My son, Aleks, aged 13 years and adopted in Ukraine in 2001, and myself took a trip with KT Bronson and Maggie Scobie this October and early November.

For those families that have hosted children from Ukraine like we did this summer, it is fascinating to travel to the homeland of the children that came here and see them in their setting.

But it is also overwhelming, there are so many beautiful and special children there awaiting their forever families to come and bring them into their lives forever.

Each one of these children has their own unique set of circumstances which placed them where they are, but they all have a common thread in that each and every one of them need a forever family.

Children are not meant to be raised in institutions, as caring as many of these caregivers in the orphanages are, they cannot substitute a family, with the special bonds that families provide for children.

I took several hundred photographs of boys and girls there, aged approximately 3 years on up to 15. Each one of them is special, they are just beautiful children, and so special in God’s plan.

They range from a quiet and shy 14 year old girl that knits daily, working on socks for the younger children in the orphanage. A stunningly beautiful young lady, with a lovely soul that despite her circumstances is a survivor with a heart for helping others in the orphanage she resides in.

Then there was the clown, the one 8 year old boy we happened to host this summer. The orphanage director tried to warn me that he is a clown… Like I couldn’t figure that out in the 10 weeks he stayed with us this summer. And through his unique and special blend of humour left us no choice than to pursue welcoming him into our family.

Taking this trip, coupled with hosting through Frontier Horizons, is a unique and special experience - life changing.

This post was submitted by David Parrish.