It’s that time of year.
The air is crisp both in the early morning and late at night.
Good weather and weekends….. have a way of bringing people together. Since we moved to our land about 2 years ago, we tend to have more get together’s and enjoy being outside a lot more than we ever have before.
Last weekend some of the men from our church and their boys went canoeing for the day, then they ended it with a cookout and camping in the great outdoors. We were so glad they wanted to come here.
The food smelled so good as if wafted through the air……
Meanwhile the men enjoyed each others company……sharing the little things they do not have time to talk about in the hallways at church.
The bonfire was blazing, cracking and popping was a familiar sound as the flames consumed the wood. The warmth and light it gives off is always inviting. Somehow…. it seems to appeal to all ages.
The kids had to be worn out….but you never would have known it. They ran up and down the dirt mounds over and over…then they scouted the woods for sticks…in order to help Mr. Billy build the fire. They played tether ball and chased one another all over the place.
I imagine they were asleep as soon as they stopped long enough to nestle into their sleeping bags……under the big beautiful moon.
This group of men have a common bond as they gather together on Sundays. Yet it is also important and fun to get away and spend time getting to know one another on a different level.
This weekend we gathered together with another group for a simple dinner. The weather was absolutely perfect once again.
This is Olga, who graciously shared a delicious dish with us.
This is Borscht. I’m not sure I have spelled it right, it seems there are several ways. It is a Ukrainian dish, a hearty soup, served here with a dollop of sour cream in the middle. Very tasty!
Billy had Borscht served to him many years ago when he was on a mission trip. He was very excited to try it again.
This is Olga’s son and Mother sitting with Billy.
Recently we were all introduced to one another due to an interest in helping orphaned children. Through conversation we found that we already know some of the same people. That always amazes me.
We enjoyed visiting with one another…..
After dinner….David served us some Bananas Foster for dessert…..
So….we ate some more!
Then we pulled our chairs closer….got comfortable and talked.
We discussed some of the ways in which we might be a part of helping reach out to orphaned children. As we talked Olga shared with us some reasons why her heart breaks for children in this situation. As I listened to some stories about her life, I was reminded of how different our lives have been. She was raised half way around the world from me. We are only two years apart in age….and yet our young lives were as different as night and day. Occasionally Olga’s mother would speak in her soft, gentle voice. carefully choosing her English words as she entered into the conversation. Sweet ladies that have been through more than I could fully imagine. Yet a great love for Jesus and others is what came out of their hardships.
Today Olga’s mother still has the Bible that her children copied in their juvenile handwriting many years ago….so they could have a copy of God’s Word in their own home. They had lived at one time in a country where communism had made having a Bible impossible. Many years later they were free to worship openly again. Meanwhile a lot of scripture had been hidden in their hearts…so they could keep it with them at all times. I can’t even imagine what those years must have been like. It would have been about the same time that I had several Bibles of different translations nestled in the bookshelves at my own home. In a country where I was free to worship if I wanted to…or free not to. In a home where I was safe….far away from war. Never seeing a tank roll down my streets…or separated from loved ones due to a war torn country.
Sure my life had struggles and heartaches too…but much different than hers. And people in other parts of the world will have different struggles in their lives as well. We all have them.
Yet it is interesting how some things can make you angry with God….or they can draw you close to God. We can take our experiences and use them for good…….or not.
Olga remembers her mother praying day after day relentlessly and with tears for her loved ones.
I had a mother who also did this. I wondered…..who is praying for these orphaned children. Have they ever seen a mother crying in prayer to God on their behalf.
Their is something powerful about seeing your mother pray for you. About seeing anyone pray for you with that much love and concern.
The children who live in orphanages all over the world have lived a very different life than I. Different than most of us. Will they use the experiences they are going through for good when they get older…..or not. What kind of future do they have? Will they be happy adults. Will they have children of their own one day……will they know how to love and pray for their children? Who is their role model?
We all talked for hours….and yet it seemed to go by so quickly.
Interesting that I didn’t really know these people before we ate….yet, there is truly a common bond. We share a relationship with Jesus Christ.
James 1:27 (NIV)
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
The last two weekends were spent with two different groups of people, in one way…..yet not different at all in another way.
Experiences in our lives have made each of us the person we are today.
A strange twist of events have brought us together……. in an effort to help others.
Others that we do not know………yet.
However, we are all under that great big sky…..looking at that very same moon. No matter what side of the world we are on. And there is one God who loves us all and is there is for each and everyone of us ….especially in our times of need.
I've Gone Country 