Christian nonprofit organization American Home Life International (AHLI) began decades ago with the dream of Marvin and Ruth Powers, a newlywed couple from Lancaster that wished to serve side by side as missionaries overseas. Although their initial dream of evangelism abroad was never realized, Marvin and Ruth hosted their first international student in 1972. More than fifty years later, AHLI has served thousands of students from around the globe, and it continues to help them find host families throughout the United States.

AHLI's mission statement is to "provide quality education programs to international students in the safe, caring environment of Christian host families where they will experience the love of Christ." Nicole Bianchi, a resident of West Lampeter, is an AHLI coordinator. Bianchi's job is to locate families in the community that wish to open their homes to students, visiting the potential hosts to make sure they will be a good fit. "I love my job. The kinds of families that open up their homes are usually incredible people," Bianchi said. "Every time I leave a home, I'm blown away by the heart of the community."

Bianchi's experience with AHLI began when she was 6 years old, after her parents had decided to host students through the organization. "It was just a part of our normal family culture," said Bianchi. "I even went to Japan to visit a student who I consider a sister to me."

After graduating high school, Bianchi married a professional baseball player whose career required them to travel frequently. Bianchi and her husband lived with AHLI host families until his retirement, and they decided to become a host family themselves after returning to Lancaster. Bianchi has hosted students from various countries in Europe and Asia, and she is currently hosting a student from China. As a coordinator, Bianchi meets with visiting students once per month to check in and share a fun activity.

"I had such a passion for (AHLI) from hosting," Bianchi said. "I feel like it does things really well, putting kids in safe, caring homes while they get an education in Lancaster." Although Bianchi is based in West Lampeter, host families can be located anywhere in the county.

In addition to providing international students with a safe environment to receive an education, Bianchi said AHLI allows families a paid opportunity to learn about other cultures. "People think it's going to be like having another kid, but it really ends up being a blessing," added Bianchi. "Parents already have to make dinner, and every day our student will tell us about his culture, which is good for my kids to hear about."

For more information, visit http://www.amhomelife.org. To learn how to become a host family, email rosannek@amhomelife.org.