The grandmothers and grandfathers have been waiting for us on the bench outside the home. Our friend, pastor Ruslan, had told them that we would be coming. As soon as they saw us their faces lit up. Babushka Serafima smiled and gave me a big kiss as I hugged her. Over the past visits she and I have become really close. Originally she is form Moldova, so she speaks with an accent, too. Babushka Vera is glad to see us, too. Apparently she had been drinking again, but now she seems more or less sober. ‘How are you doing?” I asked. The answer: ‘still waiting for death – what else is there to do’? Hm, what do I say now?
We didn’t bring a guitar this time, because the guy that usually plays stayed back at the house and Masha had cut her thumb, so she wasn’t able to play neither. But the Australian outreach team has some amazing vocalist and the songs sounded amazing. They showed some dramas and shared about how God had changed their lives. Stephanie from Canada spoke about God’s work in her every day life - even though she doesn’t have the life experience of these old folks here, she wants to be open to Gods teaching and correction.
After the ‘concert’ we gave out some candies and talked to the people. We also went into the rooms to visit the ones that are bedridden. Many were surprised by the willingness of those young people to go into the world, even to this small town in the east of Russia, to share about Gods love for the world.
God has not forgotten these people! Maybe no one else cares, but God does. Each soul is dear to him. We want to bring some hope into this place of shadow and sadness. I believe as we continue to visit our friends here they will understand that God loves and cares about them.