MK Hill

Stop me if you’ve heard this before. A 29-year-old single woman is the mother of 23 children. No? Well, this isn’t a tabloid story to go along with the latest alien sighting. Grounded by her faith, driven by her love for children, and inspired by her high school senior year spring break trip to a children’s home in Guatemala, Memphis Native MK Hill is the foster and adoptive mom of 23 kids from all over the world. MK’s journey began with a lot of soul-searching. She was raised in a Christian home, went to Christian High School, and from her first trip to Guatemala, she knew she was destined to do what she believes is the Lord’s work of providing a loving home for children from all walks of life. The only question was how. After the senior trip, MK spent her college summer and spring breaks visiting the children she’d grown to love in Guatemala. Every chance she got to visit, she took it, eventually learning Spanish so that she could deepen her connection with the kids.

MK was on track to realizing her dream of moving to Guatemala to teach English. In college, she majored in Early Childhood Education, and after graduation, enrolled in the World Race, an adventurous 11-month Christian mission trip that takes you to 11 different countries around the world. This was the perfect opportunity for MK to confirm if Guatemala was where God wanted her to be.

So she lived out of a backpack, slept on floors, and did a variety of odd jobs in some of the roughest and most unreachable parts of the world. On her trip, she saw regular people answering the call of duty and doing God’s work. Her calling was confirmed! She came back to Memphis more determined than ever to take everything she’d learned from the World Race and her college studies to begin her new life as a Child Care Professional.

The World Race changed her entire perspective. Her heart and mind were always open, but now, so were her eyes and ears to the needs of kids in need. Then one day, she met a 23-year-old homeless single mother with 6 kids, all less than 6 years old. This mother was no longer eligible for the foster care system after being in over 9 foster homes. It was through getting to know this family and investing in them, that MK began realizing the needs of people right here in Memphis, and so she began looking for more ways to get involved locally. In 2016, MK founded Arrow’s Nest, a nonprofit serving as a refuge of comfort and love for children in crisis in the Memphis area, and an open door for friends and neighbors who may have never experienced being welcome and accepted. The nonprofit has become a community refuge for children of all ages.

MK hosts children who live here full-time, visit here short term, she facilitates backyard Bible clubs and has an open invitation for children to come to play whenever school is out. At Arrow’s Nest, families come in all colors, shapes, sizes, and backgrounds to support and love one another with a strong Christian focus. She currently has 4 kids in her care ages 5, 3, 17 months, and 15 months, and an 18-year-old, with a 2-year-old son.

Over the last 4 years, she’s had a total of 23 children in and out of her home ranging in age from 9 weeks to 18 years old. And her work doesn’t stop there. She recently finalized her first adoption of a 3-year-old boy. He was her first placement, and as it would happen, he is Guatemalan! MK calls him her miracle boy. Loving people from all walks of life requires real commitment, faith, flexibility, and most importantly community… Do your part and join MK in caring for children in crisis foster care by donating today. #BecausePeopleMatter