Why we're really here

In the life of most missionary types, I imagine that there is a point - or many points - where they say "Why am I here?"  For many, it's moments of discouragement based on lack of progress, unmet expectations or downright failure.  We go through that sometimes here (generally in the winter... haha) when we just don't understand the point of our being here; our place in the grand scheme of things.

Then there are times where we see what God is doing around us (though not always through us) and we are buoyed.  We get to feel good about the situation and it makes all seem momentarily right in the world.  Unfortunately for us, these moments are sometimes hard to find through the language barrier.  The great stories of heartache and redemption come to us second and third hand.  I don't begrudge anyone this; it's just the way life is as a foreigner sometimes.  We do get them eventually and I hope to share some of them with you.  They will be long and the temptation will be to skim or skip but I promise they are worth it.

Here's the first one; the story of Isolda.  It's written by the HopeCenter staff and quickly edited by me for grammar:

Here we go! Summer camps 2008 have started! There is no bigger joy than to see how the kids coming to us from internats and orphanages  from all over Ukraine are getting re-born. Every single kid’s heart is being filled with God’s love which drives away the bitterness and grief of what they have experienced.  Looking into their eyes you can see that their lives have not been easy

In ward 1 there was a teenage girl who has been living in an orphanage for several years. Her unusual name - Isolda - stressed her inborn beauty. Outwardly, she did not differ much from others in her ward. She was not very talkative and reacted harshly to the attention of the boys in that ward. After a while we became good friends with her. It was obvious that she got ready to connect: she would ask for advice, shared her personal girl’s concerns with us or would just sit with us. On one of the evenings Isolda shared her family story.

The girl was born in Volgograd, Russia. Her mother had just turned 19, she was not married. The young woman had to raise the child by herself, receiving no help from her family. When Isolda was 1, her mother went to work in a shoe shop. The baby would stay with neighbors. But this did not last long. The mother started drinking with new acquaintances - shop clients. Soon she abandoned her job and there began the tough life. As the mother saw the source of all her problems in the little pretty girl, she started taking out her anger on Isolda. She would not give her food for several days. Cruelty kept growing all the time with the girl being beaten often. The mother would drink alcohol all the time. The girl had to walk around the neighborhood to ask for food. Neighbors would call to the police but they did not deprive the mother of parental rights. Isolda's story got even worse as her mother started using drugs.  Isolda would often find herself in the places where people were using drugs. She never attended kindergartens, never interacted with other kids.  Instead she was surrounded by drug addicts. The mother would make her get money for buying drugs, alcohol and cigarettes. Isolda would often pick up glass bottles, she begged, she did everything so that her mother would not punish her. Isolda also shared that many times she saw her mother being raped. The girl experienced unspeakable horrors. Once she and her mother were almost buried alive; only a miracle saved them! Soon some relatives took Isolda to a town in Ukraine. But the girl spent a short time there and found herself in an orphanage where they taught her reading and writing at the age of 10. It is there that she found out that her mother went to jail for murdering her boyfriend. Isolda said that it should have been her instead of that guy because her mother tried to murder Isolda multiple times. “I always dreamt that she would call me 'honey' and that she would be my best friend forever”, Isolda said… 

As we spent some time with Isolda we realized that she wants forgiveness, love and Jesus. God once said, - “Even if your mother abandons you and everybody abandons you. I shall not abandon you”. Bible lessons, bedtime stories, interaction with Christians started changing the girl, she started being re-born by hearing the Word of God and seeing people's concern and care of her. For the first time she was reflecting upon the fact that she truly wants forgiveness. The bleeding soul wounds like hers cannot be healed right away, but the process is on-going. Pray for her. We seem to be the first ones to encourage and support this cute teenager in seeking God through our prayers. Jesus opens doors for those seeking and thirsty.

Sadly, these types of stories are the rule rather than the exception here at the HopeCenter.  It's such an encouragement to us that real change is occurring in the lives of these who desperately need our help.