The Hollinger Family Story

Foster Care and Adoption can be an incredibly meaningful journey a family can take together. It can be an opportunity at the crossroads of meeting a need and growing in love. This journey may not be for every family, but those who choose to answer this “calling” almost always find the rewards far outweigh the challenges. The Hollinger family is one such family, and they offered to share their story.

From early in their relationship both Leah and Eric knew they wanted a large family. They initially struggled with difficulty with pregnancy and infertility, which became motivation to explore foster care and adoption. They eventually had three children of their own, but still saw adoption as a way to grow their family. Leah saw how beautiful adoption could be through her extended family.

Both Eric and Leah are educators; they see firsthand how important stability is to children. After their third child, they felt God nudge them to resume the foster care conversation. Three years later they were ready to take the step and answer the call by providing consistency, love and care where it was absent for a child.
However, answering God’s calling doesn’t mean it is easy. Leah admits to being terrified at first; there is the feeling of the unknown with a new child. Leah emphasized, “You know very little about them or the trauma that they have endured. We took it one step at a time. Plus, you want to give this child love, but at the same time guarding your own heart because you know it might not be permanent.” Yet, they learned that the cause is greater than guarding their feelings. For Leah, “Caring is kind of the whole point. These kids need love and care. No matter the amount of time that they are placed in your home, you have an opportunity to show them that love.”

Sometimes the needs of a child are significant and foster parents may be unequipped. Eric and Leah experienced this, and although it can be hard to accept, they were able to lean on their support system through the process. The biggest wins will come through trial because when you see a child’s growth it can bring the greatest joys. “There are beautiful moments; like seeing our biological kids embrace their own big feelings and love their new sibling.” Foster care and adoption is a journey for the whole family, where consistency and boundaries aid everyone in meeting physical and mental needs.

The Hollingers hope to dispel the notion that the need is too great for anyone to make a difference. “If you have the means and capacity to take in a child then you should prayerfully consider it. Choosing an agency that provided a lot of support was important to us. We felt that COBYS was honest with us during the training and helped prepare us as best they could for what was to come. They have been beside us every step of the way ever since. And with an agency like COBYS you will receive honesty and support from training through every step; the COBYS team cares alongside us as greatly as we did as parents.”

Eric and Leah admit that fostering is a calling and not for everyone. They know from experience there will be bumps, but also great joys. A point Leah cements when she notes, “I can’t imagine my life without my adopted son Jay.”