Kelly Parker

I can’t remember when exactly I became a member of Buddies, but for several years or more, my heart's passion has been for the refugees and for the plight of their survival; I have a heart for the hurting, the lost, the displaced. So, it was just an automatic response to start opening our door also to refugees. Our first refugee guest was Urmila from Bhutan. Since then, we have welcomed refugee guests from Syria, Afghanistan, Iran and Uganda. 

What I "get out" of homestay/hosting is priceless and immeasurable. I see it as my utmost privilege and calling to serve those in need – to be generous – and to be an ambassador for our local region. I would 100% recommend this experience to anyone – personally speaking, you will always get out of it way more than you give – and your guests will likely become “life-long” friends, as many of ours have!

Lynda U, Homestay Host