Mark Lindskog, IT Director for CKFS for the past six years, has a remarkable story of trials, triumphs, and personal experience in foster care and adoption. As a High School sophomore in San Jose, California, Mark experienced eye problems which led to the discovery of a malignant tumor in the center of his brain. He faced an impossible choice—undergo surgery with a 90% chance of severe brain damage or certain death as the tumor grew.
“My mom immediately burst into tears, and I felt like my heart collapsed.” Mark remembers, “As a 15-year-old, I thought I had my whole life ahead of me, and now here I was, faced with death.” Mark remembered hearing his pastor speak of believing in Jesus to go to Heaven during the Christmas musical in 2nd grade, but he was uncertain about his eternity. “I told the doctors I was going to die anyway, so do the surgery!” Miraculously, he survived without brain damage, enduring months of complications, radiation, and additional surgeries, nearly dying four times. In 1994, he came to a life-changing conclusion: “If I believed those were coincidences, I was a fool. It was obvious that there is a God, and He had given me a second chance at life!” From that moment, he committed every aspect of his life to God.
Mark went on to study Bible at a Christian college planning to serve in the ministry, but medical complications shifted his path toward IT systems and network administration. When Mark and his wife, whom he met in college, were ready to start a family, they looked to adoption due to amount of radiation therapy that Mark had endured, making having children unlikely. While they were completing the Foster-to-Adopt process, they learned that his wife was pregnant, but tragically it was a tubal pregnancy that almost took her life. Later, they welcomed a healthy baby girl and moved their young family to Texas where they resumed their foster parenting journey. Coincidentally, Shannon Bouse completed their home study and Autumn Horne was their case manager, both now CKFS employees.
From 2007 to 2018, the Lindskogs fostered 14 children and adopted two, one with significant medical needs. They thought their family was complete, but God had another plan and their fourth child was born in 2014. They continued fostering several more years, taking in two sets of twins.
But that wasn’t the end of their journey with CKFS. Mark had started a consulting business focused on assisting small businesses with their IT needs and had provided CKFS a complimentary consultation. Following a stroke and cancer diagnosis, he stepped away from the business, but was soon approached by CKFS CEO Daniel Lund with an offer to serve as IT Director. “Returning to CKFS was nostalgic because of the staff I recognized from our fostering days, but it was also a joy to bring my years of IT experience to help improve technology, reduce costs, and help equip our staff to do their jobs,” Mark says, “I’m very thankful for the opportunity to serve others and contribute to the mission of CK.”
Today, Mark and his wife face the challenges of parenting four children while navigating ongoing health issues, but his commitment to excellence in his work ensures CKFS technology meets the agency’s ever-changing needs. We are beyond grateful for the heart, skill, and dedication he brings to our mission. He ends with, "God is so good. His grace is abundant! If anyone is struggling through a difficult medical diagnosis and wants to talk with someone who's been through it, I'm always available."
