D, $1250.00 Scholarship
Hi guys! We have a situation, here- thanks in advance for your prayers!
Prayer request, action item....usually one and the same, right?
So, I don't want to make the story drag, but there are some details you need to
know as you pray and seek God's will.
Last fall, we signed up to host Z from China. He is a little guy, around 7,
with mild CP. China got a new minister of orphanages, or something like that,
and he put a hiatus on hosting. I never felt released from my obligation to Z. I
love that little man and did not move on. I have continued to pray for him, and
my heart squeezes every time I see his picture.
Since then, the summer hosting opened up and we chose D, a 13 year old boy from
Latvia. He likes to fish and play basketball. He speaks English pretty well and
is a really nice kid. His mom died 2 years ago and he is now in foster care. We
didn't want to let another hosting opportunity go by without ministering to a
child, so we signed up! We were moving through our paperwork and making payments
to host this awesome kid.
And then I got an email that Z is now available to host for the summer! So now
we are invested in both these boys, and we had a decision to make. For various
reasons, including recently finding out that my almost 13 year old daughter is
ummm, how shall I say, boy crazy, I think our dream resolution for this situation is for our family to host Z and another local family to host D. If that local family was willing, Joe would happily pour into D's life with lots of fishing trips and basketball trips to the park, and I certainly would like to have him come and hang around here and eat cookies. He and Anastasija can have happy Latvian conversations, under my direct supervision, LOL.
And Z can live with us and play with our boys and annoy our girls and get my hugs... and cookies.
And we could take him to Chinese buffet a lot. Even if he doesn't really
recognize the food...I bet we'd still enjoy ourselves. We know He has a great
plan for hosting for both Z and D. And He has a great plan for our family and Z, and your family...and D? He has plans to prosper, and to give a future and
a hope to both D and Z. Pray, and listen. :)
I would like to ask that your family consider hosting D. If you are wrestling with all kinds of doubts and fears, that's really normal. I actually blogged about that just a little while ago: http://jubbyplace.blogsp ot.com/2014/03/an-accidental-matthew-bible-study-on.html
D is 13, likes basketball and fishing, and is from Latvia. He lives in foster care, and his biological mom died a couple of years ago. He is a very nice boy, I talked on the phone to the lady who interviewed him and she said he's by far her favorite child available for hosting this summer.
Joe and I really really like him, but as I said, Anastasija gave us some red flags about having a 13 year old boy in our house this year.
And, you know about Zi. So why would God give us a love for D and not have a plan for us to host him? I think it's because He wants a local family to host him so Ana can speak some Latvian and Joe can take the dude fishing and to the park to ball.
We would be willing to help you in every way, including having him visit as often as you need supervision for him due to work schedules and stuff.
Please seek God's face on this. It is so life changing for the child, and for the host family. What an awesome opportunity for your family...your kiddos... to do international ministry this summer. It opens their eyes to God's work for the lonely and forgotten, for those who don't know God, and it matures their faith in a way that only hands-on service and relationship can do. It opens their heart for making personal sacrifices for the good of others.
So there it is. I have now made my plea, and I am turning it over to God.
HAHA! Cuz God'll getcha. :) Whoops, did I write that out loud?
Pay close attention to how God speaks to you through His word, how He speaks to you through your brothers and sisters in Christ, how He speaks to you through the inner promptings of the Holy Spirit, and through an inner assurance of peace.
Want to find out more on how to find and follow God's will?
http://www.relevantmagazine.com/god/practical-faith/what-gods-will-my-life
Want to see D's full color pics and read his bio? www.p143.org Click on 'Host' and select 'photolisting registration'.
May the Lord grant you a heart of flesh, His Heart, for the least of these.
Peace.
