As you welcome your exchange student into your home, take a moment to celebrate and prayerfully consider the impact your family is making. Whether you are just getting to know a new student or you are welcoming home a returning student, hosting is full of meaningful moments that make the experience so rewarding.
Here are just a few of the best parts of being a host family:
- Watching your student grow in confidence, faith, independence, and English skills
- Sharing your family traditions while learning about your student’s culture, customs, and favorite foods
- Creating unforgettable memories through everyday moments, school events, holidays, and family adventures
- Seeing your community through fresh eyes as your student experiences American life and your favorite places for the first time
- Building a lifelong connection by staying in touch long after the students return home, attend university, begin working and start their families
- Making an eternal impact by showing Christ’s love through kindness, hospitality, and everyday life together
As Christians, we are reminded of the importance of welcoming others with open hearts and helping to bring the world closer together: “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.” — Romans 15:7 (NIV)
Thank you for opening your home and your heart. The small acts of love, patience, and encouragement you show each day are making a difference—often in ways you may never fully see.
We hope this year is filled with laughter, growth, and memories your family will cherish for years to come.
