Why aren't you helping an American child instead?

That's a question I've gotten a few times now. And I did have to go through some introspection to understand my own choice. My first response is that there is a lot more hope for children in the foster system in America than for children in orphanages in Ukraine when they exit the system. Grown up orphans in Ukraine have a stigma associated with them which makes it hard for them to function normally in society. Hosting a child from Ukraine here in America gives them many opportunities that they otherwise wouldn't have. They learn up to four years worth of English in the five weeks they are here for example. They have the cultural experience of travelling to America. They experience a functional family life. And they learn about God. Possibly, and in the majority of cases, they are adopted by a family that loves them. All of these help them in their life.

I also have a hard time feeling countries' boundaries when I'm thinking about helping other people, especially children. We are all God's children. If I'm going to do something, I want to help the neediest that I am capable of helping.

Then I had a logical thought. The LDS church, among others, sends American missionaries to other countries to preach the gospel and help them in other ways. If the Church feels that it is a good thing to send Americans to help people in other countries instead of keeping them in country to help fellow Americans, then logic would follow that it is just fine for me to help others from outside my own country.

Then there's just the fun and educational part of it. Our family is very excited to meet children from another country. Not only meet them, but live as a family with them for five weeks. What a great cultural experience it will be for all of us. There will be ups and downs. We are prepared for that. We have ups and downs with our visitors that we have from America! We would love to be able to travel to another country to help out, but on our income with so many children it is not feasible. Bringing the children here to help them, while still stretching our financial limits, is a lot more doable.

This experience will increase the life skills of the orphans. It will give us all an educational and cultural experience. And it will be a blessing to all of us.