Interview: An Update on Our Hosting Experience

One of my 9th grade students interviewed me for an article about my orphan hosting experience. The article will appear in our school newspaper. The interview questions and my answers are posted below.

1. What made you want to host orphans over the holidays?

My husband and I first began talking about adoption eight years ago while we were dating. Although we desperately wanted our own biological children, God has seen fit in his perfect and sovereign plan for us to parent the parentless. The summer of 2009 began our official start to pursue adoption options. Since then the Lord has burdened our hearts for orphans, especially Ukrainian orphans. The Lord took our already-established burden for orphans and multiplied it upon hearing about an international orphan hosting program called New Horizons for Children. This Acworth, GA based non-profit organization is led by LeAnn Dakake. The Lord brought her childrens' nanny to our church college/career ministry, where she was able to tell us about hosting orphans. When I heard that Ukaine was one of the hosting countries, I knew this was an open door the Lord was leading our family to walk through. Our hearts perfectly aligned with the goals of New Horizons for Children: provide orphans with the opportunity to experience a healthy family, to be loved on, to learn about Christ’s love for them, to learn English, and to hopefully find a forever family (NHFC is strictly a hosting program, but many children do happen to meet their forever families through the program).

2. What were your orphans’ ages and what country were they from?

7 and 10 (sisters) – from Ukraine

3. What do you think is the best thing about hosting an orphan?

- Being able to shower them with love and teach them about the love of Christ

- Seeing their confidence increase

- Being daily reminded of what is really important in life as well as reminded of what Christ has done for us

- Seeing a live depiction of what is must have been like for our Heavenly Father to adopt us into His family

4. Did hosting an orphan give you a new perspective of the Christmas season? If so, how?

Yes!

- I realized how much I received for Christmas as a child but did not need.

- Having children in our care for Christmas took the focus off of us and put it on them.

- It was a blessing to teach the girls that we give gifts to others because God gave us the gift of Jesus and then see them pick out gifts for our family members and be excited to deliver the gifts.

- This was the first Christmas since our wedding seven years ago that Eric and I spent Christmas morning in our own home. Since we do not have children of our own, this was also the first Christmas morning we were able to spend with children in our care. We enjoyed reading the Christmas story together before opening gifts. We diligently tried to help the girls understand that Jesus is God’s gift to us and that Christmas is about celebrating the birth and life of Jesus Christ.

5. Describe your favorite experience with the orphans.

- Seeing the oldest girl read our English Bible to my husband

- Bedtime: casting aside all the cares of the day to read a Bible story, pray, and exchange good-night hugs and kisses

- Hearing the girls recite who loves them: Eric, Erin, and Jesus

6. Since the orphans spoke a different language, what did you have to do to be able to communicate with them?

Maintaining patience was important. I also spoke to them as if they understood what I was saying and they did the same. Sometimes I would ask them a question in English and they would answer in Russian. The girls were also amazing actors! We pointed to objects, drew pictures, and acted out what we were trying to communicate. The language barrier I thought would be present was not much of a barrier after all. The girls began using a little English towards the end of their stay. In addition to New Horizon translators, I was also blessed to have TKA’s very own Alexsandra Sanders interpret for me when the girls accompanied me to school. Alexsandra was able to explain to the girls the good news of Christ in their native language.

7. There are so many orphans around the world who have very little hope to cling to. What do you think it’s like for them to come and get to spend Christmas in America with a kind, loving family?

Spending Christmas in America with a kind, loving family is life-changing for orphans. What was merely a testimonial of how these children change as a result of this type of opportunity became a reality throughout the girls’ stay in our home. As a result of this hosting program, confidence is boosted, prayer is taught, the love of Christ and family is experienced, and needs are met.

8. What organization did you use to find orphans to host?

New Horizons for Children (newhorizonsforchildren.org)

9. What kind of different customs did the orphans have compared to us?

- The girls had special “house” shoes that they wore.

- They did the “Father, Son, and Holy Spirit” sign when they prayed, and they had a memorized prayer they said when they volunteered to pray out loud.

- They washed some of their clothes in the bathroom by hand before I taught them about the washer and dryer.

10. By the end of their visit, did you notice them picking up any American customs?

- They began giving the “thumbs up” signal when they liked something.

- They learned the etiquette of saying “please,” “thank you,” and “you’re welcome.”

- This is not strictly American, but the girls learned how to pray and say “Thank you, Jesus, for ______.”

11. What was it like for your family and the orphans when it was time for them to leave?

Sad and VERY hard! Eric and I were so so sad to see the girls leave. We enjoyed their laughter and footsteps in our home. Calendar days were crossed off throughout the hosting program so the girls could see when it was time to go back home. The oldest girl cried at home two nights prior to the departure date, but not when it was finally time to part ways. I think she was being the strong, big sister. Although the girls did not cry at the airport when it was time to leave our care, my husband and I wept like babies! We are now having a premature experience with “Empty Nest Syndrome.” I told my dad that now I understand how he must have felt when I went away to college and when he gave me away at my wedding.