Our son-in-law, Isaac, came to our country from Hong Kong as an. international student when he was only fourteen years old. He lived in several host family homes but sadly they were not always welcoming homes. Many times he went to bed hungry and was made to feel like an outsider. When he married our daughter, Alannah, and told us about his experience as a foreign student my heart broke because of what he had gone through.
At that point Brad and I determined to help another foreign student have a better experience and a better impression of our country. We decided to look into becoming a host family for a student. Our friends, Rick and Yvonne, mentioned they were meeting with the coordinator for the international student program to become a host family. We told them of our interest and the rest is history.
We've decided to take in two students so they would have someone their own age to talk to. One of our students is from China and one is from Germany and I can't wait to meet them but before I do I have to prepare. I have to get ready for their arrival. We have a landing at the top of one of our stairways which we converted into a single room. We took down the railing and built a wall. I put up shelves and painted floor, ceiling and walls. I got new bedding and curtains and washed the blankets and put extra blankets in a case under the bed. The room is big enough for a bed, nightstand and dresser. I still have to build a door for the room but the pine boards are bought and are on my to-do list.
After just about completing the first room, other than the door, I started on the second bedroom. This is a much larger room with a queen sized bed, dresser, desk and wooden armchair. I didn't have to build anything for this room but everything got painted and new bedding purchased. I'm almost finished with this room and only have to paint the desk and put up the curtains.
I decided to paint both of the rooms white. The smaller room has a red ceiling and the larger room has a red floor. Both rooms have red shelves on the wall. Both beds have a black comforter and red pillowcases. One has a cushion which says "true north strong and free" and the other has one with a picture of elk on it. I made a reversible afghan for the larger bed that is red on one side and is white with black trees and moose on the other. Both rooms have a red pennant with Canada spelled out on it in white. Can you tell we're going with a theme?
I've enjoyed making these rooms ready for the students. I want everything to be just right for them and although my husband reminds me all the time that they're not coming until September, I don't want to be rushing around at the last minute trying to get everything done. I want to be ready.
This whole experience reminds me of the parable of the ten virgins found in Matthew 25. "Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 The five who were foolish didn’t take enough olive oil for their lamps, 4 but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil. 5 When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
6 “At midnight they were roused by the shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out and meet him!’
7 “All the bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps. 8 Then the five foolish ones asked the others, ‘Please give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out.’
9 “But the others replied, ‘We don’t have enough for all of us. Go to a shop and buy some for yourselves.’
10 “But while they were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came. Then those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked. 11 Later, when the other five bridesmaids returned, they stood outside, calling, ‘Lord! Lord! Open the door for us!’
12 “But he called back, ‘Believe me, I don’t know you!’
13 “So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return.
Jesus promised that He will be coming back to earth and when He does He will take all those, who are ready and waiting for Him, to be with Him forever. But we have to be ready. We have to prepare.
I've enjoyed getting ready for the students and although I don't know the exact time they will arrive, I do know it will be around the last few days of August or the first few days of September. But the Word tells us that no one knows when the Son of God will return so we have to be ready for when He comes.
Getting ready for a houseguest is easy: clean linens, comfortable room, good food etc. But getting ready for Jesus is different. First we have to repent of our sins and turn away from that lifestyle. Then we have to follow what Jesus taught to the best of our ability. Don't worry He will help you. Read His Word, the Bible everyday so you will know how to live and talk to Him, pray, everyday.
He is coming back and we have to be ready if we want to live forever with Him in Heaven.
This is a picture of the landing before we made it into a bedroom.
These are a few pictures of the finished room.
I do hope they enjoy it, but more than that feel all the love that has gone into it!
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