Caring for children has always been our mission in life. We’ve adopted 2 children from foster care, fostered dozens of others and hosted foreign exchange students. Now we have found an incredible way to help children in orphanages around the world…
Project 143 is a non-profit which brings children from orphanages into “host families” for 4-5 weeks for Christmas and summer. These are older children (8-15 yrs old) who have a less than 1% chance of ever being adopted. With Project 143, they get to experience the love of a family, make potentially lifelong connections and have the possibility of finding an adoptive family. More than 65% of hosted children are adopted either by their host family or due to the people they meet while here!
We’re hoping to raise awareness of this incredible program, encourage others to host children and help to fund the hosting fees to bring them here.
It costs around $3,000 to bring one child here plus money for clothes, medical and dental care. They’ll arrive with the clothes they’re wearing, a SMALL knapsack and nothing else. They also have never had dental care or an eye exam.
When we first heard of this program I said “sounds wonderful, maybe next year when we can save up for it”. But then I couldn’t stop thinking about it and looking at all those pictures of children without families.
The starfish story kept coming to me. We can’t help all of them, but we can make a difference to one. It would be easy to say “maybe next year”, but these kids can’t wait.
So we’re asking for your support. Please consider if you have room in your hearts and home to help one “starfish”. Share this page with anyone who may be willing to help. If you don’t have room this year perhaps you could donate funds (tax deductible) to help other families bring children over. Or maybe you have a service to offer, gently used clothing to give, books, room decor – anything will help.
