So did a faithful partner who committed to pray for these children
Let me explain below.
A dozen years ago my wife and I visited a home for abandoned gypsy children who lived on the streets of Arad, Romania. We met an 11-year-old girl and her 8-year-old brother. Their mother had died and their alcoholic Roma father tried to get rid of them by locking them inside the shed they lived in and setting the shed on fire. Rescued, these precious children were later found by the police, rummaging through a garbage dump for food. The police took them to a State Centre, and looked for urgent placement because of their difficult situation.
Much younger, this header photo of Michael and Elizabeth appeared in one of our newsletters years ago.
The next day our Romanian partner, Laura, picked them up. After hearing their harrowing story, we included their picture in our newsletter.
At a Mission to Children banquet several years later, we placed pictures of children at each table along with their stories. A person on our national prayer team took home the picture of these siblings and put it on her desk. Each time she saw their picture, she remembered to pray for them. Recently, she asked how they are doing.
We checked with that Romanian partner—and the news was so good! God heard and answered the prayers of a person who cared enough to pray often for these two children. Here is the report:
“The children are both doing well. The brother, in his late teens, lives in an apartment and takes care of himself, working and paying for his rent and utilities. He attends church where he plays drums on the worship team.
His sister married an entrepreneur. She is happy and well taken care of.
She recently visited us and asked my opinion of her working with children. I told her I thought she could do it. I wrote a recommendation to help her get training to work with children.
I feel blessed telling you all this.”
And we rejoice with Laura that these once abandoned children are following Christ today and At his church, Michael smiles for a photo.learning to imitate His character. (It reminds me of these words from the hymn Amazing Grace: “I once was lost, but now am found …”)
God doesn’t always let us see such direct answers to our prayers like this one for these Romanian siblings. But in heaven we may be astounded to know how God worked through our prayers on earth! So if you are praying for someone, keep praying. God placed that person on your heart for a reason.
We thank God for the supporters who have committed to this ministry over the decades! It’s this long-term commitment that enables children like “Michael” and “Elizabeth” to flourish. Laura demonstrated God’s love to them over the years, and donors prayed for them.
Will you please pray for God’s continuing blessing within and through the Mission to Children? As you pray and support God’s work through this ministry, you directly share in the blessing of seeing God act—this is what gives us joy, to share with you what God has performed by His great might.
You may ask what our staff is praying for these days. Because of our need for committed godly supporters, we’re praying for the fulfillment of Malachi 3:10 through the ministries of Mission to Children.
“Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and prove Me now in this,” Says the LORD of Hosts, “If I will not open the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it.”
For God’s glory and pleasure in all we do,
John “Skip” Garmo, PhD
President
