Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Join us now from the Foster Coalition is Derek Tan
who's the Partnership liaison.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Derek, welcome back in.
Speaker 3 (00:06):
Good to see you, Hey, good to see you too.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
I do want to talk about Foster Coalition a bunch
and what it's all about and how people can be
a part of this and help even if they're not,
you know, comfortable with being a foster prayer themselves, or
maybe they're calling is that maybe today is today they decide,
you know what, I think I'm going to give this
a run. I've been praying about it and thinking about it,
and I want to do this, but I want to
hear your story, which is kind of an interesting story
(00:29):
in the fact that Jesus became a part of your
life and actually changed your life like it does so.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Many people, including myself.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
I knew who Jesus was growing up, was not a
follower in my lifestyle or any means. But you know,
once I decided I'm going to follow Jesus and do
as best I can to kind of let him lead
where I make decisions, that's when it all changed for me.
(00:57):
And it was in my forties, so it's been some
time now, but you kind of went through the same thing.
I was never addicted to drugs or alcohol. You know.
I think I smoked some weed in college a few times,
and you know, certainly, you know, I have a cocktail
here and there. But I was never you know, in
rehab or an addiction or anything. But you you got
(01:19):
hung up in drug addiction or alcohol.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
Didn't you?
Speaker 3 (01:22):
Yeah, nearly twenty years.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
How old were you when you started? It was eleven
years old? Yeah, unbelievable. How did that happen? Most eleven
year olds don't have access to drugs and alcohol? What
happened with you?
Speaker 3 (01:34):
You know, it's it really just comes down to you.
Bad company, ruins, good morals, and just the friend group
I was in and the things we had access to
older siblings and just lack of supervision. You know, I
was a lash key kid, And I don't blame my
parents for any of this. By what means it was
my choice, But really it was just the friend group
(01:55):
and the ease of actions.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
And how long were you when did you stop?
Speaker 3 (02:01):
Early thirties, So I mean this went on for twenty years, Yeah,
about twenty years, two decades.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
Do ever get a bad situation where with the law,
rehab close to death.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
I mean, what kind of stuff were you doing? Oh man,
how much time you got was Yeah, it's I mean,
there's been run ins with the law, and just looking back,
there's been so many times where I see God's divine
hand of protection, even before yeah, even before I got
sober and Jesus rescued me. You know, I've I've gotten
(02:34):
away with things. You know, I spent some time in jail.
I uh, and then you know it all kind of
the pinnacle of everything was back in twenty ten whole
I found me laying in a pool of vomit, and
that was the turning point, you know, I realized something
needed to change.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
So when your wife came to and said, this is it?
Obviously it sounds like she was a believer before you were.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
Yeah. Absolutely her follower anyway, And.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
So how did she say yes to marrying you that
somebody that was not on the same page with the
Lord as she was at the time.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
The funny story is I proposed to her in Iceland.
I have family in Iceland. So the running joke is
I had to take her out into the middle of
the Atlantic on an island in the middle of cold
weather and proposed because otherwise she would have been stranded.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
So yeah, yeah, and the family members said to her
at some point, hey, you know, you don't have to
marry this guy.
Speaker 2 (03:29):
It's still not too late.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
Yeah, yeah, you know, there was. She was reminded that
there's always an out up until the day. Okay, but
we've been dedicated to each other and she's an amazing,
amazing person, and we've always decided that no matter what.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
And that's it, you said, that's it. I'm hitting my knees.
I'm done with this. Yeah, good for you, Well, good
for Jesus. Yeah, you know. And now you guys have
come a long way, and your relationship with not only
the Lord, but I'm sure your personal relationship with your
wife has certainly gotten better than it did the day
before you.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
Oh absolutely landed up on the floor.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
And you have five kids now.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
Five kiddo's YEP. Adopted five kids, mostly through the foster
system over a period of about four years. And yeah,
we got a houseful.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
That's incredible, incredible.
Speaker 1 (04:18):
So the foster coalition is what you're a part of now,
is the partnership liaison. And when you look at how
many kids are in this system, it's just alarming. How
many kids need somebody like you, somebody to come along
and say I'll help out. I'll help these kids out
because they're kind of on an island themselves.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
You mentioned that.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
Yeah, yeah, it's you know, we don't work directly with
the kids, but what we do is we unite advocates
for foster care and really that bleeds out into adoptive
and kinship care as well. There's so much overlap in
the system, right, and so we're you know, we're getting
three major entities that we focus on. We have government,
non governmental organizations and churches and is bringing cohesion and
(05:01):
collaboration between those three entities and we just truly believe
that when everyone's working together, we can be more effective,
more impactful, and strength and support.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
Well, you're certainly making an impact big time, not only
for the Kingdom, but for these kids' lives.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
Yeah, to be changed as.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
Well, absolutely, and shown love, you know with people that
are out there that you know can help.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
Yeah, So you have a big event coming up, tell
us about that.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
We do. We've partnered with Meals to Missions and we
will be packing ten thousand nonperishable meals on Tuesday, December ninth,
coming up. It's from four to seven in Pelham at
the Grace Cline location where Grace Clin and Pelham Grace Cline. Yes, okay,
(05:46):
so we have a majority of the meals are going
to go to Jamaica through Meals to Missions. They're going
to get those meals there. There's nearly three hundred thousand
displaced children there that are in immediate need of nutrition
the storms, Yeah, from the hurricue absolutely, and then our
partnership with Grace Client, some of those meals will be
distributed locally to hungry families as well.
Speaker 2 (06:07):
How can people help that are listening?
Speaker 3 (06:10):
Honestly, there's two ways they can three ways. First and foremost,
just be praying over the mission and vision of Foster
Coalition and just the children. Second way would be to
go to Fostercoalition dot org and on our events page.
They will be able to register for the event. If
they want to come serve, we'd love to have them
(06:31):
the service from four to seven again on December ninth,
And even if they're not able to make it, they
can still anybody and everybody can help us fund the
meals and if you go to our website again Fostercoalition
dot org they can just click donate and every dollar matters,
makes a difference.
Speaker 1 (06:50):
It does matter. I mean even if you've got ten
dollars then you can help out. It all adds up
and it can help it if you'd like to serve
that day or even get involved with Foster Coalition as
far as take kids in. I mean, this is a
great organization that's doing a lot of good things. Well,
Derek my best to Paul Berry. Tell him I said hello,
and you know, God bless you for what you're doing.
Thank you for sharing your story and your relationship with
(07:12):
Jesus and how that's impacted your life and so many
others as well.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
So yeah, he gets all the glory.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
Well, I appreciate you, man, Yeah you too, all right.
Merry Christmas, Yeah you too. Thanks for having me, all right,
Join us now from the Foster Coalition is Derek Tan
who's the Partnership liaison.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Derek, welcome back in.
Speaker 3 (00:06):
Good to see you, Hey, good to see you too.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
I do want to talk about Foster Coalition a bunch
and what it's all about and how people can be
a part of this and help even if they're not,
you know, comfortable with being a foster prayer themselves, or
maybe they're calling is that maybe today is today they decide,
you know what, I think I'm going to give this
a run. I've been praying about it and thinking about it,
and I want to do this, but I want to
hear your story, which is kind of an interesting story
(00:29):
in the fact that Jesus became a part of your
life and actually changed your life like it does so.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Many people, including myself.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
I knew who Jesus was growing up, was not a
follower in my lifestyle or any means. But you know,
once I decided I'm going to follow Jesus and do
as best I can to kind of let him lead
where I make decisions, that's when it all changed for me.
(00:57):
And it was in my forties, so it's been some
time now, but you kind of went through the same thing.
I was never addicted to drugs or alcohol. You know.
I think I smoked some weed in college a few times,
and you know, certainly, you know, I have a cocktail
here and there. But I was never you know, in
rehab or an addiction or anything. But you you got
(01:19):
hung up in drug addiction or alcohol.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
Didn't you?
Speaker 3 (01:22):
Yeah, nearly twenty years.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
How old were you when you started? It was eleven
years old? Yeah, unbelievable. How did that happen? Most eleven
year olds don't have access to drugs and alcohol? What
happened with you?
Speaker 3 (01:34):
You know, it's it really just comes down to you.
Bad company, ruins, good morals, and just the friend group
I was in and the things we had access to
older siblings and just lack of supervision. You know, I
was a lash key kid, And I don't blame my
parents for any of this. By what means it was
my choice, But really it was just the friend group
(01:55):
and the ease of actions.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
And how long were you when did you stop?
Speaker 3 (02:01):
Early thirties, So I mean this went on for twenty years, Yeah,
about twenty years, two decades.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
Do ever get a bad situation where with the law,
rehab close to death.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
I mean, what kind of stuff were you doing? Oh man,
how much time you got was Yeah, it's I mean,
there's been run ins with the law, and just looking back,
there's been so many times where I see God's divine
hand of protection, even before yeah, even before I got
sober and Jesus rescued me. You know, I've I've gotten
(02:34):
away with things. You know, I spent some time in jail.
I uh, and then you know it all kind of
the pinnacle of everything was back in twenty ten whole
I found me laying in a pool of vomit, and
that was the turning point, you know, I realized something
needed to change.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
So when your wife came to and said, this is it?
Obviously it sounds like she was a believer before you were.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
Yeah. Absolutely her follower anyway, And.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
So how did she say yes to marrying you that
somebody that was not on the same page with the
Lord as she was at the time.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
The funny story is I proposed to her in Iceland.
I have family in Iceland. So the running joke is
I had to take her out into the middle of
the Atlantic on an island in the middle of cold
weather and proposed because otherwise she would have been stranded.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
So yeah, yeah, and the family members said to her
at some point, hey, you know, you don't have to
marry this guy.
Speaker 2 (03:29):
It's still not too late.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
Yeah, yeah, you know, there was. She was reminded that
there's always an out up until the day. Okay, but
we've been dedicated to each other and she's an amazing,
amazing person, and we've always decided that no matter what.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
And that's it, you said, that's it. I'm hitting my knees.
I'm done with this. Yeah, good for you, Well, good
for Jesus. Yeah, you know. And now you guys have
come a long way, and your relationship with not only
the Lord, but I'm sure your personal relationship with your
wife has certainly gotten better than it did the day
before you.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
Oh absolutely landed up on the floor.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
And you have five kids now.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
Five kiddo's YEP. Adopted five kids, mostly through the foster
system over a period of about four years. And yeah,
we got a houseful.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
That's incredible, incredible.
Speaker 1 (04:18):
So the foster coalition is what you're a part of now,
is the partnership liaison. And when you look at how
many kids are in this system, it's just alarming. How
many kids need somebody like you, somebody to come along
and say I'll help out. I'll help these kids out
because they're kind of on an island themselves.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
You mentioned that.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
Yeah, yeah, it's you know, we don't work directly with
the kids, but what we do is we unite advocates
for foster care and really that bleeds out into adoptive
and kinship care as well. There's so much overlap in
the system, right, and so we're you know, we're getting
three major entities that we focus on. We have government,
non governmental organizations and churches and is bringing cohesion and
(05:01):
collaboration between those three entities and we just truly believe
that when everyone's working together, we can be more effective,
more impactful, and strength and support.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
Well, you're certainly making an impact big time, not only
for the Kingdom, but for these kids' lives.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
Yeah, to be changed as.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
Well, absolutely, and shown love, you know with people that
are out there that you know can help.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
Yeah, So you have a big event coming up, tell
us about that.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
We do. We've partnered with Meals to Missions and we
will be packing ten thousand nonperishable meals on Tuesday, December ninth,
coming up. It's from four to seven in Pelham at
the Grace Cline location where Grace Clin and Pelham Grace Cline. Yes, okay,
(05:46):
so we have a majority of the meals are going
to go to Jamaica through Meals to Missions. They're going
to get those meals there. There's nearly three hundred thousand
displaced children there that are in immediate need of nutrition
the storms, Yeah, from the hurricue absolutely, and then our
partnership with Grace Client, some of those meals will be
distributed locally to hungry families as well.
Speaker 2 (06:07):
How can people help that are listening?
Speaker 3 (06:10):
Honestly, there's two ways they can three ways. First and foremost,
just be praying over the mission and vision of Foster
Coalition and just the children. Second way would be to
go to Fostercoalition dot org and on our events page.
They will be able to register for the event. If
they want to come serve, we'd love to have them
(06:31):
the service from four to seven again on December ninth,
And even if they're not able to make it, they
can still anybody and everybody can help us fund the
meals and if you go to our website again Fostercoalition
dot org they can just click donate and every dollar matters,
makes a difference.
Speaker 1 (06:50):
It does matter. I mean even if you've got ten
dollars then you can help out. It all adds up
and it can help it if you'd like to serve
that day or even get involved with Foster Coalition as
far as take kids in. I mean, this is a
great organization that's doing a lot of good things. Well,
Derek my best to Paul Berry. Tell him I said hello,
and you know, God bless you for what you're doing.
Thank you for sharing your story and your relationship with
(07:12):
Jesus and how that's impacted your life and so many
others as well.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
So yeah, he gets all the glory.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
Well, I appreciate you, man, Yeah you too, all right.
Merry Christmas, Yeah you too. Thanks for having me, all right,
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