Friends of mine in different ministries often hear from supporters asking them "how many times did you share the Gospel this last month?" or "how many made professions of faith from your ministry?" Recently, one of those friends asked me if I get those questions, given the population with whom we work. I thankfully told him no, that the people who are a part of this ministry are concerned about "James" or "Yura" or "Alina" or "Ryan" and not about numbers, which we can't ever know anyway.
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| Doug and Suzie Stoddard and 'their kids' last winter. |
This last week, Doug Stoddard, Lexi, Daniel, Jana (from Manna Int'l.) and I went to visit the orphanage in Kamarivka where Doug has been ministering for years. We visited kids there, played some soccer, held them, hugged them and told them how important they are to the Lord and to us. Then we visited Alina in the hospital where she was dropped off because of a bad infection. Doug is so good at visiting and just being. For Alina, it was as if light had come into her life and she was all smiles. Jesus won't ask about a soul count, but will ask when did we visit Him when He was sick.
Recently, there was an article in a Lynn, Massachusetts paper about three Straight Ahead staff members who were once in gangs and who are now working with us and going to school. It was encouraging for me to read that and you can read it here:
http://www.itemlive.com/articles/2011/10/05/news/news12.txt. That all started with a prison visit from Straight Ahead staff.
Sisco, Jimmy, Jeron and Alina are not statistics, but are young people whose lives have been changed by the Lord and through those whom the Lord has put in their paths. That is what matters.
