Heather Bellamy spoke with Krish Kandiah about his experiences in fostering and adoption and the level of need for new foster parents and parents who would adopt in the UK

Krish: A lot of people write themselves off and think they couldn't do it. I've met people who think they're too old, but there's no upper age limit on being a foster parent, you just need to be physically healthy and capable of looking after children. Some people think they couldn't do it because they're single, but actually there's nothing stopping single people from becoming an adoptive or foster parent. There's a massive need and there's an open door for us to step forward.

This isn't for everybody; we're not trying to arm twist people into this. This is a calling and we want to de-romanticise it. A lot of people think of 'Despicable Me' or 'Anne of Green Gables' when they think about fostering or adoption, but sadly a lot of the kids in care have experienced some pretty tough things and so they can need a lot of love and a lot of kindness and patience. If that's something people are willing to give and offer then we really can make a difference to all these kids.

Heather: What do you think Jesus' perspective is on an issue like this, or on the children that are in care and in need of homes or families?

Krish: I've just got to give a talk this Sunday about why Christianity is good news for the whole of society and I'm looking through Luke's gospel. If you spend any time in Luke's gospel, you'll know that it's got a particular warmth and love for the most vulnerable people, whether they are people who are sick, people who have been considered sinners by society, the poor, or the outcasts. This seems to be the kind of people Jesus is willing to call his friends and his family. Jesus once said didn't He, that the poor you will always have among you. What did he mean by that? Did he mean that we'd run a soup kitchen once a week and invite poor people to visit? No, I think Jesus meant the poor you will always have among us; they would be our family; we'd be caring for them as we care for our own because they are our own and they become our family. The Bible's really clear that true religion that God our Father accepts as pure and blameless is not church services, it's not even great Bible teaching or amazing worship songs - according to James 1:27 true religion that God our Father accepts as pure and blameless is to care for widows and orphans in their distress and by stepping forth for fostering and adoption we'll be fulfilling Jesus' command.

Heather: Could you tell us more stories of children you know who've been fostered or adopted through your work at Home For Good?

Krish: Yes, there are literally hundreds and thousands of kids that've been affected already. We had a big summit at the weekend up in Birmingham and we had 400 people come and 50 people on a waiting list, most of whom were foster carers or adoptive carers. I met a family who adopted a sibling group of three and then had triplets, so they went from nought to six children in really quick succession. At the Keswick convention I've met foster carers in their seventies who are still caring for tiny babies and offering them the love that they need. We've met people who have been adopted or been fostered by Christian families and some of those people have decided to become Christians and some of them are volunteering and working with us, so this thing is a movement that's kind of gripping the UK church. It's not there yet, we're not everywhere, but we've been encouraging churches to take part in our Adoption Sunday that's happens once a year, just to make this mainstream within the life of the church. Perhaps some people reading this would want to read some more of those personal stories that are in the Home For Good book.

Heather: So what's the Home For Good website?

Krish: Oh it's really easy, it's www.homeforgood.org.uk.

You can buy Home For Good from Cross Rhythms Direct for only £9.49 + p&p.