Life Stories

Australia to Texas: Welcome Home

Sometimes it’s the little things that draw people in—simple things like delivering a box with popcorn, a travel mug, and information about Milestone to a new family in the neighborhood. The way we serve others doesn’t have to be extravagant in order to make a huge difference in someone’s life. Belinda Poile shares her story with us today of how a Welcome Box brought her family to Milestone, take a look:

In January 2017, we arrived in Texas. My husband was offered a position, and we were both excited to take our family on an adventure. We moved here from Australia with our three kids, which was a very big thing for me as all my family was within 10 minutes from where we lived. 

We had been attending a church in Australia for the last 14 years, the place where my husband and I gave our lives to Jesus, where we brought up our children, and where we served faithfully.

One of my first priorities when getting to Texas was to find a church that I could call home. Little did I know how many churches there would be to choose from! We searched and searched for a church, but just couldn’t find the right fit. 

During those first few months, I really struggled with being in Texas. I did not have a car so I spent many days at home. I was very lonely especially when my husband was at work and the kids were at school. Homesickness was one of the hardest things I have ever experienced.

After we had been in our home for a few months, we heard a knock on the door and a lovely lady presented us with a Welcome Box from Milestone Church. We were amazed that the church knew that we were new to the area. My husband wanted to visit Milestone as he thought we should give the church a try…after all we were given all those lovely treats!

We visited the very next week, we found a seat and I felt at ease immediately.

My husband turned to me and said, “I think this is the one!”

My husband and son were baptized in June 2017 at Milestone, I have found a great group of ladies through attending small groups and am now serving at Elevate most Wednesday nights. My kids have been attending Elevate and they are also serving.

I am so thankful to have found a church that welcomes new people in and invests in the next generation.

-Belinda

Thank you, Milestone, for being a generous church! It’s awesome to see what a simple gesture of service can do. What a powerful reminder that giving our time and resources can make a huge impact. 

Joining our Welcome Box team is a great way to serve others and invite our new neighbors to Milestone. It’s also the perfect opportunity for your whole family to serve together! If you’d like to get involved, visit our Welcome Box Assembly & Delivery page to sign up.

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  • Luke Newby
    August 3, 2019 at 12:25 pm

    Love this family!

  • Nathan
    August 3, 2019 at 1:23 pm

    What an awesome story!

  • Diane Hudson
    August 3, 2019 at 1:33 pm

    Thank you for sharing your story!
    Welcome to Milestone!
    Welcome to Texas!
    Welcome Home!

  • Sheila Mitchell
    August 5, 2019 at 8:43 am

    Thank you, Belinda for your story! I love the Welcome Box Ministry! It’s always so good to hear a feedback how a ministry impacts someone. I’m so so happy you and your family found a home at Milestone!
    Blessings, Sheila

  • Addie
    August 5, 2019 at 8:59 pm

    I just love Belinda and her family!!!