by Henry Piarrot

Created on: June 12, 2008   Last Updated: February 05, 2009

A Place Called Home

All children should have a safe and happy life, including the half million American kids living in foster care. Unfortunately, by no fault of their own, these young people frequently come from families that are in disarray and unable to properly care for them. Still, the best place for a child is to be part of a loving family residing in a happy home. So, when their own relatives are unable to provide for them, foster parents often save the day. Sometimes children can never return home to live safely with their parents and adoption becomes the only alternative for a youngster in desperate need of a positive future.

Shonda Worthington, president of the Smoky Mountain Foster Parent Association understands that the need for foster and adoptive parents grows a little more every day. The 1998 graduate of Gatlinburg/Pittman High School heads a group of dedicated volunteers with the express purpose of insuring that every child in need of a safe and loving home has one.

Fostering and adopting children who were the ill-fated victims of child abuse or neglect can be extremely rewarding, totally challenging and definitely life changing. Some friends and relatives will completely support the decision to welcome a new child into your home, while others will insist that you have lost your mind. Nevertheless, you will surely find God's work in the beautiful smile upon the aspirant face of a child that once displayed only disillusion and sadness.

Shonda and Randal Worthington reside in Dandridge and are raising 4 children. Brad will soon be 18, while his younger sister Katie is 15. Four year old Cory and 3 year old Carly came to the family after the Christian couple answered God's call to share their blessings of a future as bright as a Sunday morning in spring.

Shonda has been the marketing administrative assistant at Ober Gatlinburg for the past 4 years. Prior to that, she was a phlebotomist for East Tennessee Children's Hospital. Randal is an electrician for J&M Electric and they are members of Hills Creek Baptist Church in Pittman Center .

One of the main focuses of the Smoky Mountain Foster Parent Association is to organize and host workshops that benefit foster and adoptive parents. These are all done in conjunction with the Department of Children's Services in Sevierville. Jamie Holland of Zoder's Best Western in Gatlinburg is vice president and local children's advocate Donna Stern is the secretary/treasurer. Shonda can be reached by phone at 865-660-0569. All who love children and are financially able to provide support are encouraged to be an answer to the prayer of a place called home for a child who needs you more than you will ever know.

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