When I was a little girl I used to tell my mom that
 |
| The 30+ teens I will be mothering (with faces blocked out for privacy) |
when I grew up I wanted to live on a cattle ranch in Nebraska and have 6 kids. ( I knew nothing of Nebraska but I liked the way it sounded). Eventually that idea faded and was replaced by a real desire to work in an orphanage or adopt lots of kids. My dream was and still is to run a home in Africa someday where we rescue orphans from the slums.
After getting married and having two kids I tried for years to get my husband to agree to adopt or try foster care. He really wasn't interested and it was hard for me to let go. Instead God answered my prayer by placing a few single moms in our lives that needed help with their kids and became part of our "family". We traveled to Rwanda and built a playground for orphans. We sponsor kids through Compassion. The dream was still there but was met in other ways...
Then last summer we moved to England. After working at my kid's school for a few months a job opened up to be a live-in boarding houseparent there starting in the Autumn. I ignored the email for weeks. I kept thinking about it (basically it felt like God himself was bugging me about it daily) I talked casually about it to my husband to see if it could work logistically. Finally on the last possible day I sent in my application. It was a shot in the dark.. we weren't ideal candidates because our time in the country is limited, we would have to live apart during the week so J could be close to his job, we have no experience. A ton of candidates applied. Our interview went really well but despite that I was still in shock when they called to offer me the job a few days later!
I said yes.. yes to being a live-in houseparent to 30+ hormonal, impulsive teen girls between the ages of 14-18. Yes to being a mom to many... oh wait!? Is this God's hilarious answer to my lifelong desire to run an orphanage but with a strange twist? I think so.... I wanted an orphanage in Africa and he gave me a posh boarding house in England with 30 teenage girls! I am still laughing and hopefully will still be after this thing is in full swing.
Then last summer we moved to England. After working at my kid's school for a few months a job opened up to be a live-in boarding houseparent there starting in the Autumn. I ignored the email for weeks. I kept thinking about it (basically it felt like God himself was bugging me about it daily) I talked casually about it to my husband to see if it could work logistically. Finally on the last possible day I sent in my application. It was a shot in the dark.. we weren't ideal candidates because our time in the country is limited, we would have to live apart during the week so J could be close to his job, we have no experience. A ton of candidates applied. Our interview went really well but despite that I was still in shock when they called to offer me the job a few days later!
I said yes.. yes to being a live-in houseparent to 30+ hormonal, impulsive teen girls between the ages of 14-18. Yes to being a mom to many... oh wait!? Is this God's hilarious answer to my lifelong desire to run an orphanage but with a strange twist? I think so.... I wanted an orphanage in Africa and he gave me a posh boarding house in England with 30 teenage girls! I am still laughing and hopefully will still be after this thing is in full swing.
 |
| Severn House |
This sounds like a wonderful challenge from the Lord! You will do great things, no doubt!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the vote of confidence! I am excited but keenly aware of the big job ahead :) I appreciate your sweet encouragement Teresa!!
DeleteI love this! This is absolutely perfect for you and what an adventure! Amanda, you were going to be so effective in this role. I'm so proud of you and how you're letting God shape your dreams!
ReplyDeleteThank you Kecia, I agree that it should be quite the adventure! It is exciting to let God direct the path.. scary at 1st but oh so amazing
DeleteGirl, you always amaze me. Your love for the Lord, your love of life, and the desire to always be serving others is a huge example to me and all who know you. You will be so good at this, and those girls, they are already blessed and they don't even know it! So, who will be living where? Jenna, Mason? Sounds like it's a Mon - Fri. thing for you, living there with them? So excited for you and will certainly look forward to reading your blog. I'm sure there will be many, many stories to tell, in your spare time, of course! Love to all the Hucksteps.
ReplyDeleteMy dear Lynn thank you so much for always being so kind! Yes we will all live there in a normal house that is attached by several doors to the boarding part.. we have privacy when not "on duty" but I will live there 24/7 and be the only one at night if there were an emergency. It is a really beautiful campus, the kids are excited to be closer to their friends and have access to all the playing fields, swimming pool etc.. It really is a blessing, we are very thankful it worked out! John will live by the hospital M-F and spend weekends with us. XOXO
DeleteThe previous comment was submitted by Lynn Mulder
ReplyDelete