Last December a young lady named Aniko came for a visit with a small group of people from Germany. Aniko is actually Hungarian and lives in France, but she came with this particular group who had a desire to help some of the poor in România. They arrived just before Christmas with a tractor-trailer filled with food, clothing, and toys. The Romanian man here who was helping this group with the distribution called me to see if I could help. They had come with much more than he expected and he was overwhelmed. As things worked out, Heidi and I would go over to the man’s house each day and load up our van with boxes of food, clothing, and goods. Aniko and another young lady would go with us to different areas and different needy families and individuals with whom we were familiar to give away the goods.    

We arrive at a house and decide for this family or person what would be best. It goes something like this: “Ani, two elderly people live here.” Ani loads up flour, rice, beans, sugar, grits (yes, they have grits in Ro), cornmeal, detergent, soap, shampoo, and diapers (if they have small children). Then Ani asks, “With teeth or without?” and she adds a toothbrush and toothpaste if they have teeth! Oh yes, I can’t forget to say that Ani is very generous with the candy and chocolates.  She says the sweets are a very important part and the people do seem very happy to have them included.

As we get out of the van and go to a gate or a door and wait, we wonder how it will go as the door opens and we see a sad or tired face looking back at us. Then the face changes as he or she realizes that this is not a bill or a new problem to deal with, but a blessing-- someone who cares. We go in and sit down to talk for just a few minutes. We tell the people about God’s love, we give them a Christian magazine and other Christian literature, but mostly we remind them that God has not forgotten them. LOOK HERE we say--Aniko lives in France (almost none of these people have ever left the area much less gone to another country) and God, because of His love for you, sent her all this way just to bring you these things  to show you--to remind you--that He loves you and has not forgotten you. He sees where you are and what you need. We are here just delivering what He has sent. To see the faces, to see the tears of joy and gratefulness is wonderful, but there is also a sadness to hear about the hurt as they tell the story of children and family who have forgotten them.

Aniko is just one of many we have met in the last few years who has a desire to be used of God and to heed His voice. Not one of us has to be in România or some other distant land. In every city there are those in need, even just for an ear to listen to them. If you have never done anything like this, you can try it right in your own area. Is it you who needs to reach out to that person?

 Prayer requests

3) Please keep Anne, Emmy, and me in your prayers as our nest is feeling empty with our little birds flying away.