Home for now

Sergei, Shamil, Sasha, John, Lydia, Ira

Steve Wiggins sang a song that I like with the tag line "all the darkness in the world can't put out the light of the smallest flame." When we went into the juvenile prison a couple of weeks ago, we saw some of that in action.

First, was the kid like curiosity that my watch brought out in Sasha. Sasha is a regular at the Bible study and told me that for him, it's a place of safety and hope-unlike the rest of the prison. When we were leaving, Sasha asked how old my watch was and when I told him it is at least 10 years old, he was shocked. When he asked what happens when the battery dies, I took off my watch and gave it to him and told him to shake it as it is a kinetic watch that self-winds. You would have thought that I'd given Sasha a time machine. All of a sudden, a 16 year old orphan became a 7 year old kid, shaking the watch, showing it to everyone, and smiling like there was no tomorrow. He gingerly handed it back and gave me a big hug as we left.

New room

Before that, Alexander, one of the prison officials, gave us a tour of where the boys live. Sergei told me that something had changed in the place as before, they never would have shown us that place. Alexander showed us two rooms with many beds and said that this will be where the new guys will live. Ukraine is going from 10 to 4 juvenile prisons and this one will take many of the boys. He also showed us a bathroom that the boys had redone themselves-they did a great job and you could see Alexander's pride in them. They need some help with things like chairs and cubicles for clothing so I told Alexander that we would help with that. He said that will mean a lot.

Bathroom redone by guys

This month marks 15 years that we've been going into that colony. While it's still a tough place, I can see how the Lord has blessed it, made it better and provided a more humane place for the guys. I think that Lydia Petrovna's presence and her love are key to that. Her love for the Lord and for her boys is a strong light in there.

Place of Baptism

There are times when we need a break, even when that break involves you and 38 other members of an extended family. Bogdan, Anya, Inna, Roma and I got to bring the guys and girls from the Safe Haven house, plus a group of kids who either lived here or who have become a part of our lives through past camps, to Kompass Park in the village of Khreshatic. Thanks to Alla, the director there who was able to get sponsors, we were able to bring many more kids than we thought possible.

It was fun to watch them be kids, to go swimming, to wander about the village, and to catch up with each other. Each night we had a time of sharing about who Christ is and how we can grow in our faith. Mostly, it was a time to share His love and to enjoy each others company.

As we were waiting to start one meeting, Bogdan asked us to pray for Yulia and Dasha as they were speaking with Anya about their faith. A few minutes later, Anya came in to tell us that both of them wanted to be baptized as a public showing of their desire to follow Christ.

Praying for Yulia, Dasha and Vova

We went down to the river and Bogdan and I baptized Yulia and Dasha--this was a first for me. As we were getting out of the river, Vova asked if he could be baptized too. It's hard to describe the joy that brought and the gift that it was for us.

Later, Frank from Hope Now, which started Kompass Park, told us that Khreshatic means "place of baptism." Gotta love when that happens.

Letter to an Old Man, Me

Sharon O'Fallon found this in her father's papers and Deb shared it with me several years ago. As I was going through some favorite quotes and sayings for a sermon I'm putting together, I found it and thought it would be good to share.

Dear Friend;

You're going to meet an old man someday!  Down the road ahead- 10, 20, 30 years- you'll catch up with him waiting for you there.  What kind of an old man are you going to meet?  He may be a seasoned, gracious fellow surrounded by a host of friends who call him blessed because of what his life meant to them.    He may be a bitter, disillusioned, dried up old buzzard without a good word for anybody, soured, friendless and alone.  The kind of old man you'll meet depends eventually on yourself.  Because that old man will be you!

          He is a composite of everything you do, say and think.  His mind will be set in the mold you've made by your attitudes.  His heart will be turning out what you've been putting in.  Every little thought and deed of yours goes into this old man. He'll be exactly what you make him- nothing more, nothing less.  It is up to you.  You'll have no one else to credit or blame.  Every day, in every way, you are becoming more and more like yourself--getting to look, think, and sound more like yourself.  Live now only for what you can get out of life? The old man gets smaller, drier, harder, crabbier, and more self-centered.  Open your life to others, think in terms of what you can give--the old man grows softer, kindlier, greater, and more Christ-centered.  Fact is, the hidden little things in life, attitudes, goals, ambitions, desires may seem unimportant now,  But, they're adding up inside where you can't see them, crystallizing in your heart and mind.  They'll show up sooner than you think.  It’s time to pay that old man a visit and care for him!  Like a wise businessman, taking inventory of his stock, examine his motives, attitudes and goals.  The product of life is of more value than merchandise.  Work him over while he is still in a formative stage--before it’s too late.  You'll be more likely to meet a splendid, old man.  The man you'd like to be. 

God bless you.

         

( Written by the late Richard Halvorsen, Chaplain of the US Senate.)