It's been a while since I've posted a blog. Yesterday, I was overwhelmed with memories of the kids who I met in Moscow. Their faces, bright and excited and eager, came flashing into my mind. The memory was so vivid that my eyes filled with tears.
It's interesting how it seems to work with us. It's rather hard to really see the need unless you are actually there and see if for yourself, unless you experience it. We see pictures, videos, hear stories, read blogs, and just like we do in the movies--we let it affect us for the moment. Our heartstrings are tugged on. We might even shed a tear. But when we exit the "theater" we come back to "reality." That is, we come back to our own reality, our own world, where there are no starving, homeless, and rejected children. We come back to our world filled with all of our own needs and everyday concerns. We forget.
But I cannot forget. Because I stood there and let the dirty little hands of a small girl named Alona take my hand in hers and kiss it. Then she took my hand and touched it to her head. Then she did it again.
How can I forget her?
I cannot forget.
What do you see when you see these pictures? Are they just pictures? They are not to me. They're much more.
There is so much need in the world. I know. But for some reason, God has put a particular need on my heart. Will you join me in bringing them God's love? Will you join me in action? Will you join me in bringing God's kingdom to these little ones?
God gave me this heart, but His design is one of community. I don't think I'm meant to work alone. Please see more than pictures, see priceless souls whom God loves.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Monday, November 24, 2008
Ymeda and Alec
Ymeda is five years old and Alec is ten. They are siblings. Ymeda says that she loves her brother. They are always hungry and have to beg for food. Alec is not allowed to go to school and is often very dirty and sick.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Someone to pray for
Alshan is 3 years old.
His family can't find work, because their country's economy is in depression, but Russia will not give them the permission to work in Moscow. They had no food, that's why they came to Moscow. Now they live on the street, sleep on a dirt floor in a shack.
I received the above email from Sasha. She and Sveta need prayer as well. They really need funds right now. Cost of living in Russia has gone up drastically in the last few months and the girls are struggling financially.
Please keep them in prayer.
Thank you for your love and prayers.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Meeting the kids
So I figured I should write about how I first met these girls and the kids they minister to.
Last summer, along with a team of 7 other Biola University students, I went on a missions trip to Russia. All of us had our own separate reasons why we chose to go on this trip. As for me, there was nothing particular about Russia that was drawing me to the country. I chose to apply and interview for the trip more because of the ministry we would be doing (working with orphans) and the dates of the trip (early in summer.) I wanted to go on a trip where I worked with children and had time enough to get a summer job afterward. So in these areas, the Russia trip was perfect! Ironically, our ministry changed completely and we spent most of our time working with our peers; and after the trip I did not get a job.
But when I went to Russia, I fell in love with the country. I found it a beautiful place, beautiful language, and I met so many beautiful people. (Pictured below--team of 8 Biola students in front of St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow, Russia)
Though most of our ministry ended up being with our peers, we did spend a short amount of time our last day in Moscow with the street kids. And in that short amount of time (just 2 hours), something happened in my heart for those kids.
You know, I've always grown up with plenty. My family was never rich, but I always had food and love and clothes. When I would see the commercials on TV about child sponsorship, and I'd see the man holding a dirty little child in another country with great big eyes and pouting lips, I didn't see the child as real. I knew those children were real in my head. But the man in the commercial, imploring the wealthy to act with his British accent and serious expressions, he was just another face on the television screen that would be gone in 30 seconds before the television program would begin again.
Going to Russia and meeting these little children myself changed my whole outlook.
Our team first met Sveta and Leanna. We had been expecting to meet Sasha (Alexandra), the young woman who started the ministry with the street kids. We'd heard a little about her story. She is Russian and lived in extreme poverty herself as a child. Then, as a teenager, she was sponsored by an American to come to the US and be a model. She lived in the US for nine years, and while she was here she went to church with a friend and found Jesus. Her life changed drastically. I will have to share more about my dear friend Sasha's story because it really is a beautiful story. After nine years in the US, Sasha decided to go back to Russia to be a missionary.
When we came to Russia last year, however, Sasha was in the hospital. She was having some health problems. But we met Sveta, who partners with Sasha in ministry; and Leanna, who was working with the girls at the time.
They were lovely girls, and our team got to know them a bit. (Pictured below: Sveta)
Then, our final day in Moscow, right before we were to take the train to Yoshkar-ola for the remainder of our time in Russia, we met the kids.
They are beautiful children. We came to the train station where they live, and at first, I only saw one family. They looked different from most Russians I was used to seeing. They had darker skin and dark hair. This is because most of them are refugees--refugees without documents, unable to work and forced to beg. They were dressed in ragged, dirty clothing and sitting on flattened cardboard boxes. The mother had a head covering and the father wore a turban.
The two little girls from this family walked over to us. I wondered where all the other kids were. As they approached we said, "Priviyet!" [Hi] brightly.
They giggled.
One of the girls was named Alona.
Their little hands were so dirty, but I started playing a clapping game with Alona.
Suddenly, there were little kids everywhere! Walking barefoot, giggling and grinning, holding our hands and playing with us. They had the biggest smiles on their faces. I didn't know where they had all come from!
Hayden, the one guy on our team, started making balloon animals for the kids. They absolutely LOVED this.
There was one little girl who was just beautiful. She seemed older, more mature than the others. She had a lovely smile and she came and took my hand.
Some of the girls from my team tried to do a skit, but the kids were too distracted. We hugged them and spun them around and laughed and skipped with them. There were at least twenty kids, maybe more. The homeless adults looked on with smiles.
A Russian policeman came and spoke to our translator Anna. "They have no reason to be here," he said. "They are only going to have things stolen from them." I still remember the look on his face and others as they passed by. They looked at the children suspiciously and as though they were worthless. They looked at us like we were crazy to be playing with them.
Danielle (one of my team leaders) went with our main translator Zaven and some of the adults to buy some food with our extra funds. Meanwhile, we played with the kids.
Alona asked me (through Anna) "Is America a very beautiful country?"
I hesitated for a moment then said, "Yes."
She smiled.
(Pictured below: Alona and me)
Alona did something very special that I'll never forget. She took my hand and kissed it and then touched it to her head. Then she did it again.
(Pictured above: our team with the homeless street children and adults)
It was very difficult to leave these little ones.
After the trip, I emailed Sasha whom I had never met in person. We have since become good friends and I continue to hear about Sasha's and Sveta's ministry. When those two hours with the street children came to an end, it was only the beginning of my love and desire to continue to be involved in bringing in support for children in need.
Love,
Marisa
Last summer, along with a team of 7 other Biola University students, I went on a missions trip to Russia. All of us had our own separate reasons why we chose to go on this trip. As for me, there was nothing particular about Russia that was drawing me to the country. I chose to apply and interview for the trip more because of the ministry we would be doing (working with orphans) and the dates of the trip (early in summer.) I wanted to go on a trip where I worked with children and had time enough to get a summer job afterward. So in these areas, the Russia trip was perfect! Ironically, our ministry changed completely and we spent most of our time working with our peers; and after the trip I did not get a job.
But when I went to Russia, I fell in love with the country. I found it a beautiful place, beautiful language, and I met so many beautiful people. (Pictured below--team of 8 Biola students in front of St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow, Russia)
Though most of our ministry ended up being with our peers, we did spend a short amount of time our last day in Moscow with the street kids. And in that short amount of time (just 2 hours), something happened in my heart for those kids.
You know, I've always grown up with plenty. My family was never rich, but I always had food and love and clothes. When I would see the commercials on TV about child sponsorship, and I'd see the man holding a dirty little child in another country with great big eyes and pouting lips, I didn't see the child as real. I knew those children were real in my head. But the man in the commercial, imploring the wealthy to act with his British accent and serious expressions, he was just another face on the television screen that would be gone in 30 seconds before the television program would begin again.
Going to Russia and meeting these little children myself changed my whole outlook.
Our team first met Sveta and Leanna. We had been expecting to meet Sasha (Alexandra), the young woman who started the ministry with the street kids. We'd heard a little about her story. She is Russian and lived in extreme poverty herself as a child. Then, as a teenager, she was sponsored by an American to come to the US and be a model. She lived in the US for nine years, and while she was here she went to church with a friend and found Jesus. Her life changed drastically. I will have to share more about my dear friend Sasha's story because it really is a beautiful story. After nine years in the US, Sasha decided to go back to Russia to be a missionary.
When we came to Russia last year, however, Sasha was in the hospital. She was having some health problems. But we met Sveta, who partners with Sasha in ministry; and Leanna, who was working with the girls at the time.
They were lovely girls, and our team got to know them a bit. (Pictured below: Sveta)
Then, our final day in Moscow, right before we were to take the train to Yoshkar-ola for the remainder of our time in Russia, we met the kids.
They are beautiful children. We came to the train station where they live, and at first, I only saw one family. They looked different from most Russians I was used to seeing. They had darker skin and dark hair. This is because most of them are refugees--refugees without documents, unable to work and forced to beg. They were dressed in ragged, dirty clothing and sitting on flattened cardboard boxes. The mother had a head covering and the father wore a turban.
The two little girls from this family walked over to us. I wondered where all the other kids were. As they approached we said, "Priviyet!" [Hi] brightly.
They giggled.
One of the girls was named Alona.
Their little hands were so dirty, but I started playing a clapping game with Alona.
Suddenly, there were little kids everywhere! Walking barefoot, giggling and grinning, holding our hands and playing with us. They had the biggest smiles on their faces. I didn't know where they had all come from!Hayden, the one guy on our team, started making balloon animals for the kids. They absolutely LOVED this.
There was one little girl who was just beautiful. She seemed older, more mature than the others. She had a lovely smile and she came and took my hand.
Some of the girls from my team tried to do a skit, but the kids were too distracted. We hugged them and spun them around and laughed and skipped with them. There were at least twenty kids, maybe more. The homeless adults looked on with smiles.A Russian policeman came and spoke to our translator Anna. "They have no reason to be here," he said. "They are only going to have things stolen from them." I still remember the look on his face and others as they passed by. They looked at the children suspiciously and as though they were worthless. They looked at us like we were crazy to be playing with them.
Danielle (one of my team leaders) went with our main translator Zaven and some of the adults to buy some food with our extra funds. Meanwhile, we played with the kids.
Alona asked me (through Anna) "Is America a very beautiful country?"
I hesitated for a moment then said, "Yes."
She smiled.
(Pictured below: Alona and me)
Alona did something very special that I'll never forget. She took my hand and kissed it and then touched it to her head. Then she did it again.
(Pictured above: our team with the homeless street children and adults)It was very difficult to leave these little ones.
After the trip, I emailed Sasha whom I had never met in person. We have since become good friends and I continue to hear about Sasha's and Sveta's ministry. When those two hours with the street children came to an end, it was only the beginning of my love and desire to continue to be involved in bringing in support for children in need.
Love,
Marisa
Loving the Unloved
There are needs all around us all the time. As we begin to recognize this, it can become overwhelming. We do not have the ability to "fix" the world, and that fact alone is often debilitating. But though we may not be able to "fix" everything, we can still share Christ's love with the brokenhearted. That is what God calls his children to do--to love people as He loves people.
My purpose in this blog is to help bring awareness to one specific need, one specific group of hurting people--the homeless children in Moscow, Russia.
Last summer 2007 I visited Moscow on a missions trip and I met one of the two missionary girls who have an ongoing ministry with these children. Our team of Americans was able to play with the children and bring them food, and show them love. While we were there, the Russian police came and told our translator, "Why are they here? They are just going to have their things stolen!"
Love,Marisa
My purpose in this blog is to help bring awareness to one specific need, one specific group of hurting people--the homeless children in Moscow, Russia.
Last summer 2007 I visited Moscow on a missions trip and I met one of the two missionary girls who have an ongoing ministry with these children. Our team of Americans was able to play with the children and bring them food, and show them love. While we were there, the Russian police came and told our translator, "Why are they here? They are just going to have their things stolen!"
I could see the way these homeless children were looked down upon. I have since kept in touch with Sasha and Sveta, the two missionary girls who minister to these children.
Sasha sends me prayer updates. She has sent me countless stories of children who need prayer. Here is just one story of two sisters Svetik and Natasha (pictured below):
Svetik and Natasha are from Samarkand. Their mother couldn't feed them because she couldn't find work in Samarkand. So they moved to Moscow. Their father is not in the picture. When they came to Moscow, they had to sleep at the train station. They were kicked out by the police because, as Sasha explains, the Russian government does not care for refugees. They moved to live in a shack where they sleep on the ground.
Svetik says: "I'm often ill. We have no medicine. I like the warm clothes Sasha and Sveta give us. My Mom has no documents to work in Moscow. We beg for food. But I like to play and jump. I like being prayed for."
Natasha says: "Now we can beg for food on the streets of Moscow. I like to pray with my sister Svetik. When my sister has a headache, I lay my hands upon her head and pray to Jesus. We also have a hard time here, because it's cold and people are mean to us. I like it when Sveta and Sasha read to us about Jesus. I like to play and I would like to have a doll. Svetik was very sick, because we sleep on the ground in a shack. Sometimes we have nothing to eat and we're so glad when Sasha and Sveta bring us food and clothes."
Natasha says: "Now we can beg for food on the streets of Moscow. I like to pray with my sister Svetik. When my sister has a headache, I lay my hands upon her head and pray to Jesus. We also have a hard time here, because it's cold and people are mean to us. I like it when Sveta and Sasha read to us about Jesus. I like to play and I would like to have a doll. Svetik was very sick, because we sleep on the ground in a shack. Sometimes we have nothing to eat and we're so glad when Sasha and Sveta bring us food and clothes."
There are so many other stories like this one. Homeless children, with no papers, who are thus unable to go to school, an orphanage, or work. They are forced to beg for food and they are looked down upon. Who is showing them love?
Sasha and Sveta have committed to love these children. But my dear friends' ministry is in dire financial need right now. If you can give, please email me. I will use this blog to give an update on how much is raised for these girls and how their ministry is coming along. If you want to pray for them, for the kids, continue to check this blog for updates on prayer requests.
Relatively, I am not rich at all. I am a poor college grad trying to figure out how I am going to get by on my own. Job-searching, all that.
But also relatively, I am very wealthy. I have clothes, a home, a family, love, food, an education, so much more! And so, as I read these verses from 1 Timothy 6, I think they are speaking to me:
17 As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. 18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, 19 thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.
Love,
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