Love to the Fatherless.....

These pictures supposed to be at the bottom...but they had a mind of their own so they are at the top. I encourage all of you to read this story. I admire Dere for being such a fragrance of Christ to those orphans. He's such a blessing! Continue your prayers!

GREETINGS TO ALL,

BEING A SCHOOL BREAK HERE, THE KIDS DO NOT HAVE SO MUCH TO DO AND SOME OF THE TROUBLE MAKING KIDS REALLY SHOW THEIR CHARACTER!  WELL, IT WAS ON MONDAY ONE OF THE GROUP MOMS ASKED ME IF I WOULD TAKE OUT FOR HALF A DAY ONE OF THE TROUBLE MAKING KIDS, POSSIBLY IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE BIRTHDAY OF ANOTHER ORPHAN I WAS PLANNING TO TAKE OUT.  OF THE CLOSE TO 300 ORPHANS THIS 13 YEAR OLD BOY IS KNOWN FOR HIS TROUBLE MAKING, BEING AGGRESSIVE, FIGHTING WITH OTHERS, EVEN WITH SOME OF THE TEACHERS. WELL, I TOOK THE CHALLENGE AS AN OPPORTUNITY AND THOUGH THE GROUP MOM TOLD ME HE COULD RUN AWAY AS HE DID A FEW TIMES BEFORE (HE COMES BACK AFTER FEW DAYS). 

WELL, WAITING FOR TUESDAY TO COME I WAS TENSE AND INDEED ASKED THE LORD TO GIVE ME WISDOM.   WELL THE IDEA OF GOING TO THE POOL (BILLIARDS) PLACE IN TOWN ADJACENT TO THE PIZZA HUT CAME TO ME. I HAD JUST RECEIVED ON FRIDAY A NOTE FROM ONE OF THE PARTNER FAMILIES SENDING A 40USD TO SPEND WITH THE KIDS AND THAT WAS A PERFECT TIMING!

SO I TOOK THAT BOY AND THE BIRTHDAY BOY AND TWO GIRLS FROM THE ORPHANAGE. WE TOOK THE PUBLIC BUS AND THE RIDE WAS AN EXPERIENCE BY ITSELF!   NOT CONTAINING HIMSELF,  HE WALKED FORWARD AND BACK IN THE BUS AS THE BUS MOVED AND I HAD TO RAISE MY VOICE TO GET HIS ATTENTION TO JOIN US AND SIT BY OUR SIDE.  BUT HE SAID HE LIKED STANDING!  WELL, WHEN WE GOT OFF AT OUR STOP, I GAVE HIM A RESPONSIBILITY WITH ONE OF THE OTHERS TO GO TO THE PIZZA HUT TO GET US A PIZZA TO TAKE WITH US TO THE POOL PLACE.  HE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR ORDERING AND PAYING FOR THE PIZZA WITH MONEY I GAVE HIM.  HE PAID AND BROUGHT THE PIZZA AND THE CHANGE AND THE RECEIPT.  THEN HE SAID A VERY INTERESTING THING, “NO ONE EVER TRUSTED ME TO GIVE ME MONEY TO PAY.  THEY THOUGHT I WOULD KEEP IT TO MYSELF. “ 

WE PLAYED OVER TWO HOURS.   I SHOWED THEM THE BASICS OF THE GAME AND WE ALL PLAYED VERY HAPPILY AND IT WAS SUCH A FUN TIME.  WE ENJOYED OUR PIZZA AND ALSO SHARED A HOME MADE EGG AND FISH SANDWICH. 

TO DREAM IS JUST PART OF A CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCE.  AS WE PLAYED THE BOY STARTED TO TALK ABOUT HOW HE MIGHT ONE DAY PLAY POOL WELL AND HOW HE COULD EARN MONEY!  THIS WAS HIS FIRST EVER EXPERIENCE PLAYING POOL.   HE SHOWED SUCH A GRATEFUL ATTITUDE.  WE HEARD OVER AND OVER THE THANK YOU WORD.  AT ONE POINT HE SAID, “I WISH MY MOM COULD COME TO WATCH SUCH A NICE SHOT” (HE JUST HAD JUST MADE), ADDING, “SHE WOULD BE PROUD.”  I UNDERSTAND HIS MOM IS SERVING A PRISON SENTENCE.

THE OTHER KIDS ALSO ENJOYED THE POOL PLAY.  WE GRABBED AN ICE CREAM ON THE WAY BACK AND TOOK THE BUS RIDE BACK.  THE KIDS RETURNED REFRESHED HAVING FUN AND LOTS OF MEMORIES.

APPRECIATE YOUR PRAYERS FOR ADEL'S EYE TREATMENT APPOINTMENT ON FRIDAY THE 30TH OF MARCH.

ATTACHED ARE SOME RANDOM PHOTOS FROM THE OUTING TO THE POOL PLACE.

Dere

News Letter....

GREETINGS TO ALL,

THE MENTORING PROGRAM IS CONTINUING AND IT PROVIDES A SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO MEET WITH SMALL GROUPS FROM TWO OF THE ORPHANAGES.  USUALLY I TAKE SEVERAL KIDS OUT FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS AND WE HAVE THE CHANCE TO HAVE A LUNCH AND A TIME OF FELLOWSHIP OUTSIDE OF THE ORPHANAGE.  THIS GIVES ME THE CHANCE TO POSE QUESTIONS FOR ALL OF THEM TO THINK ABOUT AND OVER THE LUNCH TIME WE DISCUSS THE QUESTIONS AND OTHER CONCERNS THEY HAVE: CONCERNS ABOUT THEIR FUTURE, CONCERNS ABOUT BEING LOVED AND STARTING A FAMILY SOMEDAY.  SOME OF THE KIDS TELL ABOUT HEARING OTHER KIDS IN SCHOOL TALKING ABOUT THEIR PARENTS, BUT THEY CANNOT RELATE SINCE 

THEY HAVE NEVER KNOWN THEIRS.  EVEN ONE GIRL TALKED ABOUT HOW SHE IMAGINED IT WOULD BE HARD TO BE A PARENT ONE DAY NOT HAVING HER OWN AT ALL.  AVERY, VERY SENSITIVE QUESTION CONCERNS LOVE:  THEY EACH GIVE THEIR OWN DEFINITION OF LOVE AND SHARE THEIR DREAMS ABOUT ONE DAY HAVING THEIR OWN FAMILY AND BEING HAPPY.  AS I HAVE KNOWN THEM OVER THE YEARS IT GIVES ME AN AUTHORITY TO SPEAK IN A VERY DEEP LEVEL WITH THEM.  A QUESTION ASKED TO ME, “YOU SAID IT IS A GREAT THING TO HAVE A FAMILY AND YET YOU ARE STILL SINGLE?”  WHAT A QUESTION!  AND EXPLAINING THAT ON THEIR LEVEL 

WAS HARD BUT I GUESS I MANAGED TO SHOW THEM I AM WAITING ON THE LORD’S DIRECTION!  SEVERAL QUESTIONS WERE RAISED ABOUT HOW WOULD ONE RESIST A POPULAR THING IN HIGH SCHOOL LIKE SMOKING, OR IS PIERCING A BAD THING? HOW ABOUT TATTOO?  ANOTHER GREAT PRESSURE THEY EXPERIENCE IS TO BE/FEEL ACCEPTED BY DOING THE SO CALLED “COOL” THING: “KLYOVA” IS A VERY POPULAR YOUTH WORD, LIKE “COOL” IN ENGLISH.  (I EVEN FIND MYSELF USING IT!  ONE OF THE MOMS WAS REALLY AMAZED AT HOW MANY NEW YOUTH WORD I HAVE PICKED UP!)  THESE GROUP MEETINGS ARE REALLY A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THE KIDS TO SPEAK OUT FREELY AND I AM PRAYING THEY WILL TAKE A LESSON FROM THE MENTORING AND SHARING TIME.  I AM STILL PREPARING MATERIAL ON FORGIVENESS AND ABOUT LOVE TO SHARE WITH THEM. 

PLANNING SIX DIFFERENT GROUP MEETING DURING THE COMING TWO WEEKS.

APPRECIATE YOUR PRAYERS FOR ALISHER AND ADEL AS THEY ARE PREPARING SOON FOR EYE OPERATIONS.

IN HIM,

Dere