The sunblock bottles are near empty, the towels that hang drying on the deck railing are getting washed, the popsicle stash is down to the least loved flavors (purple in our house!). As summer is winding down and kids are getting back to school, I can’t help but pause and reflect back on the memories that were made. Not just the trips and vacations and extra special moments, but the everyday, quintessential summer dayz moments as well. As kids are shifting from late nights and sleeping in, to early to bed so they can get up in time for the bus, the end of summer is always so bittersweet.
And as I reflect on the summer memories made by my own family, I keep finding myself thinking of the nine brave children from Colombia who came for Summer 2024 Hosting, and the memories they made. Nine brave kiddos boarded a plane to go on the adventure of a lifetime. And four US families stepped out in faith to welcome these children into their homes. For two weeks this past July, these nine children got to experience summer – swimming, day trips, playing games, ice cream, biking, and much more.
The Hosting Program gives agency staff the opportunity to get to know waiting children on a more personal, in-depth level in order to better advocate for them. It allows us the ability to spend time with the children and gain a better understanding of the type of family that would be the best fit for each. Of the nine children who participated in this summer’s session, six already have committed families. While we are beyond thrilled with this news, we will not stop advocating until ALL nine children have families racing to them.
Meet Madelyn (13). Her host family shared, “Madelyn is loving and kind, with a sweet and friendly personality that draws others to her. She is warm and friendly, and felt especially drawn to our girls. Madelyn is also very intelligent. She told us that she enjoys all subjects in school. In speaking with her, it’s easy to see how bright she is. One thing that really stood out is how athletic she is. At first, she wasn’t super comfortable in the swimming pool, but by the end of hosting, she was doing flips off the diving board! One time some members of our family were throwing a frisbee back and forth and she quickly joined in and was a natural. She told us that soccer is her favorite sport. It’s clear that she has a natural coordination that makes it easy for her to pick up and do athletic things.”
Meet Helena (13) and Hadley (11). The family who hosted these sisters shared, “Helena and Hadley are amazing girls. They are both smart, loving, kind, and love to try new things. One of their favorite foods is spaghetti. Helena enjoys riding bikes, and Hadley enjoys riding a bike with help, and would love to learn to ride a bike all by herself. They both like playing card and board games. Helena likes to keep things clean and is willing to help out with household cleaning. Hadley draws everyone into her play. They both get along well with other children and just want a forever family that will give them patience and lots of love.”
Interested in learning more about Madelyn or Helena and Hadley, or about our hosting program? Complete our Prospective Adoptive Parent form, or reach out to Misty Lucas at misty.lucas@gladney.org.
