More ‘The Type’ Than you Think
We hear it all the time: “I don’t think I’m the type.” Kendra and Waylon said the same thing.
“When people think of ‘foster parents,’ we always assumed they were a special kind of person: extra patient, incredibly selfless… maybe even a little saint-like,” Kendra shared. The Johnsons never felt like they fit that profile.
From the outside, their life looked full. They managed school and work schedules, sports practices, church commitments, and the everyday chaos of family life. Like so many families, they assumed they were too busy, too ordinary, maybe even too imperfect to step into foster care.
But God qualifies those who are called, not the other way around. Similarly to how the Burning Bush was used to equip Moses in Exodus, God used the Johnson’s son, Ethan.
“I remember we were driving home from church and Ethan was trying to show me the rock he got from Sunday School that morning. They talked about David and Goliath and he got to bring a rock home…then kind of randomly he was like ‘Mom, what’s a foster kid?’”
The Johnsons explained as best they could. There are children who need safe homes and there are families who step in when a child’s own home isn’t safe. “So why don’t we have one?” Ethan asked. Kendra shares, “His question caught me completely off guard…We had room. We had love. We just didn’t think we were the type.”
Waylon explains what that night was like for them, “I remember I had just put Ethan to bed and we sat at the kitchen table and I remember we prayed before starting the conversation…and that night it just felt so clear…we just started googling what fostering looked like and what the options were.”
After a few weeks of prayer and honest conversations, they decided to take an active step and signed up for foster parent training classes. Not because they felt fully prepared, but because they were willing.
Pretty soon they were turning in background checks, attending training, and eventually, receiving a call about a little boy who needed a home for a few days. They started as respite parents first—respite care is usually a few days or a weekend long stay that can be planned or as an emergency placement, but it is not meant to be long-term.
“The first few placements were pretty rough,” they shared. “It took us a while to learn how to care for kids from traumatic backgrounds. Some cried through the night, and some were frustrated or mad at us…some were scared of us.”
It wasn’t always easy for the Johnsons. There were a few kids that showed up without any clothes or toiletries, and one child even arrived on her birthday. Thanks to generous supporters, ABCH quickly met those immediate needs. Instead of scrambling to gather the essentials, the Johnsons could focus on building trust, offering comfort, and helping each child feel at home.
“There were moments like watching this little boy full-on sprinting down the sidewalk because he couldn’t wait to show us the popsicle he got that looks like Sonic the Hedgehog,” Kendra smiled.
There was laughter and healing and patience. There was growth, not just for the child in their home, but for their entire family.
“We have also watched Ethan become a good brother and friend,” they shared. “All of the great days, good days, and even okay days more than make up for the hard or bad ones.”
Kendra and Waylon are the first to admit they’re still figuring things out, “We’re still not perfect parents… Sometimes my patience doesn’t go as far as I’d like. We still burn pancakes and forget what type of cheese each kid likes on their sandwich,” they said. “But God will use even these moments for His good.”
Foster care isn’t about perfection. It’s about presence. It’s about making space at your table, in your schedule, and in your heart for a child who needs it.
Kendra and Waylon put it simply, “You don’t have to have a nice house. You just need one more plate at the table and the faith to say yes when the call comes.”
Right now, there are literally thousands of children in our community waiting for that kind of “yes.” This summer, many of them will need a safe home where they can rest, laugh, and begin to heal.
Maybe you’re more ‘the type’ than you think.
Learn more about becoming a foster parent here. There’s no perfect time. Be the unqualified that God calls.