My foster family called me Robbie, my relatives knew me as Bobby, and legally, I was Robert. I endured a childhood marked by deep generational poverty, abuse, and neglect. As an adult, I dedicated my career to understanding and transforming these experiences for other children. My journey has given me a compassionate and comprehensive, 360-degree perspective on orphan work – what the system refers to as child welfare.
I’m building a community of orphans that is seeking reconciliation. Ready to join me?
Gain access to Robert’s exclusive content by joining the community of recovering orphans.
A Christ follower, pastor’s wife, biological and adoptive mom, homeschooler, teacher, author, and foster care/mental health advocate. She has an MA in Elementary and ESL Education. She has worked with underprivileged and struggling youth in both group home and church ministry. In 2021, her family of five added another family of three young siblings and an adult sister to their clan through adoption. They reside in Cross Lanes, WV with their two bully breed dogs and two calico cats. The family enjoys community and fellowship at Living Hope Church. The Grace of Getting Up chronicles her journey through child loss, mental health, foster care, and lessons she has learned throughout her journey. You can purchase her book online on Amazon, Westbow Press, or Barnes and Noble. You can find more of Crystal and her work at The Grace of Getting Up (@thegraceofgettingup) on FaceBook and Instagram, as well as her author page at Her View From Home.
Johnston and his wife Terri are the proud and happy parents of seven children that the Lord brought to them through adoption from Los Angeles County Foster Care. John and Terri were very active in the L.A. County foster care/adoption community for 16 years before relocating their family to the Richmond, Virginia, area. Johnston is a writer and consultant for various ministries, and speaks regularly at foster care and adoption events across the country. He and Terri have four grandchildren.
To be parentally poor is to be an orphan. Parental presence is more than just a biological fact; it is an active role of nurturing, teaching, and protecting. Without it, a child navigates the world alone, carries an invisible weight, and lacks the safety net that family is supposed to provide. This reality shapes how a child views their worth and often makes their other relationships emotionally fragile. While society equates orphanhood with the absence of parents, true orphanhood can exist even within a home filled with people. It’s not just the presence of parents but their ability to provide a stable, loving home that gives a child a true sense of belonging.
This book is the story of an orphan, a former orphanage, and about a dream to make foster care obsolete.
