Age is Just a Number
James 1:27 gives a command
to care for widows and orphans in their distress… and that is not limited to
adults.!
Check out our Jeremiah and
Dayspring youth learning to serve!
Babushka Valentina THINKS she is 80 years old. Here is her story...
Her name is Valentina. She was an orphan. When she was about to be hired for a job, she had no passport, birth record or papers. The potential employer took her to the passport office and said, "We need a passport for her, I want to hire her."
After some discussion, "How old are you?" - "I don't know." etc.
The employer said - let's just guess and they decided she looked to be about 22 years old, and they decided her birthday would be April 13th (the day they were at the office) , and year of birth would be 1935. A passport was made for her with this information, making her legal to work, etc.
Valentina lost her husband 15 years ago. She has lived in the same apartment for over 50 years, raised two sons. One son has passed away, she lost her sister six months ago and the other son is distant and seldom part of her life. He lives in Siberia.
Babushka Valentina is alone - sits day after day with no company, no activities. She told Olga and Kosta that she had never celebrated a birthday in her life. Well, this was about to change.
The team of kids from Dayspring and Jeremiah house had started to visit her recently and they decided to make her a birthday party! She told us that this day was such a joy for her. And as a special treat, we took her to Shashleke the next day - filling a little plastic bag after dinner with some wonderful Shashlekek beef and lamb chunks as we had way too many cooked (sound like a plan?). :)
You see the important part of this story is about the kids - learning to serve in their own country to those in need and without hope.
THE RESULTS? Omerbeck, said, "I can come and wash windows for you!" Sveta said, "I can come on Saturdays and help with things and just visit with you, would that be okay?" YES!!!!!! All the kids love Valentina and she loves them... relationships building.
Blessed to see serving in action - building sustainable ideas, activities and change.
Thank you Sponsors!
This is what you are helping to create - a James 1:27 movement!
And perhaps the most blessed moment of all - Genia praying a blessing over Babushka Valentina
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