In the six years that I've been living in Ukraine, I have been given the amazing privilege to walk alongside countless adoptive families on their journey to bring children home.
Through the relationships developed, I often ended up with a couple spending a night or even a week on my pull out couch in the living room of my last apartment. These couples didn't seem to mind the simple living conditions, but instead were grateful for a free place to stay and some English fellowship.
Over the last years a vision or idea was born in me for a a formal hospitality ministry to families amidst their adoption process.
I had shared the vision for the hospitality home with the ministry I work for, Orphan's Promise while I was at our headquarters in Virginia in January 2011. My leadership was very excited about the opportunity to minister to families in this way and gave me a green light to go forward. Orphan's Promise is standing behind me in this endeavor and graciously providing a portion of the rent.
In addition, my church, International Christian Assembly also desired to reach out to adoptive families in Kiev and they too stepped forward to offer financial assistance for this endeavor.
I have been absolutely overwhelmed by the support and the people that have come alongside me to make this happen-- front paint crews, to financial support to remodel help- I am feeling VERY blessed!
It is AMAZING to see God's timing in how this all came together. Within the first week of living in my apartment, I already was able to host 3 separate families and it has been a pretty full house ever since.
To learn more about this hospitality ministry you can see my other blog: www.hospitalityhousekiev.blogspot.com
