Hosting, A View From The Start

So a few weeks ago I had a fellow volunteer of P143 and host mother reach out asking if I would share our story of hosting.  "Your heart", is what she asked to know more about out, as well as the why.  One of these is far easier to explain than the other.

When we hear of a child without a family, one without a safe place, a group of people championing a love, consistency and connection based relationship and WE have the opportunity to be that for them, to show them Christs love, we shouldn't need a why.  Jesus gave us the answer to why all those years ago, and His answer and our answer will always be the same, Love.

Exploring God

This story that goes back to our College days and meeting a fella, Samuel, through my roommate Amy.  Twelve years later God would lead us back to Sam and his family and their story of orphan hosting.  While moving in my heart nearly 2 years prior for the orphaned child and continuing to neglect and push aside this call from God, God never stopped pursuing me as He knew that there was a child who needed our YES instead of our WHY.  After reading briefly about orphan hosting and following up with a phone call to Sam's wife regarding their hosting, I found myself researching all I could about Project One Forty Three (P143) and orphan hosting.

After so much prayer, and fear being trampled by courage our family knew that God had us in mind for orphan hosting.

October 2015 is when it all began, the prayer, paperwork and fundraising it would take to bring a child from across the world into your home is never ending.  While the paperwork and fundraising comes and goes the need for prayer is constant.  We had no idea how our lives would change on that December day when we would finally meet our host son.  It was another moment that the "why" was so evident and God would bind our hearts for one another with the smile of a terrified 10 year old boy finding an over excited and tear faced couple smiling back.

This child.  Prior to arrivals we prayed over which Country to host from as there were three options at the time we began researching.  After meeting with our coordinator we soon found out that two of the three countries deadlines had already passed.  Leaving Ukraine as our only option.  Being honest here, I'm not even sure if I had ever heard of, and know for sure I had never given ANY thought to Ukraine prior to these days.  God at work.

1st Hosting

 Days would pass and we continued to look through a photo listing of children eligible to travel and be hosted.  With tears down our face as we scroll through photo after photo we could not find peace in choosing one specific child.  After praying and meeting with our pastor we narrowed down our age range/gender to a pre-teen/younger boy.  There were 2 left.  We reached out to the coordinator about the two remaining and she informed us that one of the two had already been placed on hold by another family.  There was one child left.  A126 - the number attached to a child with a name, with a story and with a hope that he would be chosen by a family.  Literally a week before the photo listing was closed and only days remaining for paperwork and financial agreements to be turned in God chose the child for us that we would have never been able to choose on our own.  God at work.

We are 5 years in now.  We are who he calls when he needs help on homework - English of course, when he breaks his arm - TWO different times, with girl trouble - whom we advised about in the first place, but who listens to adults these days anyway?  We are also who he writes "I love you" to, who he can count on to say I love you too.  We're who he called when his legal guardian of 9 years, and grandfather passed away suddenly.  He's who I flew across the world to see just so I could hug him and remind him that he is still loved despite his GREAT loss.  We are Mom, Dad, Brothers and Sister.  We are his family and he is ours and we are seeking God's will and guidance as we navigate a hopeful adoption. Something we never anticipated when we began this journey. God at work.

8th Hosting

Orphan hosting, it's a beautiful mess... heavy on the mess most days yet God beautifully and perfectly creates masterpieces from such messiness.   It's a YES that will forever change a child's life.  It connects them with family, with people who let God take care of the whys and focus on His answer on the cross, Love. God at work.

I'm not sure many know, but we were his 3rd host family.  He had been with one family for two host seasons and with another for one.   Up until his arrival at the airport in Ukraine to fly to Texas that very first time he thought he was headed to Florida.  It's where he was hosted the summer before us.  My first thought, and likely yours is "That seems hard" or "Unfair" and I agree.  This boy of ours has had to walk through some pretty hard and unfair things prior to walking into our arms.  Life has since been hard and unfair, meeting us didn't change any of those things for him, what it did change was that he had a family to go along side him as he walked through these things.  He now has hope.  He now has faith.  He now has family.  He knows love, and love knows him. God at work.

Summer hosting is coming and there are So. Many. Children waiting on a YES, a yes from someone who sees the cross before they see the child.  I understand that not everyone can host.  It's logistically impossible for some, but we can ALL play a part.  We can all pray for those on the photo listing.  If hosting is something you can do and you are willing to look to the cross and past the whys and the daunting how's, God will connect you with a child.  Not to sugar coat any part of the process, and certainly not to sugar coat the actual hosting, I will say with truth and experience that it is HARD and sometimes these children come with more than we can handle.  Sometimes we host and never host again, and that is not a sign of defeat.  God is who He says he is in the hard, the easy and in what I believe to be the most lived in, the uncertain.  It's the place where we just aren't sure what's coming next or if what we have done or are doing matters.  Any and everything done for God's glory matters and shines light and points the world to Him who then leads us to eternity and Y'all, that is GOD AT WORK!

Pray how God will use you this coming hosting season.  Will you be a prayer warrior?  Will you go alongside a family and be their encouragement?  Will you financially donate to someone you know who's hosting or to P143 so that grants can be used to lessen the financial costs to a family waiting with a YES?  Will you be the one who says YES to a child?  I encourage  you to look over the photo listing as you pray.  Let God move in you in the direction He desires you most.  You can visit www.p143.org to view the photo listing - once the summer listing is active.  In the mean time share this, pray over the waiting children - the millions of children both here and across the world waiting on a family!  The need is all the same - love.

The Road to Passion 2020, How Passion 2019 Paved The Way

 



    I have had to miss Church now for the past three weeks.  So this morning I woke up and decided I'd share a story very dear to my heart that shines light on God and how He uses the Church to bring about faith and boldness, as well as answer to prayers.

Where it started
    In August of 2019, while a College Student, I was reminded of Passion, a conference for college students to come and spend 2-3 days immersed in God's word and worship.  Seeing as I was in college again, I thought I'd log on and see about going.  Fun fact, "College Student" means an 18-25 year old, so I had missed the mark by a few years.  While looking over the website I came across "Door Holder", which is Passion's way of describing a Volunteer founded in the Scripture, Psalms 84:10

"I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God

than dwell in the tents of the wicked."

Door Holder

     A Door Holder is a person who happily opens the door for a student to welcome them into an opportunity to experience the Lord.  While this can literally be a person holding a door open, it also means a smiling face in the hallway, a person serving food at lunch time, someone selling bibles and t-shirts in the resources department.  Door Holders are the very people that make Passion run smoothly.  From the speakers to the trash pickup crew (that's me) door holders are there to ensure the students have the best mindset and are prepared, ready and eager to meet with Jesus.

Touch Team

    I received an e-mail about two months prior to the start of Passion 2019 that indicated I would be a part of the Touch Team.  Back during the application process you are asked your top three areas you would prefer to serve.  I had no clue what the "Touch Team" was but good heavens I do love to touch.  So this seemed perfect.  It was my first choice, and with God knowing us better than anyone He worked through the hearts of those placing the Door Holders and Touch Team is where I landed.  Upon arriving to the Door Holder meetings early the first morning God had been stirring in my heart take hold of the word intentional and seek Him at every opportunity to dig deeper with it.  I'm not a New Year's resolution girl, nor was I a "Word/Theme for the year" person, but God was so intentional with me that I be intentional with who He was putting in front of me for these next 3 days.  

Intentional, A lesson from Dustin

    Early morning of the first day door holders were required to check in and prepare for the door holder meeting.  My first point of contact was a door holder who checked me in, gave me my shirt, a bracelet and a lanyard that I would wear for the next three days.  A few hours later while touring the facility the conference was being held at a gentleman eagerly waved in my direction, "Hi Brittney!"  Having no clue who he was I did what all people do, I waved back just as eagerly "Hi!"  

    By this point we were separated into our teams, and had a few hours of downtime after the tour.  This is when each of us began sharing our New Year resolutions or words/themes for the year.  I explained that I had never really had one, but that God was really making it clear to be Intentional with  my time and the people he placed in front of me these next few days.   I still had no idea what God was wanting from me or how to accomplish this task with 6,000 students that would be flooding through the doors in a few hours, but I knew I needed to pay attention.  

    After sharing with our group I had gone to leave for a little bit and while headed down the stairs I spotted the man who was waving so eagerly earlier in the day.  I stopped and asked him how we might have known each other, and his response forever changed how the next 3 days, and all the days of my life after that would go.  "I checked you in this morning."  This was it.  This was God's answer to my prayer of how in the world do I be intentional these next few days.  Dustin was his name, which he had told me that morning when he checked me in, but you see I was already skipping opportunities to be intentional with who God put in front of me.  

     Dustin checked in hundreds of Door Holders that morning, and remembered my name.  I had met maybe a handful of people by this point and had remembered maybe one of them.  I thanked Dustin for being the answer I was looking for and went along the next three days waving eagerly at Dustin each and every time I saw him.  Now I was ready to be intentional, so I thought.  God doesn't want us nor does he expect us to figure it all out and then move about without Him on our own and only come back to Him periodically when we feel a bit overwhelmed again.  He wants to be beside us every moment of every day encouraging us or re-directing us to ensure His plan and purposes are fulfilled.

January, 2nd 2019 - 5pm

You know in Joshua when God holds back the raging waters so that the Israelites could cross the Jordan river.  This was the scene.  The moment God released the waters and the flood raged on again, I was living this in 2019.  The doors out front were holding back the students, and once it was go time the doors were opened and the flood of students came pouring in.  It was SO fun to see their anticipation and to encourage them as they ran by to find a seat.  Yet as hundreds of them were running by I was overwhelmed on how in the world to be intentional with these people.  For two hours I gave high fives, danced around and helped students find seats that would accommodate their needs best.  By this point I had met a few students, most of which were coming back by and saying "Hi Brittney" and I was still not remembering their names.  Asking God for help in this he gave me my "Front row crew" or that's what I would call them.  As it began to get closer to 7pm, the actual start time of the first session students were pretty well situated and I was able to head down to an area of the theater (my front row crew) that I could meet and visit with groups of students that were seated.  Here is where I would meet Wyatt.

January 3, 2019 - 8am

     Picture the flood scene again.  Nothing has changed this very cold morning.  Doors opened and students poured in.  Another opportunity to high five and dance my way through the next two hours.  Another opportunity to visit with students God had placed so intently on the front row.  On this second day two girls whom I had met the night before, Brooke and Jacqueline were back on my row, and had done so purposefully so we could visit again - how good is God when we are walking in His obedience. I had also met a group of girls who also had planned to sit in the similar area so that we could visit on this second day.  These kiddos sure know how to make an ol' gal feel special.  We had a fantastic day two!  The thing about day two was that I had not seen Wyatt and his crew this day, and as I left that evening at about 11pm I was still wrestling with how to let these students know that I had met that I DID care about them and they were important to me, but even more so important to Jesus.  

    Laying in bed the eve of day three, the last day, God simply said  - Write their names down and ask if you can be praying for them.  Now hear me out, some of you are likely saying "I have never heard God say anything before"  Here is where I tell you, God speaks to us in different ways.  For me my experience has been when I KNOW God has spoken something so specifically into my heart it is usually when I'm in prayer or confusion and His peace breathes an idea or a solution into my heart that can only be God.  So when this thought of write their names down and ask for a prayer request came into my head I knew it was God.  For 1,  I was never a "can I pray for you" to a complete stranger kind of gal before this.  So, I know it was God breathed. I also had no paper to do this with so I knew God wanted more from me to make sure and accomplish what He needed.  God often makes things a little more difficult when He's involved just to ensure we follow through with faith and not with our abilities. When God speaks to us specifically to accomplish a task we have to make sure and listen and obey.  It's not only our lives being altered, it likely is the life of someone else we are denying God's goodness to.

January 4, 2019 - 8am

Flood scene, day three.  Prior to this release of the gates I had purchased a small journal so that I could be very intentional with the few people God continued to put in front of me on this front row, or on my isle.  So as the students flooded in and the high fives and "GOOD MORNING I'M SO GLAD YOU'RE HERE" mantra had concluded I began looking for the few I knew God had meant for me to follow through with.   First up, Isla & Brittany - these two lovelies made their way up and down my isle each day.  I had not gotten the chance to chat with them as they ended up sitting outside of my zone, but I did meet them coming and going on the isle.  Next up, Brionna, Blayre, Katy & Taelor.  This crew was in my section and we were able to visit most days.  I had also seen Brooke and Jacqueline who happened to not make it on

my front row, but hollered at me as I walked by so that we could visit for a bit  on this last day.  SO sweet! A little side note, I was able to see Brionna and Blayre this year at Passion.

Last but not least

As I walked back and forth on the front row, a long way out of my "zone" I heard "Brittney!"  I had turned around to see Wyatt and his group of friends.  Mind you I hadn't seen them the day before, but he was one that God kept putting on my heart from night one to make sure and find.  Little did I know God had HUGE plans for both he and I that would be set in motion.  God had also encouraged Wyatt to get back on the front row so we would cross paths.  Wyatt shared how the day before they had made it down closer to the stage but how that last day God was specific that he needed to get back on the front row.  I of course shared how nice that was and went on with how God was working in me to be intentional and how He had specifically put Wyatt on my heart and wanted me to ask for a prayer request from him.  

   I had sat my journal down prior to running into Wyatt so I left for a moment to go and grab it and came back and Wyatt began with "I think I need to tell you something"  He went on and explained that just recently some things transpired with his family, primarily his sister, that were heavy on his heart.  More specifically he shared that when his mother dropped him off at the air port to fly to Dallas for this event she made sure to remind him to find someone at the conference that could pray for his sister.  He had been looking and hoping for someone that could pray for her.

   Here we were, day three.  There had not been any type of alter call for prayer or any other time set aside specifically for such.   So on this third day, the last session Wyatt had planned to go and find someone afterward who would pray for his sister.  Meanwhile with Wyatt planning to search for someone, God had already put it in my heart to search for him so that I could pray.  

Passion 2019

   This moment, I'm not sure either one of us really knew what to do with it, but what we did know is I needed to pray.  Guys, God is good!  Up until this point I had not been one to volunteer to pray out loud at most anything.  However, here I was about to pray out loud for a set of strangers that God so intentionally placed before me.  The prayer that left my mouth and was heard immediately by God was a prayer that only God could have placed in my soul.  It was BOLD and FAITH FILLED and called on our God to WORK in the lives of this precious family.  When we finished we all were in awe of what God had done.  It was an incredible moment. One that I hadn't wanted to write about because the words just do not bring justice to the moments, but I'm hopeful the story will spark BOLD FAITH in you to trust our God.

"He will"

    "Though my sister doesn't know it yet, God is doing big things and I already bought her ticket to Passion (2020) because I believe He will."   That message was sent to me from Wyatt the day after we left Passion 2019.  After a few months of checking in with both he and his mom on how things were going I hadn't heard from him in quite a while.  The prayers continued, the belief that God would move in mighty ways continued and on December 30th, 2019 (1 day before Passion 2020)  I get this message "I'm in Atlanta now... my sister is here with me."  Que the happy tears!!

    We were able to meet up on day two of Passion 2020, January 1, 2020 and I hugged the neck of this sweet girl, a complete stranger, that I had been praying for during the past year.  An answer to prayer in the flesh and in my arms.  One that began with God stirring in my heart to attend Passion

Passion 2020

2019, knowing good and well I was to old for such and instead lead me to the opportunity to serve.  Which then led me to Dustin who showed me what it looked like to love people and be intentional when we cross paths.   Another side note.  When I arrived to Passion 2020 the VERY FIRST PERSON I SAW as we turned the corner to registration was DUSTIN!!!!

Be the Church

    As I mentioned above, I am having to miss church for the third week in a row.  However, what I am reminded is that we never have to "miss Church" we are called to be the Church, we must be intentional with our time with God so that we can be intentional with how we serve Him.  We have to listen and obey.  Always.  No questions asked.

    Now, this is not an open invitation to skip church, God tells us we need to gather with like minded individuals in order to encourage and be poured into so that when we do leave those walls we can share the Truth of God to all outside of them.  Yet I want to encourage you to not keep the truths and goodness of what we learn in those walls there.  BE INTENTIONAL as you leave that building so that God can use you in lives wherever you are.  Show people they are loved, and we do that best when we love them as Christ loved us.  It's commanded to us. 

   I'll finish with this.  PRAY.  The entirety of this story began and ended with prayer.  God needed me to be intentional so that I would pray over the specific person who needed it that day. 

   Pray when your unsure what to pray, pray when you are bold in faith.  Pray with people you love most, pray with strangers.  Pray in quiet, pray out loud.  Pray with BOLD FAITH that God is who He says HE is and that HE WILL DO WHAT HE SAID HE WOULD DO.  He tells us that He works for the good of those who love him - Romans 8:28.  Just remember, the "good" in that verse is in light of eternity.  He is preparing us for eternity because there is where the  GOOD awaits us.