We are family

Everyone is disoriented at my house. Breakfast at 10.30hr ??? Unheard of. Most of us are early birds. Even our 12-yr-old ate late. His hosting brother : on the other side of the world now. Sister too. We all feel it. It hurts. Alot. Shocking to the system, saying  byes and s.y.soons.
Our SF group was the last one to depart. Sad faces, tears, hopes.
 For some of the hosting children we, as hosting families, are the only ones on this earth who love them,the only ones who care enough. I cannot imagine what they are feeling. To have to return to an empty world, with no one who cares. Pretty rough rides for some of these precious ones. All of the USA hosting kids hosted through Heart for Hosting are blessed to visit another country, to experience another culture. To know they are LOVED by us and by God. Even if they never return, their hearts are fuller. Their flames rekindled.
Some people claim it is cruel to host and not adopt. Is it?  When I put myself in those kids' shoes, as much as possible, I know what I would choose. Who would choose  not to be loved for six weeks over being loved by a family in the USA? For the rest of their lives, they know someone , somewhere cares about them. Undoubtedly this could save them.
 As a teenager, a grownup man I never met, I believe he was a fairly young pastor, saved my life, my soul. For a while,1-2 years, he was my anchor. I believed what he told me and this pulled me through. I will probably never be able to really thank him. It is truly astounding how one person's words and presence can literally save someone's life in every way. I was  in touch with this man only once a week or every few weeks, by mail. Imagine what effects six weeks will generate . To know a person who believes in us  transforms us.