Gifts

Christmas/New Year 2010 at Safe Haven, Kiev

Monday night, we were watching the movie The Nativity with the boys at Teamworks when one of them asked why we give presents on Christmas. It was one of those perfectly timed questions as right then, the movie showed the Wise Men presenting Mary and Joseph with gifts for Jesus. Right after that, we gave the guys stockings that Sharon Cummisky had gotten and filled up for all of the guys.

The reaction was amazing.

Most of the guys we have are pretty guarded, but after we handed out the stockings, each guy gave both Cheryl and I hugs and one guy, Al, put his head on Cheryl's shoulder and said thank you. Usually Al walks right out after the study. The youngest of the guys, Ned, said that getting the stocking made his bad day good and another guy said, "Christmas at Teamworks is pretty good." Cheryl and I both left with the feeling that we'd seen a side of those guys that only God can bring out.

God gave me two other gifts that same day: First, Matt and I got to see Igor from the orphanage in Kaniv who is staying with friends for 4 weeks (7 kids came over from the orphanage this time). Matt and Christy said that Igor has been laughing and playing with their kids like he was part of the family. He was so happy to see Matt and me that he gave big hugs and made us promise to come back.

Then that night as I was winding down, my phone rang and it was Kreg, who lived with us at the Straight Ahead discipleship home and then in independent living 16 years ago. We hadn't heard from Kreg in 14 years and Deb and I had prayed for many years that he would contact us. Kreg is doing great, is involved with his church and just wanted reconnect and to thank Scott, Hanne and me for being a part of his life.

Not a bad way to start off the week when we get to focus just a bit more on the many gifts the Lord gives us.