Hosting -Tell Me More

I've had a lot of questions on what this hosting "thing" is all about.

A good hosting program chooses harder to place kiddos to host for their programs. We are going thru www.orphanhosting.com. to host Kara. They choose older children and children with needs that are typically harder to find a forever family.

So what good is hosting?

1. Advocacy. Bringing these children to the US and having a family tell the "world" so to speak about them. After meeting her we can give a prospective family insight to what she is like, her personality, what she likes, etc, etc. The more people that see this blog the better chance a family is found for Kara and the other host children.
     *side note; there is one family that hosted a boy that can trace back 11 children being adopted         from that one experience and advocacy!!! AMAZING

2. Exams. The agency asks that we get a medical exam, eye exam and dental exam for our host child so that her file can be updated. Many of their files are lacking basic information, it can be very difficult for a family to take the leap of faith and proceed with an adoption when the information on a child is years old. In Kara's case, her records are over 5 years old and what is in her file is just a very brief medical exam.

3. Experience. We are able to provide host children with an amazing experience. They get to experience life with a family, for the winter hosting children (as in our case) they get to experience Christmas and Kara will celebrate her birthday with us, many children don't know what or when their birthday is. They also have an opportunity to learn some English, the children really love this part!

4. Things. While our children have lots of "things" these children do not. They are only allowed to take home a backpack, but we will fill that backpack with underwear, socks, a picture memory book for her, clothes, toothbrush, hairbrush, etc. The clothes will be used by all the children at the orphanage and we know they will be used and appreciated by all the children there.

There are two types of hosting:

1. Hosting to advocate. These are the amazing families that know they aren't able to adopt (for any reason), but want to help a child find a home. They host and then advocate for these children during their time with them. They do a blog or a facebook page, introduce them to people at church, school, etc. I spoke with a lovely lady that has hosted two older boys. Her husband told her she could host all she wanted (they had already adopted and felt their family was complete). Her family was able to advocate for these boys and they both found forever families!

2. Hosting to adopt. These are the families that are planning on or hoping to adopt their host child. Our family falls in here. We sort of feel like we are "cheating" by being able to meet Kara and see how she fits in with our family, but having the opportunity to do so allowed us to consider adopting an older child. We would not have considered an older child unless we had the opportunity to meet them and see how our children react and feel about it.