Have you ever had a college roommate? If so, then you surely have plenty of stories to tell from that experience: some good, some bad. What about housemates? Perhaps after college, you may have had housemates who shared renting a house. Sometimes those forced living situations can be trying. Not all housemates or roommates hold the same values regarding noise, cleanliness and visitors. But there is always something to be learned by those encounters and experiences.
The same thing is true for the boys and girls at the Kurn Hattin Homes for Children with "cottage-mates." Kids live with other kids from different backgrounds, races, manners and temperaments. Sometimes it works; sometimes it, too, can be a bit trying--for both residents and staff.
Ideally, one can use those experiences and grow from them learning more about oneself and others. After having had both roommates and housemates in my younger years, I can definitely say I love living alone. Additionally, because I now deal with people and problems all day long, I need that silence and privacy at the end of the day.
For the boys and girls at Kurn Hattin, some of them will become good friends. Others, will only have that time together for a brief period as youngsters. But all of them benefit from learning such basic human values as sharing, patience, forgiveness and looking out for each other.
Those values are part of the Kurn Hattin experience and once learned in childhood will bear fruit in adulthood. People in our lives can be enriching and sometimes trying. Learning how to cope with those relationships is part of growing up.
Please make a donation today to support the boys and girls at the children's home by clicking on the Donate icon above. God bless you!
Photo credit: Allen Taylor