Annie Hernandez entered Foster Care at the age of ten and experienced a variety of placements, including a group home. Listen to Annie talk about her experience in different environments and reflect on how her experiences shaped her. Annie speaks with perspective and maturity as she shares about her interactions with her foster mother and how their relationship shifted over the years.

Then, to continue our Foster Care Journey, a foster and adoptive couple, Frantz and Stephanie Guignard, share about the intentional decisions they made over the years that impacted both their biological children and eventually their foster and adoptive children. The Guignards remind us of the importance of listening to our children and to the Lord.

Download the free companion PDF to this series—“Seven Insights about Foster Care from Those Who’ve Been There”–and share these types of insights with others in your community!

Key Quote

“I’ll tell them like, man, if, if only I had this perspective back then, you know, like I could, who knows what I would be doing, but I know that I would be with a family that loves me, like to no end, you know?”
Annie Hernandez

Learn More

Here are the resources and/or organizations mentioned in this episode:

The Foster Journey: Often a Winding Road. Always a Trip

Free Download: Seven Insights about Foster Care from Those Who’ve Been There

Meet Our Guests

ANNIE HERNANDEZ
Annie entered foster care when she was ten years old and was in and out of group homes and foster families. She later joined an organization called Teen Leadership Foundation where she transitioned out of foster care into adulthood. Annie now has a two year old and a five year old and is using her voice and her story to inspire others to engage with youth in foster care.

FRANTZ AND STEPHANIE GUIGNARD
Frantz and Stephanie Guignard are high school sweethearts who married after college. They have lived in various states, but have landed back in their home state of Texas. Initially their family grew by three, but they then found themselves in a foster and adoption class at their church. Their interest was immediately sparked and they decided to open their home to three under the age of three. But, God had other plans and blessed them with three girls ages three, eight, and ten. After fostering the girls for a few years, they officially welcomed the girls into their family through adoption, for a total of eight members of the Guignard family! The Guignards are passionate about connecting kids with loving families who know Christ and are using their voices and their gifts to support other families who have chosen to answer the foster and adoption call!

Meet Our Hosts

JASON WEBER
Jason and his wife, Trisha, have been caring for children from U.S. foster care since 2001 and have had the privilege of adopting their five children from foster care. Jason has helped to produce and write several books, bible studies, and other tools all created to serve churches as they care for hurting kids including the newly released children’s book, Farmer Herman and the Flooding Barn (BroadStreet Publishing). Jason writes a regular column for Fostering Families Today magazine and is the host of the Foster Movement Podcast, which highlights the stories of former foster youth and national foster care advocates. Jason serves as the National Director of More Than Enough for the Christian Alliance for Orphans and currently lives in Plano, Texas.

DIEGO FULLER
Most teenagers remember the day they got their license, or their sweet 16, or even prom night. For Diego the most prominent day he remembers is In 2002, when he showed up on Bishop Aaron Blake’s steps. Blake stopped Diego at the door and told him to lose any foster care mentality that he has. “You are not a foster child; you are ‘Engrafted’ into my family.” Diego, now a national recording artist, released his second studio album titled “ENGRAFTED” in 2014! Diego is the founder & president of B.I.G Records & Foundation. He and his “Pops,” Bishop Aaron Blake have joined forces and travel the country empowering the local church to create a culture of families prepared to accept the calling of orphan care. Diego lives with his family in the Dallas area.