Alex had an amazing week being a junior counselor at camp this week. It is a fantastic Christian adventure camp that focuses on being part of a team, challenging ones self and learning about God and His Word. She was really able to connect with so many of the counselors there and has formed many new friendships. She loves being there and is very disappointed that she can't do it again next week. While the new friends and week of fun has been wonderful to watch her experience, the best part for me is that she is really making a connection with what having a relationship with God is about. She has been "attending" church since we arrived home in March in addition to when she was here for the hosting trips, but being involved with this group of teenagers and young adults has been life changing for her. It has been a beautiful thing to watch! I'm very excited to see her grow in this way.
Next week is the last week of summer vacation for our school district. The kids go back on August 1. We have several doctor/eye doctor/dentist appointments lined up in addition to the "Sneak Peak" at the schools. My two younger ones will learn who their new teachers will be and Alex will get her class schedule and locker assignment. She is very nervous about going. Every time the subject of going back to school comes up she audibly moans and starts talking about how she doesn't want to go. I know she is scared, mostly about her reading capabilities and her English comprehension skills. Conversationally she is remarkable. In a classroom setting I know she will struggle at the beginning. This is why it was so important to us that she get a few months of middle school under her belt before jumping straight into high school. It will be a lot of work, but I know she is capable of doing it. She just needs to start believing she is capable!
The hosting organization that we originally hosted Alex through, New Horizons for Children, is currently in the middle of their summer hosting trip. All the kids that are in this country through NHFC will go back to Ukraine/Latvia on August 1. I look at the kids photos on the NHFC Facebook page and think back to this time last year when we were excitedly starting the adoption process for Alex. I know that there must be many families right now in a race to get their paperwork started in hopes of traveling to complete their adoptions as quickly as possible. If you are one of those families reading this right now, congratulations and good luck!
If you are interested in being part of an amazing ministry by hosting an orphan from Eastern Europe, the Christmas hosting program will be here before you know it! The NHFC team will be traveling to Ukraine and Latvia in August/September to interview children for the winter hosting program. Keep in mind that NHFC is a hosting ONLY program! While they would love to see their host kids be adopted, their first goal is to place these kids in a Christian home where they can learn English, feel the love of a stable family and see that there is hope for their future. For more details on hosting a child for 4 weeks this winter, please visit: New Horizons For Children
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