When Someone Cares!  

It was 1999, and my friend Joe was visiting a school for young children in the Ukraine when he met two young girls who won his heart with their enthusiasm.  They were both outgoing and had a wonderful spirit, but were in need of parenting help.  Joe started to follow the girls in their schooling and as he became more aware of the realities of life in these settings, he learned that the girls could only stay at the school until age 16 at which time they would be out on the street without any home.

As they approached that fateful age, he contacted the leaders at the school and asked if there could be an exception made since they were sisters to keep them together until the younger one reached 16.  The allowance of time gave Joe a little window to try to see what he could do to arrange for them to stay with various families from the Baptist Church in Bryansk.  This was a long shot but with the help of several people in the church and the leaders, the two girls found homes that allowed them to have a place to stay and an opportunity to complete their basic education.  Had someone like Joe not cared enough to help these girls, they would most likely have become victims of the street as over 75% of the girls do who are in similar circumstances. 

Last week we were in Bryansk to look at several projects relating to farming, business, and mission projects, but none of our days were more gratifying than the one where we revisited with the girls that Joe had helped. The girls are now young women aged almost  21 and 22 years of age.  They have completed their basic education and one of the young women is into her first year of work at the local college studying business management.  The other woman is starting to work in a confectionary that she hopes will lead to her ability to open her own bakery.  Productive lives and an optimistic future because someone spent the time to arrange for both spiritual, moral, and financial support when it was critical.  I am priviledged to know many who will read this MMM who are also loving and caring people who have stories similar to this one.  When you care about others, it often requires us to take action to back up that caring heart.

The book of James is a great place to relook at the Bible's plea to believers that we need to back up our faith and caring with good works.  "Faith without works is dead"...  It was great to be with another of my heroes, Joe Sanson who made a difference in these girls lives and many others who are too numerous to list.  Thanks for not just being any other "Joe".

Sent September 10 , 2007

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