By J. Aaron White, Host Family
The conversation was getting old. It wasn’t because of the length of one exchange; rather, it was the repetitive nature of the conversation between me and my wife. After seeing billboards with doe-eyed babies in need of a safe home and hearing countless conference lectures and sermons about the call to care for the destitute, we were scrambling to discern what we should do. We were experts in finding reasons why we couldn’t or shouldn’t undertake this or that avenue of service. Mercifully, in a moment, the thought flashed through our minds: Do Something. We realized that after wise planning and prayer, we simply needed to do something.
After hearing about the Wisconsin chapter of Safe Families for Children through a friend, we nervously contacted the local chapter director to arrange a meeting. Upon seeing Nicole’s smiling face, enjoying a long conversation, and learning more about the mission and vision of Safe Families, we knew that opening our home to children in need was the something we needed to do. After our application process was completed, we anxiously awaited our first hosting. It arrived in the form of an adorable two-year-old boy from a nearby town. Within the span of a few days, he was playing, eating, and traveling with our children as if he were part of the family. It was, and is, rewarding to provide stability, love, and comfort for him. And we’ve had the joy of doing the same for other little ones since that time.
Like us, you may be an expert in worrying, deliberating, and assessing your fitness for such a daunting task. I applaud your concern and wisdom in wanting to ensure that you are indeed called to the task. However, you will likely not receive a presidential summons or see writing in the sky to serve the marginalized in a specific way. Therefore, let me lovingly encourage you: Do Something!