Sitting here barely able to see the keyboard to type….wiping my eyes, a complete mess..
Last year I advocated for a group of treasures who have been given the privilege of spending their summer at host families through Children’s Cultural Connection Host Program…
This year I wrote to Ginger,
“I want to advocate early – Please give me pictures I can post
People need pictures to have their hearts stirred…”
Oh sweet friends, my-oh-my, have they ever sent me pictures!
Before and after photos and as they say,
“A picture is worth a thousand words,”
Check it out –
Before Hosting
{this handsome fella’ was passed over
many times, would anyone take a chance?}
During Hosting
*******
Before Hosting
{a precious teen girl longing for a family, but about to age out}
After Hosting
{the family brought her home just in the nick of time}
*******
Before Hosting
{two sisters, who would be willing to host?}
During Hosting
*******
Before Hosting
{Two teen sisters –
would anyone be willing?}
After
{People advocated and a host family stepped forward,
people helped raise funds to bring them and
during hosting the family fell in love with them
and their family is now in
the process of bringing them home forever.}
*******
Four Boys
Before Hosting
During Hosting
PS All of the boys joined the family – forever.
*******
Before – {So very serious.}
and
After – Such Joy
*******
And this one is my personal favorite!
And this one is my personal favorite!
Before
{not many would take a chance on a teen boy
about to age out}
about to age out}
But someone did!!
And now are in the process of bringing him home
{look at his smile now!}
Forever!!
His smile is worth a million words.
His smile says:
Family.
Forever.
So what exactly does hosting involve?
Cost: $2700/child {all tax deductible}
Time: Arrive late June for 5-6 weeks
Why host?
Hosting is a wonderful opportunity to welcome an orphaned child into your home for approximately five to six weeks. The purpose of our hosting program is for both the host family and the child being hosted to learn more about one another. and to give the host child a life changing experience.
It is a once in a lifetime opportunity for them to see American life and know the love of a family. This has proven to give these children hope and to change their life and future. The children who participate in our hosting program are usually orphaned girls and boys between the ages of 6 and 16 and are from eastern Europe.
Here are some treasures hoping that they will be chosen to be hosted this summer:
Look at this girl’s smile…
It’s her last chance to come for a summer hosting program…
Can’t you can see her sweetness oozing?
She is wondering if someone would give
her a joyous 6 weeks this summer?
This little treasure below has mild CP…
She’s wondering if someone would be willing
to let her hang out with their family for 6 weeks?
Can you picture what 6 weeks with a family would do for the expression on this little guy’s face?
Can you imagine what would happen if a
family told him over and over for 6 weeks,
“Hey, we believe in you!”
And how ’bout this guy?
Special need is blindness, but you know what we say around here,
“The only true special need any treasure has is for a family.”
Can you imagine showing this little fella’ the world
through your eyes?
There are dozens of other children
available for summer hosting…
I’ve only highlighted a few…
For more information and to view the children available, go here:
On behalf of International Voice of the Orphan and all the children waiting around the world for their forever families:
We must be their voice!
Please spread the word to your friends, family, churches, Facebook, any social media you have access to…let’s not let one child who has been given the opportunity to just be a kid this summer, miss out!
Together, let’s make sure no one gets left behind!
This was amazing. It touched my heart as we wait to adopt our little one.
Do you know of any charities that do the same thing but to the UK?
It is a wonderful plan, but how do the children feel when they have to go back at the end?
Thank you for sharing, will read about this more! 🙂
Oh I am a teary mess. I want to host them all. Elizabeth, they explain all this on their site. I am praying for finances to do this and adopt again. Right now I am going to pray for these precious angels.
Someone asked how the children feel when they have to go back. They are sad, and so are the families who hosted them, but the children came knowing they were just going on a vacation to America. They all knew that every child will have to return no matter what. They are so happy to tell everyone at their orphanage about their family in America. They treasure the pictures and scrap books sent back with them, and they have memories of being loved and cared for to keep forever. We've hosted twice now with this group and we will do it again! We did fundraising for the cost of hosting–we raised the full amount the first time, and the second time we'd already saved up the deposit so we just did fundraising for the remainder.
The 2nd last boy. I want him!
Joanna, before long you can go for it. Really, it's not that far away. xo
Linny, This post touched me, (as most of your posts do). I clicked the link and checked out the website and registered so I could view all the awesome kids available for hosting. and THEN…I got to thinking… I feel like often there are a good amount of people who would love to host, but are not quite able to pull together the finances. (especially considering the sibling groups are $2700 per kid!) And then there are a group of people who say I have the ability to be generous with my money but I don't have the right environment to bring the kids into or I live in a state that doesn't participate or whatnot-
I remember before you did something that I thought was truly awesome! You had the idea to post about a handful of families who were adopting and let people donate to them. It was an incredible way to bring us all together as the body of Christ loving the orphan and supporting eachother! Do it again for the hosting program! PUH-LEASE because there is a sibling set of boys that I am praying over! 🙂
Krista,
My sweet friend!
I would LOVE to do a fundraiser for the families hosting, but I need your help to do it. SO if you want to help me, then I say "yes!". Email me and I will give you my cell number to call. APlaceCalledSimplicity@yahoo.com Subject: Krista – fundraiser to hosting Let's get 'er done girl!
Emailed ya! 🙂
The sweet boy holding the toddler in the snow is mine :). When God called us to host a 15 year old, I thought He was a little funny. A teenager and a 2 year old? We followed God's calling and let me say this; this boy was the one who blessed US. He is amazing, and we just fell head over heels for him. I never expected to love so fiercely, so quickly. To feel like he was my own instantly. How he loved us so deeply. Just incredible. For anyone hesitant to host a child based on age, please reconsider…that child may just change your life, in a ways you never could even dream of!
Thank you for 'introducing' yourself D.W. Your son is so handsome and I just love his smile. I don't know if you caught it or not, but of all the pictures his was my favorite. He looks so, I don't know, skeptical of it all in his picture…like he was thinking, "No one will want me, why am I even bothering?" And then in the snowy picture – I'm smiling as I type this – the PURE JOY of knowing he is wanted -….and yes, his picture has brought me to tears {again!}…I am so happy for you all. If you ever feel like it, send me a picture of him home forever if you think of it. APlaceCalledSimplicity@yahoo.com Bless you D.W…for your obedience to Almighty God – may your lives be instrumental in others finding their forever families! Hugs from Phoenix, AZ
Elizabeth, What a precious post!!! All of them just broke my heart! Do you know of any such programs that will allow people from India ( like me) to host??? Here we either have to go through SO MUCH red tape to be of any help or bed the laws..and i'm not willing to do either!! SO if you do any if there is anyway i can do something like this, it would be amazing!
I have no idea about India…maybe someone will read your comment and know. I pray so!
What a sweet sweet precious heart you and your family have.