People make choices every single day. Some are small... like what you are going to wear, what you are going to eat, what you are going to listen to in the car. Then there are times when you make bigger decisions... decisions like where you are going to worship, where you are going on vacation, where you are going to live. Then there are extra moments when you make choices that affect the kingdom of God. Choices that bring to life how Christ has triumphed over Satan. Choices like praying over a friend or your child, being obedient to the whisper of the Holy Spirit, taking the time to talk to an elderly person who wants to talk to you in the grocery store, baking muffins for your neighbor who lives alone, and choosing obedience to God no matter the cost.
And then there is the decision to host a child. This decision splits the spiritual realm into pieces. Legions of Satan's warriors are affected and legions of God's heavenly angels rejoice when a child... an orphan is rescued, loved, and introduced to Christ.
"Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unspotted from the world." James 1:27~
If God views visiting orphans this highly... what does He think about bringing them home to love them in His love? Can you imagine?
Their little faces watch as she drives away... and their hands wave... and their hearts wonder... do they dare to hope? They have been discarded. They have been abandoned. They have lost family. They have lost home. They have lost almost everything. And they wait... and wait... and wait. Do they dare hope?
1. What does hosting mean? Hosting means having the child stay with you and your family for the host period. It is for 5 weeks in the summer hosting and for 4 weeks in the winter hosting. You are not committing to adopting them. You are only hosting. If you decide you want to the adopt them, the adoption process is much easier since you have hosted.
2. How much does it cost? It costs $2500 per child to host. This pays for the paperwork involved and the airline ticket to fly them over. It is tax deductable.
3. I don't have the that much money. Great! Then that gives God the opportunity to show off and provide it for you! I have seen this over and over and over again and it never gets old! Allowing God to opportunity to provide only adds to your amazing story of what you are/God is doing in this child's life! You will be blown away with how quickly people/friends want to be a part of something like this and start giving you the money and other items needed. It is a very beautiful part of the process!
4. I could never send them back. Yes-you-can. You won't have a choice! And in all honesty, it is better for the child to go back as they will need to have some closure. If you have decided not to adopt them, they may be given another opportunity to be hosted. You then can become that child's personal advocate and be a part of the puzzle that God uses to find their forever family. If you have decided you want to adopt them, then you are FUELED by the separation to fly through the paperwork and that child can go back to see his/her friends again, wrap their brain around having a new family, and be ready to come back forever.
5. We don't really think we want to adopt. That's ok. Hosting does not mean you will adopt. Someone you know may meet them while they are here and decide to adopt them. We have hosted three times and adopted one of those three. The first child was adopted by a family who met her while she was with us (we were obedient to God's call to host even though we were in the adoption process for another child). The second child we hosted was our daughter! And the third child we hosted (again out of obedience to God's prompting in our hearts) is in the process of being adopted by another family who didn't host at all! The family who hosted his brother was also obedient to God's tug amidst all kinds of reasons why they shouldn't. And then one of their friends is adopting both boys! How cool is that! GOD DID THAT!
6. What will we do while they are here? Just be yourself! Some families feel the need to run all over the place and show everything they can to this child. This really can overload them and leave them with unrealistic expectations. When we hosted our daughter, her favorite thing to do was have family movie night in front of the fire with candles and popcorn! She would jump up and down with delight when we did this. We crafted. We played games. We visited friends. We did what we normally do. The only big thing we did was take her to the aquarium. And she still liked family movie night better!
7. How do I find out more? Go to http://www.projectonefortythree.com/ and complete the pre-registration to view the complete photolisting of the children available this winter. THIS DOES NOT OBLIGATE YOU TO HOST. For protection of the children, the photolisting is not available to the public without pre-registering. I am also available for questions and to share our personal experience with hosting!
This is like bringing the misson field into your home... to your family. It will change a life. It will change a generation. It can save a soul. It will transform you... and so many others around you.
"I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you." John 14:18~
can you call me - I have some questions about this?? Thanks!
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