Siblings separated by foster care reunited by Joel's Hope
Eugene Sutherland / Staff Reporter
Posted on May 23, 2004

Sisters Jasmine and Kendra cannot quite seem to agree on who is the
better basketball player.

Sure, Kendra, at 15, would appear to be more imposing in the paint,
but the younger Jasmine's quickness can sometimes give big sister
fits. Their other sister, 13-year-old Mercedes, tends to stay above
the fray.

What the trio all can agree on, however, is that they'd sure love a
lot more time to wage their on-court battles -and well, just about
everything else.

They were afforded that opportunity on Saturday, thanks to Joel's
Hope, a non-profit charitable organization that specializes in
allowing siblings separated by the foster care system to be reunited
for a day, or sometimes an entire weekend.

Richard Bullock chartered Joel's Hope, named after his father in
February 2002, through the Secretary of State's office with the
express purpose of reuniting children with their siblings.

Bullock himself, was in a similar situation as a child, while spending
11 years at the Louisiana Baptist Children's Home in Monroe.

"I understand what it's like for these children," Bullock said. "They
don't get to spend lots of time with their siblings. Some only get to
see them once a month, or worse. This is about them being able to do
that."

Bullock has held similar functions for six years, the most recent on
Saturday at Trinity Baptist Church in Pineville. Joel's Hope has held
weekend-long retreats of sorts for separated foster children.

The girls joined about 40 other children in similar situations in a
smorgasbord of activity. From pizza eating to pony riding to board
games, the children spent what would be a perfect they for your
average teen.

Through their positive attitudes, these children showed they are
anything but average.

"Everybody knows I'm the best basketball player," Jasmine said. "I'm
having a good time. This is fun to come here and be with my sisters.
These are nice people to do this. We don't usually get to spend this
much time together."

"I don't know what Jasmine is talking about," Kendra said over pizza.
"Don't believe she's better at basketball for a second. But really,
this is fun, though. I don't have a favorite thing, because everything
is great. I wish it wouldn't end."

Bullock decided to try a daylong affair in Pineville because of cost
concerns. A three-day weekend for 60 children runs about $5,000. A
daylong affair with 40 children is about $1,000.
http://www.thetowntalk.com/html/62EB...CE483BF2.shtml




Defend your civil liberties! Get information at http://www.aclu.org, become a member at http://www.aclu.org/join and get active at http://www.aclu.org/action.