Saturday, December 18, 2010

Please Tell Them

We pushed our chairs back and began to enjoy our after dinner tea. Slavik looked at me and began talking. With an unspoken understanding, Alyona automatically began to translate for him. So, our conversation began:

"Marsha, I know you know people. Please tell them, please tell them we need help."

An hour and a half later, I was overcome with desire to come back to America and share, share, share the needs. This will be the second time for me to have this passion. Last year, I came home with the same passion after seeing all the work that Alyona and Slavik do. I encountered so many silences, however, that I eventually fell pretty silent myself.

So, now I'll start over.

Alyona and Slavik are Ukrainian. They are two of the most Godly people I have ever met. Slavik was raised in a Christian home, Alyona became a Christian as a teenager. They are dedicated to full-time Christian ministry, most specifically to The Least that I've been talking about.

They aren't content with going to church. Their lives circle around several ministries. Of course, they have one called Rainbow (thus this name: rainbowsinukraine.blogspot.com) which is a ministry to children, poor kids, lost kids, orphan kids, and even church kids.

But, their hearts belong to "The Least of the Least." They actually seek them out. They want to help those who have NO ONE ELSE helping them.

I wrote "The Forgotten Ones" after learning about them from Alyona and Slavik. How did they find these kids? Well, a family from America came and adopted from this orphanage. They started spreading the word about these boys, Alyona and Slavik heard and thought, "Wow, these are kids who have no one helping them, so WE want to."

They already have a team scheduled to start going there. They asked me to tell you about them. They asked me to tell you that they have the people to go, and to go on a regular basis, but they don't have the money to pay for the gas. The very best thing would be for churches in America to take up this banner and let it fly! WE can pay the gas!! And how much better can we get it? We get to stay home, yet know we are doing something super important by sending some money to Alyona and Slavik so that they and their team can make it there. These boys, by the way, live in Ananiev, in case you want to look it up on the map!

That's one of the new needs Alyona and Slavik are needing help with, but that's only one.

Of course, those 50 prison boys are a high priority to them. I was able, because of great Americans who have been sharing with me, to give Slavik a little money. (Thank you J and J!) Within hours, he had bought soap and toothbrushes for them. A little money can go a long way in Ukraine.

Alyona told me, "We have the desire to help and minister these prison boys and the Ananiev boys (The Forgotten Ones); but, until God provides the money, it is only a desire." They have the workers, they just don't have the money. I guess that's our job.

There's more....plenty more. Story after story, need after need.

And now, I'm telling you.

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