Could we?

Have you ever thought about hosting an orphan into your home? Honestly, we thought it was a neat idea but had not SERIOUSLY considered it.  There seemed to be too many hurdles…. like time and money. Somehow life was always busy, and it seemed a bit overwhelming to have a “stranger” in our home for 4-8 weeks 24:7.  Then there were the fees… which for a big family just didn’t seem practical. We already had a heart for disabled orphans—we’d adopted 3 and still wanted to help more. I didn’t think typical kids were as needy….

Then God opened my heart and my eyes a little bit more.  You see, my daughter showed me two siblings who needed a host family. Sometimes busy mamas like me don’t realize that they can still be used in ways they’ve not thought of.  He led me to inquire, to ponder, to pray, to discuss and REALLY consider as a family if we could host these two.  Suddenly it wasn’t a list of possible kids, but it was two kids…a 14-year-old brother and his 10-year-old sister…who had gotten passports, visas, plane tickets and had gotten excited about spending Christmas in America.

Ultimately the question was COULD we host them? Could we open our home, add 2 to our family table, set up 2 more beds, include them in our daily life and Christmas celebration, & give up some luxuries to get them here? The answer was YES!

The second question was SHOULD we? That was the easy one. “Truly I tell you, whatever you do for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me. (Matthew 25:40)”  YES, if we prayed and believed that we could welcome these children into our home, then we believed that we should.

So, we did! And you may know our story (if you don’t, go read my previous posts!) No, it wasn’t always “easy” but totally worth it. Ask any of my kids.  Basically, as we sought to show them the love of a family and the love of Jesus, these two children became FAMILY. Now we are seeking to adopt them, so they can be here with us.

But here’s the thing…. you don’t have to adopt! In our situation, God had been preparing us for this though I didn’t know it. I believe God brought these 2 just for us, as they fit perfectly into our family in many ways.   However, that is not always the case. We know children who have been hosted who can NOT be adopted & other kids who do not WANT to be adopted…. yet the experiences they have here enrich their lives.  Sometimes they meet their future family through others they meet here, and you get the joy of playing a role in that. Sometimes they meet their Savior....a host mom shared with me that 2 boys they’ve hosted put their faith in Christ and were baptized here.  I have also met families who love their host kids from across the world and have a huge impact on their lives.  What a testimony to the love and power of Christ! God has a plan for each of these orphans!

If you feel “too busy” just know that what orphans need the most is to be loved and included, and to experience everyday life as a family—so you just include them in your busy life!   “V” and “V” were integrated into every aspect of our family’s life…. eating meals, prayer time, reading the Bible (and then translating it—Google Translate was our constant companion), playing, chores, going to the store, & learning time.  Simple things like making Daddy’s coffee, building a fire, painting Mommy’s nails, helping a younger sibling, playing a game, and joking with daddy were special.  Receiving and giving gifts at Christmas, celebrating our host girl’s birthday, witnessing our daughter’s baptism, & having new experiences like petting farm animals were unforgettable.  While we did do some fun outings with them, honestly, what I miss the most since they’ve been gone is just hanging out as a family, doing ordinary stuff.  I'd guess that's what they miss most too.

At one time I had been turned off by the “cost” of hosting, but now I know it is so worth it to pay for the needed expenses (passports, visas, train tickets, plane tickets, food, etc.) to get them here. Many families prayerfully fundraise and see God provide.  We saw in our previous adoptions this to be true… “God can make all grace abound to you, so that in all things, always, having everything you need, you will abound in every good work.” (2 Corinthians 9:8)

When we were looking into hosting I discovered that some people are critical of host programs, thinking it cruel to bring them here only to send them back. What I learned was that there are many purposes of hosting. These kids learn a different culture and language, new skills & experiences. They learn what a family is--which can open their hearts to adoption--and most importantly, they learn about and experience the love of Christ Jesus our Lord. Compare that to staying at the orphanage during a “holiday,” with little recreation, little supervision, and devoid of love. If you know anything about orphanages, you know that’s not a good situation. You also never know how hosting will touch others. We have friends who were deeply touched by meeting our host kids. They cried when “V” and “V” went back and are praying about hosting one day. 

Hosting was an experience we will never forget, and it changed us as we just shared our family and home.  We still have a heart for orphans with disabilities, but God showed us more of His heart for orphans. ALL children need families. Period. Typical kids who are orphans have special needs too--they just don’t it show on the outside. They’ve been neglected and hurt in ways we may never know. They long for love and acceptance and to experience live out of 4 walls. They long for connection and most of all for a relationship with a God who will never leave them or forsake them.

The host program we used brings children over each Summer and Winter. Many agencies do this. We are counting down the days until ours come back! And we pray that their friends can come too!  You can learn more about our hosting program at the website below.  Please don’t hesitate to ask us questions about our experience…I had many questions! SO many kids are eager to come over! 

Could your family welcome children into your home and include them in your busy life?

          Could you show them what a family is and share with them the love of Christ?
 
         Or Could you help a family who can by giving or fundraising?

No matter how you help these orphans, you will be blessed, maybe even more than them!

*Please note that hosting agencies do things differently...so definitely ask the policies and even ask to talk to another host family who has used that particular agency.  Also learning about orphans and their typical struggles ahead of time is highly recommended. This post reflects our personal experience

~Traci ❤