home and family into safe places. Not one to shy away from the hardships presented by fostering and adoption, this read is worth it!

[Min · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adoption is not plan B :')

[Thiago · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely challenging and beautifully crafted invitation to think about the multifaceted issue of adoption

[Aaron de neui · Rating 5 out of 5]

Out of the uk but excellent book forANY from anywhere on the heart of God for vulnerable children.

[Alison Slater · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book for any one who is considering or interested in adoption. Easy to read!

[Sarah Hermin · Rating 5 out of 5]

so good

Really worth reading to help you find a perspective on what is needed and even how to support families if you, yourself can’t foster/adopt

[Natalie Print · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's well worth reading this eye-opening and challenging book. With over 12,000 children in the UK in need of adoptive and foster parents, the message of this book really needs to be heard. Krish and Miriam Kandiah give insight into fostering and adoption, whilst encouraging the reader to consider the role that they can play in the lives of children who are in need. Rooted in biblical truth, this book encourages us not to see considering fostering or adoption as a 'last resort', but shows how Christians are called to serve the vulnerable in society and to consider what that looks like in our lives.

[Leanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommended for anyone who is interested in fostering, adopting, or creating a supportive community for families who foster and adopt. This book had adoption stories, discussed different issues that are often faced, and presented reflection questions in each chapter.

I think every church member should read the chapter about how to make church a safe and supportive place for these precious children and their families.

And every person should read about what not to say to foster and adoptive parents, replacing unhelpful comments with supportive ones instead.

[Loxi Lowndes · Rating 2 out of 5]

if you are looking for a guide and tips into the adoption process then this book is not for you. however if your still making up your mind about whether to adopt or not and are of Christian faith then this will help you make up your mind!

[Robin Peake · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick read (3 hours) but lots to ponder. There's a gentle tone throughout, but the challenge to foster and/or adopt is immediate and uncompromising. The question you're asking throughout the book is not, "Should I adopt/foster?" but "What decent reason do I have to not do this?"

[Gemma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Challenging. Engaging. Heart warming and heart breaking

[Anya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspirational, easy to read, short chapters.

[Gill]

A very honest and heart reaching book about children in need of fostering and adoption. It has stories from those who have spent their lives giving permanent and temporary homes to children from a host of different and difficult circumstances. There are thousands of children in this country who need a loving and caring home. This is our opportunity give those children the gift of Home For Good. Be blessed by Krish Kandiah ' s book.