GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – As FOX 17 News continues its Forever Home series, we feature youth who are in the Michigan foster care system. Adoption specialists report that the older children are, nearing their eighteenth birthday, the less likely they will be adopted.
We would like to introduce families to Micah, a 16-year-old who is as special as his name.
“It’s from the Bible,” said Micah. “He was a prophet.”
Micah is cooperative and likes to follow the rules; he is a teen who cares.
“Sometimes I’ll have fun and laugh, sometimes I just like to stay to myself,” said Micah. “I don’t want to hurt nobody’s feelings because I’m a nice guy, I like to share, I like to buy people things and stuff.”
To him, it does not matter how he would spend time together with parents or a sibling, Michah said he just wants a family.
“Want just to be with them, that’s it,” said Micah.
Micah has been moving between group and foster home placements since he was 12-years-old. He admits that has been hard on him.
“I can be happy and stuff, but in that placement I can’t even show one smile on my face,” said Micah. “That’s why I just tell myself that I can’t wait ‘till I leave, so I can just stay away from being with a foster home: it’s too many kids in the house.”
Micah grew up in Lansing, and said if possible he would love to be part of a family in that area.
Growing up he remembers how he would laugh and draw. Now Micah said he uses a pencil as a tool: to draw and write, as a kind of escape to stay calm and focused on the future.
“[I would like to] live in an apartment, go to college, stuff like that,” said Micah.
If you are interested in adopting Micah, or have questions and want to speak with an adoption specialist, please call Orchards Children’s Services at: 1 (855) 694-7301.
Specialists typical report the adoption process taking about nine months, beginning with an adoption orientation.
