Comforted to Comfort Others

Every hosting is an opportunity to see God at work in His world. He is present in all the decisions that go into supporting a family through hosting, from selecting the Host Family to appointing the Family Coach. We do our best to match volunteers with the families they can uniquely minister to. But sometimes God does what only He can do and orchestrates outcomes beyond anything we could imagine!

This was made especially clear in a recent hosting for a mother we will call Leigh. Host Parents Kerry and Vinson were asked to host Leigh's young son, Elliot. When Kerry met Leigh before the hosting, Leigh shared that she had just been diagnosed with breast cancer. Then God’s work began to shine through.

Kerry's mom was also walking through the exact same cancer. In fact, Kerry shared some tips from her mom for getting through treatments with Leigh. During the hosting, Kerry's mom was able to give Leigh a ride home from the doctor every time she had treatment. She was there having an appointment each time Leigh was scheduled.

Kerry's mom was also walking through the exact same cancer.

The similarities did not stop there! This was Kerry and Vinson’s first hosting in Huntington, where they live, and Leigh's house turned out to be only a few minutes away from theirs. After Kerry asked Leigh about her faith at one point, she learned that Leigh was a Seventh-day Adventist. While she is no longer a part of the denomination, Kerry had grown up as a Seventh-day Adventist. She had a thorough understanding of their beliefs and doctrine already – and could relate to Leigh's faith background.

Throughout the hosting, Kerry said that she was “marveling at the Lord’s providence. Here’s this woman, who has the same cancer as my mom, and I know what 7th Day Adventism is. I know what it is!” Kerry was able to have some sweet conversations with Leigh about what her faith looked like based on their shared experiences. She invited Leigh and her family to her church and hopes to keep the door open to more conversations in the future!

Throughout the hosting, Kerry said that she was “marveling at the Lord’s providence. Here’s this woman, who has the same cancer as my mom, and I know what Seventh-Day Adventism is. I know what it is!”

God is truly orchestrating hostings at New Mercies to bless families in our community and encourage volunteers. And through it all, His name is glorified in amazing ways. Our job is to remain faithful to the ministry He has given us. We are so grateful to participate in His work!