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