GORDONVILLE FOSTER HOME PROMPTS FUSS

GORDONVILLE -- A group foster home under construction next to Abundant Life Church in Gordonville will be more like a large family home than a "children's prison," as some neighbors fear, says the Rev. David Butler, the church pastor.

"We see a great need for the children of our local area," Butler said. "Until the church takes an active role in doing something, talk is cheap."

Neighbors aren't confident that the people undertaking the project are prepared for the task at hand. They also worry that the children who will live in the home might pose a threat to the small community's tranquility.

Butler said his neighbors misunderstand the project. "They think this is going to be some sort of children's prison. It's not."

Children will be placed in the group foster home by the local Division of Family Services. A family from the Abundant Life congregation will live in the home with the children, Butler said, declining to name the family.

The family, he said, gets calls often from the Division of Family Services asking that they take children. Their home isn't large enough, and the new home, which will be called Shepherd's Cove Children's Home, will offer more space.

"It's built to accommodate 12 children," said Butler. "That's not saying there will be 12 children."

Mary Honse of the Division of Family Services in Jefferson City said a number of group foster homes that care for up to 12 children are in operation across the state.

"They do have to meet our licensing agreement," Honse said. "The foster parents will have to meet our training requirements, and the physical building requirements have to be met as well."

She said if the requirements aren't met children won't be placed in the home. A group foster home must be completed before the state considers licensing, she said.

"It's not really unusual for a church to take on something like this as a mission," said Honse. "Anyone who would care for the kids would have to go through the same requirements."

The Division of Youth Services and Division of Mental Health use similar group homes.

Shepherd's Cove Children's Home is associated with Abundant Life Church but isn't a church project, the pastor said. The church donated land for the building, and a non-profit organization, Christian Ministry International, was set up to oversee the project. Butler is the organization's president. Church members have volunteered their help to build and maintain the home.

Plans call for an eight-bedroom home with two children per room and space for the foster family. The home will have a living room, family room, kitchen and dining room. The building is about 60 days from completion.

Butler met a year and a half ago with Gordonville residents and county officials to talk about the children's home. Butler said he tried to explain at the meeting the group foster home concept, but those attending didn't understand it.

People went away with the impression that the home would recruit troubled teens for profit, and untrained church volunteers would make up the staff. Both are false, he said. The plan always has been for a group foster home, he said.

The Division of Family Services can place children in a group foster home after the juvenile court determines they need care in a setting other than their biological family home.

Gordonville resident Roland Sander said he was unhappy to hear Butler say at the meeting that he wasn't concerned about the neighbors' fears. Butler said he made the statement, and it was a mistake.

Butler said he wants the church's neighbors to be happy, but their concerns won't stop the project.