PC3 families have an amazing opportunity to reach out to people around the world and experience another culture without ever leaving home. Through the American Belarussian Relief Organization (ABRO), families are allowed to bring children over from Belarus and host them in their homes for six weeks during the summer.
Belarus is a small country in Europe that experienced 70% of the after effect from the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in April 1986. Everyone is affected by the radiation left in the environment. This summer hosting program is a unique way to help the children recover from these unfortunate circumstances. In addition to providing the children a physical respite, it is a chance for the host families to convey God’s love.
Host families are needed for each child and an adult chaperone. Families can request gender and age (7-17). The cost for becoming a host family is typically around $2000; this covers the child’s travel expenses from Belarus and back. Cost should not be a deterrent to any family seriously called to host a child or the chaperone. We encourage families to allow others to participate in this experience with them through prayer, financial support, helping with daily needs, hosting events, etc. Additionally, financial assistance may be available through group funds, and/or host team fund-raisers. The children have medical, dental, and eye exams while they are here, usually provided at no cost by local medical professionals.
This is a serious commitment. The most ideal environment is one in which the host family is able to spend a lot of time with the child. It is not intended for the family to entertain the child, but instead simply integrate the child into their family’s regular activities. Group activities and time with the adult chaperone are planned so that the children can occasionally be with others who speak their primary language: Russian. Although some of the children speak only a little English, most families do not have too much difficulty communicating.
If you have a desire to participate in missions outside this country but aren’t able to travel abroad, consider hosting a child from Belarus this summer. The deadline is typically in February each year. Look for promotions through small groups, in the PC3 weekly e-mail newsletter, online, and on Sunday mornings.
Read more about ABRO or take a look at some of the testimonials of those who have participated on the Wilmington ABRO group’s website.
Go/Serve
If you have specific questions or if you are interested in hosting a child this summer, e-mail missions.
If you are e-mailing with serious interest in hosting, please provide the following information:
- Your name
- Your contact information (e-mail addresses AND telephone numbers)
- Tell us about your family (are you single?, married?, do you work?, full-time/part-time?, do you have children?, tell us their ages, etc…)
- Tell us who the primary care-giver will be for the child (we just need to determine that someone will be at home with the child for a major portion of the day)
- How long you’ve been attending PC3
- Whose small group you’re in – provide leader’s name, and how long you’ve been a member of that group
- Where you serve at PC3
- If you are not in a small group, or do not serve in a ministry at PC3, tell us at least two people you know at PC3 and/or tell us who we might contact as references
Or, if you would prefer, you can complete the preliminary application form and submit it to the Missions Desk on Sundays.
Send/Support
Please pray for:
- Potential host families to be raised up, and that God will enable the host families to care for and minister to the children in ways that will reflect Him.
- Sufficiant finances to bring as many Belarusian children as there are willing host families to the U.S.
- The children who will come - that God will be preparing their hearts and their families' hearts for the children's time in the U.S., for travel safety, for health and safety while they are here, and for healing of any harmful effects of the radiation on their bodies.
- The children to grow in their relationships with God through this experience.
- Continued favor from the Belarusian government to allow this program to continue.
- Other prayer requests for this country and its people can be found in Operation World.
If you are interested in contributing beyond your tithe to this project, make your check payable to "ABRO", and write 'Wilmington ABRO Group' in the memo line of your check. You may place your check in the offering or mail it to PC3, 250 Vision Drive, Wilmington, NC 28403.
