At the airport: When you arrive at the airport to pick up your hosted child, feel free to bring a sign with his/her name written in their native tongue. Please also pack a small meal or snack or plan to stop for food for your hosted child, as children are often hungry when they arrive to the airport.
Other Host Families: Should you be hosting in a community where other families are hosting as well planning times to connect can be a rich addition to the experience. We encourage families to share these experience with other families if and when possible as this provides helpful support and meaningful points of engagement for all involved. We have found that children enjoy being able to speak in their native tongue with their peers and those with a similar experience.
When Hosting Guardians/Translators: Please give guardians, translators, and/ or the hosted child[ren] their schedule in advance. Frontier Horizon has found that children and guardians like to be able to be prepared for the next day’s activities.
Weekly Activities: We recommend that host families plan two activities or more each week for their hosted child and/or guardian/translator. Activities do not need to be expensive. Taking children on a scenic drive, visit a park, attend the story-hour at a nearby library, tour a museum, see the holiday lights in the winter, visit bodies of water in the summer, etc. Clearly communicating ahead of time about things like whether or not a child can swim at the lake or what engagement in the days plans will entail is always helpful. Also keep in mind that historical and cultural sights and experiences will be far different experiences for the children you host than that of a typical American or Canadian. Having planned activities gives the children and adults something to look forward to and also enriches their experience, education, and understanding of the history and culture of the west.
Community Gatherings: Since one of the main purposes of our Hosting Program is to increase awareness of the needs of orphaned children, we ask host families to consider hosting a picnic, Christmas party, or gathering with friends and family from church, work, or the neighborhood. These events raise awareness of what we do. Frontier Horizon staff are willing and available to come to your city to speak about the needs of the kids we serve and how they might engage Frontier Horizon programs. Please contact us if you are interested in more information about this.
