“We are working hard until the harvest season. God is in control!” The story below is from SGA team member Diana, in Central Asia. She and her husband are so faithful to walk alongside of families who are struggling. Here, they have opened their home once again to a brother and sister who would otherwise live in very poor conditions due to their mother’s choices. Their mother is thankful for the generosity and compassion, as she remembers the days when she was in the orphanage and was visited by Diana and the SGA-supported Orphans Reborn team.
Please pray for this family, and for Diana and Sasha, as they walk side by side in the best interest of the children, but more importantly, for the hope that one day mom will come to faith by the example of her children. Breaking the cycle of sin is very difficult, but when the light of hope is reflected, all things are possible.
This story is about how the bright light of faith in two children’s hearts—Yerzhan and Ihsana—burns in the darkness of sin and despair.
Their mother grew up in an orphanage. She fell into bad company and became a drug addict. She remembers how we came to the orphanage and talked about Jesus. When we found her years later, she already had three children. The two eldest are Yerzhan and Ihsana.
We see that their mother’s life is not going well. But the children didn’t want to choose it. Poverty, hunger, drunk company, and debauchery. We began to come to visit them and take the children for several days. Since their mother always knew us, she easily let them into our home. The children began to grow up in our environment. We teach them how to cook and to take care of themselves. We try to provide them with clothes and shoes.
We call such children “social orphans.” They live without a father and with a mother who does not remember them. But now we are their family. We teach the children Bible lessons. They pray to God and dream of getting a profession. They visit villages with us and learn virtue. Yerzhan is preparing to be baptized in water. He wants to serve on the worship team. Soon we will start teaching him to play the guitar. Ihsana is always there to sort food and clothes to help the poor.
Camp season is starting soon, and we are excited for them to grow with us. We are glad that they chose us as their mentors. We are honored to convey God’s love to these children. We are always in touch with their mother and share news about the children.
She says: “I am so grateful to you for taking care of my children. I know that my life has become a bad example for them. But I remember everything you taught me when I was still in the orphanage. I really want my children to have a good life. I know if they are with you, everything will be fine.”
We, of course, understand that this is not about us. But about our great God who can make the lives of these children the happiest. Please remember Yerzhan and Ihsana in your prayers. We don’t want to separate children from their mother. They love each other. The mother is trying to fight sin. Children grow up communicating with us.
We believe that their mother will turn to God because of the devoted faith of her children. We are working hard until the harvest season. God is in control!
“… for while you are gathering up the tares, you may uproot the wheat with them. Allow both to grow together until the harvest …” (Matthew 13:29-30)