Leslie Chilton - an Everyday Hero

Ever since Leslie Chilton can remember, she always thought fostering and/or adoption may be a part of her family’s journey.   Her husband, however, was on a different page. 

 “He was not on board so much,” Leslie explained. 

 Several years into their marriage and three children later, she still felt a strong call to foster care. 

 “I didn't quite feel like our family was complete. I remember specifically telling the Lord, several times, that if I was really supposed to feel that way and take action, then He better let my husband know!” she laughed. 

 This became her recurring prayer: if they were actually supposed to look into fostering or adoption, then the Lord needed to speak directly to her husband’s heart.

 “As a Christian, I just felt like it was something that we were supposed to do. If you can't stop thinking about something, then you probably should start taking some action to follow through,” she said.

 She would continually ask herself, “why else would the Lord be bringing this to mind so frequently?” She knew the need was so great. It was something their family was able to do, and she hoped the Lord would direct their path. 

 One day in late 2018, out of nowhere, her husband changed his mind! Leslie immediately began researching and talking to some friends who had fostered and adopted to learn about their options. She reached out to a local DCBS office and a private agency (Sunrise) to ask some questions. They decided fostering through the state would work best for their family.

They had their first info class in December 2018 and signed up for classes with OCA in January 2019.  “I am so thankful that it worked out this way. The Christian influence in the fostering classes was a major bonus and helped as we started our foster journey,” she said. “They were exceptional in helping with the paperwork and really streamlined the process for us.” 

Their journey to become certified foster parents was much faster and smoother because of the Lord leading them to OCA for support and training. They received their first call in April 2019 before they were officially an open home. In May 2019 they took their first placement. Throughout this time, OCA remained in touch to make sure they were still on the right track for certification and were by their side the entire way.