I have thought long and hard about what I would say to the Foster Parents and Group Home staff who have been taking care of my children during this ordeal. So I have decided to take what I have to say, and say it to all Foster Parents and Group Home staff every where. First I know that there are many reasons for going into this field of work. Being a foster parent is a serious task. I should know because not to many years ago I was a foster parent for a relative who was in a bad situation. It was not an easy task, and it was not always a task full of praise and thanks. That is not why we did it. We did it because a child we knew needed a safe place until she could be returned home. We did it because it was the right thing to do. There are some who enter into the Foster Parenting role for less then ideal reasons. For the most part I am not talking to those parents. If you are the type of foster parent who make up the statistic that says a child is 10 times more likely to be abused or neglected in care as they are out of care, well all I have to say is shame on you. I hope they have a special section in Hell just for you.
To the parent who is not in the above category for those parents in our case, I want to say at the outset of this letter one thing. "Thank you!" I cannot say it loud enough "THANK YOU!" You have been there for my child when I could not be. It is not that I have not wanted to be there for them. I have. I have begged the courts and the powers that be through whatever means at my disposal to allow me to see my children. To allow my children to come home where they belong. The truth is at this stage of the ordeal I may not be allowed to be there for them for a very long time. I will never get to pick them up after they fall off there bicycle again. May never get to bandage a skinned knee. I may never get to wipe a tear from there eye as they cry over a broken heart. I may never get to meet there date for the school dance, and maybe put a little bit of the fear of Dad into him. I will never get to help them with there math homework, or attend a parent teacher conference. I will never join a PTA, or serve to help my child's school. You will. You will get to do all of these things and so much more. There probably getting too old for this but if they need it your the one who will have to chase away the monster from under the bed. For all of this that you will do, and have done, in my stead I say, "Thank You."
I do have a word of caution for you however. You see while you have been told all sorts of things about me and my wife, they may not all be true. To CD I am a monster who would hurt my child, and have hurt my child. The fact of the matter is I am no monster. I am an imperfect man, trying to do my best to raise my children right. In that regard I am not much different then you are. Have I made mistake, yeah sure I have. I challenge any parent out there to say otherwise. I have never intentionally harmed, or sexualized my children. I know you have been told otherwise. I cannot speak for all the bio-parents out there but I know I speak for many of them. We have tried and tried to state our case but no one seems to want to listen. The system labeled us and now everywhere we go we carry that label around with us. Our children are sensitive and subject to misdirection at the hands of those who feel they are trying to help. If you can, if you will, tell them that there mother and I love them very much. We are fighting for the truth, and we are fighting for them.
I pray for you as often as I can. You have a thankless job. Your charged with raising another persons child. While in some cases that is a necessary thing. In others it is not. Be kind to my child, love them, protect them, and listen to them. I cannot do these things except from afar. I will never stop loving them. I will never stop fighting for them. I see no reason to fight you or be your enemy. We want the same thing, to raise a lovely young daughter into a beautiful self-confident woman. So I close this letter with two words and a prayer for you.
THANK YOU! May God grant you wisdom, and the ability to show the way to him for the children in your care.
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