Kidstown International

Praying for our Kids

Dear Kidstown Friends,

We have the opportunity not only to help our orphans in practical ways, but also to
pray for them. God can do far more than we can ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20) and
He beckons us to engage on our knees for the sake of these little ones that He
created, loves, and has such great plans for. A few key requests to pass along
today:

1. Pray for our orphans’ physical, mental, and emotional development and health.
Especially during the summer season it can be very hot and, in India and Nepal, very
wet due to the monsoon rains.

2. Pray that each child will discover Jesus in a real and personal way, that they
will grow in their faith, and that they will move forward in accordance with God’s
plan for their lives.

3. Pray for the orphanage leaders: that God will give them strength and
encouragement, that He will provide for all their needs, that He will give them
wisdom and love, and that He will sustain their zeal and passion for this ministry
that He has entrusted to them.

4. Pray for our orphanages in India and Nepal, some of which are beginning to feel
heightened levels of negative pressure, from the surrounding society, due to their
Christian faith. This is due in part to a right-wing Hindu movement that is
currently underway.

5. In a special way, please pray for one of our orphans which has been hospitalized
due to unknown severe abdominal pain and vomiting. Pray that God will give the
doctors wisdom, and that He will bring this young lady back to full health soon.

Thanks for praying!

A Cave and a Bottlecap

Over the last two weeks I’ve had the opportunity to visit 16 orphanages in Nepal and Romania. The countries are different, the languages are different, the food is different. But ironically, many of the stories are the same.

The stories of kids coming out of situations of severe poverty, broken families, and abandonment. The stories of kids who are unwanted and unloved, and who have seen and experienced far more tragedy than anyone their age ever should.

Take for example, Gigi, Gabriela, and Ionut. They are happy kids, running around, playing, loving summer BBQs, and trying to capture the camera’s shutter. These kids seem like normal kids, and to a degree they are. But it wasn’t always so.

You see, not long ago these kids lived in a situation so miserable that it may be difficult to accept it as true. They lived with their mom and dad in a small village. Their parents were unemployed, save for occasional manual labor or scraping out a few Romanian Lei in whatever other ways were possible.

Their living conditions were anything but luxurious. For a time (try to wrap your head around this) they lived in a hand-dug hole in the side of a hill, with a sheet of plastic to cover the opening and to provide protection from the wind, rain, and cold.

Their nutrition was akin to their accommodations. So meager was the children’s food intake that teachers at the local school took it upon themselves to gather food for the kids. One day, when the kids came to school, a teacher asked them what they ate the day prior. One child responded that his mom had milked the dog, and each of them had received a capful.

Not only was their economic, living, and nutritional situation abhorrent, but, adding injury to insult, their dad was an alcoholic. This was a habit which was surely exacerbated by the grinding poverty which was their daily existence.

But instead of directing his frustration in a healthy direction, such as working hard to support his family, he turned to the bottle, and to violent outbursts against his wife and small children.

One day he returned home, very drunk. Seeing his wife, two small children in her arms and one in tow, his rage trigger was pulled. Grabbing a wooden pole from the garden, he made for his wife with the intent of beating her with this his weapon of choice.

Recognizing the approaching threat, she fled to a neighbor’s for refuge. He followed. In a brief altercation between the two, she was able to wrest the pole away from him and, with one well-placed blow to the head, killed him. And all the while the children watched.

From this hell the children were rescued, placed into the safety and care of a Christian orphanage which is committed to caring for children, to sharing the Gospel with them, and to helping them to be and become all that God has planned for them.

But this process takes time. Kids like Gigi, Gabriela, and Ionut are shell-shocked when they arrive. So bad was Gigi’s trauma that he was unable to speak. But with patience, love, and persistence, Gigi’s speech returned, and the three children began to come out of the shells into which they had so deeply withdrawn.

The road ahead may not be easy for them. How does a child (or an adult for that matter) process such things as they have experienced? But, with the dedication of the orphanage staff, mixed with God’s mercy and grace, we believe that these kids’ futures will be (and are!) bright.

How can you participate in this process of bringing life out of the destruction in these kids’ lives?

1. You can pray. Your prayers will move the hand of Him on their behalf, bringing the hope and healing that they so desperately need.

2. You can reach out. A simple letter or postcard once or twice a year can make a deep and lasting impact on these young people, conveying a message that you care.

3. You can faithfully and generously support. By standing financially with our orphanages, you become an active participant in their three-fold mission of rescue, restore, and release.

4. You can participate for the first-time. If you have been reading and watching from the sidelines, maybe today is the day to step into the world of a kid like Gigi. Sponsorship is an easy and effective way to help. We have many kids that are waiting for a family like yours to to reach out and care for them. To meet some of our kids, please click on www.kidstown.org/children.

These are lives we are talking about. They are worth investing in. Thanks to each of you for doing just that.

The Chicken Challenge

Dear Kidstown Friends,

Northeast Romania is beautiful: gently rolling hills, lush forests, narrow tracts of corn, wheat, or berries, and small, picturesque villages tucked away here and there adjacent to the winding road.

It is in one of these little villages that our story unfolds. Stephan and his wife are from this area: born and raised. Stephan worked for years as a forest ranger for the area’s forestry and wildlife department. Fox, wolves, deer, and even wild boar were part of his sphere. He and his wife led a simple but good life. They had three children, now grown and gone. They faithfully attended the local church, serving in various ways. They have the gift of hospitality, opening the doors of their home over the years to guests from around the world.

P1000920 They are now retired. But to them that doesn’t mean endless games of golf and lounging in arm chairs. To them it means “re-gear” and “re-focus” and they are diligently endeavoring to serve the Lord in other ways such as reaching out to seniors in an old folks home,…and raising chickens for orphans.

About an hour-and-a-half from Stephan’s home is the city of Botosani, a 75,000 strong community not far from the borders of Moldova and Ukraine. Tucked back on a side street is the Casa Ioana, a Christian orphanage led by Cristi and Alina, a wonderful, dedicated couple who are giving 100% effort to serve the 18 kids in their care, to love them, to educate them, to raise them up in the ways of the Lord, and to prepare them to be productive Romanian as well as Kingdom citizens.

Somewhere along the line Cristi met Stephan. Cristi had a need: kids that need nutritious food so that they can grow and develop normally. Stephan had a solution: he offered to raise chickens for the orphans, using his land, time, and experience to generate crops of healthy birds which, in turn, will bless the kids!

In Matthew 25:35-36 Jesus said, “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”

Stephan is doing just this by using his time and talents to give orphans something to eat. And as noble and heart-warming as this is, the lesson here extends to each one of us as well. We are called to live life not only for ourselves. God calls us to reach out and help others. Exactly who, where, and how may vary, but the important thing is that each of us actively engages in sharing the love of Jesus with others in practical ways.

P1000905 Maybe this means sponsoring an orphan in India, or giving funds so that a chicken farm can be started at another orphanage here in Romania. Maybe it means coordinating with a group in your church and sending a care package to an orphanage in Nepal. Again, the important thing is to find a way to reach out, and then to do it!

This is part of our calling. Part of who we are. Sharing His love with others, just like Stephan is doing. The chicken challenge: are you up for it?

Orphan to Orphan

Dear Kidstown Friends,

Meet Vasile. He is one of our orphanage directors in Romania. Not only is he a committed Christian and father-figure to over a dozen orphans, he also has a unique story which I think you’ll like to hear.

P1000833

You see, a long time ago Vasile and his three siblings lived a normal childhood. One day, however, their mom died due to cancel. Not long after their dad fell into a well and likewise perished, leaving four orphans behind.

Two of the kids went to live with relatives. Vasile and his older brother each went to live with a local pastor. Sounds OK, right? It would have been except that Vasile’s pastor treated him as a servant instead of a son, even relegating him to live in a barn for the next four years!

At the end of this time, both Vasile and his brother were moved to a large
government orphanage to live. Vasile was 10 at this time. This orphanage housed 1,200 children, and although vastly inferior to the life he once knew with his mom and dad, was ironically superior to living in a barn.

The next four years were spent there at the orphanage. Having been given the gift of the Gospel before the death of their parents, Vasile and his brother endeavored to keep the flames of faith alive. They would sneak out of the orphanage each Sunday morning, escaping to the nearby church so they could worship. On their way back “home” after the service, they would stop by the roadside and say a prayer in anticipation of what awaited them when they returned.

Monday mornings at the orphanage often resulted in Vasile and his brother being singled out, ridiculed for their faith (remember that this was during the time of Communism in Romania), and finally being beaten by both orphans and orphanage staff. The hardest part of all, however, was that never a smile, never an encouraging word, were ever cast Vasile’s way by the staff.

But they endured. And held to their faith. Vasile grew up, moved on with life, and started a family of his own. Then, in 1995, God brought an opportunity his way to which he could not say no: an orphanage of his own.

Things were coming full circle. God was giving Vasile a chance to pour into another generation of kids who, like him once upon a time, were suffering much. And so he embraced the opportunity. But instead of housing these kids in a barn, he gives them a clean, safe, and happy place to live. Instead of ridiculing them, he instead points them to Jesus and encourages them to follow Him. Instead of scowling at them, he draws them close, assuring them of his love for them.

Full circle. The pain and suffering Vasile experienced God used for good, and continues to.

When you think about our orphanages, think about the kids. But think also about those behind the kids. It’s these extremely high quality people, like Vasile, that we have the honor of working alongside with! As you think of them, why not whisper a prayer on their behalf? That God would strengthen them, help them, sustain them, and enable them to carry on the important work He has given them to do. Many thanks!

Shaken and Unshakable

P1000468 We live in a world of uncertainties. Uncertain political situations. Uncertain economics. Uncertainties in the natural realm, such as the earthquakes in Nepal. Life is full of uncertainties. And yet, in the midst of all these, there is One who is certain.

P1000742 Yesterday, while sitting in a church in Western Romania, we witnessed two of our orphans declare publicly their commitment to follow Jesus by way of baptism. And as they did, they took a step in the direction of Him who is unshakable.

I think there is a lesson for all of us here: to realize that the world we live in is very unstable, very uncertain; yet the God we serve is very stable and very certain! Psalm 62:6 says, “He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.”

P1000745 May we all be encouraged and challenged to, like our Romanian orphans, put our trust and faith in the One who will never fail us, never falter, never shift or shake. If He is our Center, our Foundation, our Fortress, then no matter what storm or trial comes our way we can say, along with David, “I shall not be shaken”!

The Widow’s Mite

Dear Kidstown Friends,

Many of you are familiar with the account of the “widow’s mite”, recorded in Luke 21:1-4. Yesterday this took on new meaning for me.

This last Sunday our pastor spoke on Biblical stewardship: the reasoning, rationale, and Biblical basis for the giving of tithes and offerings and their uses within the context of the church. He spoke of God’s blessing of, and provision for, His children. He handled the topic well.

As he spoke, however, I felt something shift uneasily deep within my heart. I believe the promises found in Psalm 34:8-10 that the Lord is good, that those who fear Him lack nothing, and that those who seek the Lord lack no good thing. I have experienced the fulfillment of these promises personally. Here’s my tension, however: I often travel to places like India, Nepal, or Romania – and I know of many situations where Christians barely have enough to survive…sometimes not enough to even keep their children, thus they send them to an orphanage to live. I’m not saying that God is unfaithful to His Word, but I just don’t understand how it all really works. Why does my family have sufficient but they don’t?

That was Sunday when our pastor spoke on this topic. Fast forward two days: Tuesday. I’m sitting at the dinner table with my family. Conversation shifts to this topic and my wife and I struggle with it. My daughter, now 11, sits quietly by as she listens to us discuss something which she (and we!) cannot understand.

So – I come home yesterday and notice an envelope sitting on my desk. Curious, I pick it up and begin reading the hand-written script pencilled onto a couple of sticky-notes attached to the front. What these notes conveyed was that, inside that envelope, was some money to be given to a missionary or poor Christian family in India. I discovered moments later that this offering was given by my daughter. I further came to find out that she had deposited into that envelope all of her savings that she had accumulated over the last nine years. She retained none of it for herself. And it that were not enough, later in the evening, with a tear rolling down her cheek, she asked me if she should give more because she knew there are people who have nothing.

Dear friends – this is the widow’s mite that Jesus spoke of in Luke 21. Compared to the budgets of many churches and corporations its nothing…but to Jesus, its everything. She gave everything she had, and I guarantee that Jesus will multiply those dollars like he did the loaves & fishes; using her little to do great things.

Why is it that an 11-year-old is teaching me such a profound lesson? Her generosity and her faith have surely surpassed mine. They likewise point to God at work in a young and responsive heart, and He will surely reward her for what she has done.

And He (Jesus) said, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all of them; for they all out of their surplus put into the offering; but she out of her poverty put in all that she had to live on.”

May this be a challenge to all of us today. There are lots of people all around us and all around the world that are in need: physically, emotionally, spiritually. God calls us to be generous, the type of generosity that is fueled by faith; faith that believes that God can take the little we offer and can do GREAT things with it to bring help, give hope, and ultimately advance His Kingdom.

A Mother’s Prayer

Dear Kidstown Friends,

In 1 Samuel 1:9-11 it says “So Hannah arose…and prayed to the Lord…and said, “O Lord of hosts, if you …will give your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life.”

Yesterday we left behind the urban sprawl of Hyderabad, India’s fourth largest city of nearly 9 million inhabitants. A leader in the area of technology, Hyderabad occupies center stage in what has become known as the “Silicon Valley” of India. Western tech firms, modern hotels, wide expressways, and a world-class international airport all greet those inbound to Hyderabad. But our journey left all this behind, in favor of a more out-of-the-way destination. Centered in a small village of predominantly Muslim and Hindu families, the Divine Children Home is unassuming, yet is being used by God in great ways. A small, family-style orphanage, the Divine Children Home is “home” to nine abandoned or destitute children; a place where they receive love, care, an education, the Gospel, and a 2nd chance at life.

As we spent time with the children, the leaders, and a few native missionaries (which had come to meet us), a theme began to form. Listening to the missionaries as they related their backgrounds and how they became involved in ministry, I found it interesting that two of them (David and Rama) made mention of their mother’s prayers. Both mothers prayed, in one fashion or another, for their sons to be used by God in ministry. And God heard those prayers and has indeed deployed these men as His witnesses, using them powerfully to shine His light among unreached peoples.

What’s the theme? Simply this: there is power in a mother’s prayer. Many of you sponsor orphans here in India, or in Nepal, or in Romania. In a sense, these orphans have become part of your family. You help supply much-needed financial resources that provide them with food, clothing, and shelter. You reach out to them in friendship, conveying to them via letters, cards, or small gifts that they are loved. At times you encourage them in their faith, assuring them that what they have in Christ is of utmost value and worth. But, can I ask a question? Do you regularly pray for your orphan?

Think about Samuel’s mom (I Samuel 1), or about David’s mom, or about Rama’s mom. They are no different than you. They loved their sons, just like you love your sponsored orphan. They wanted the best for their sons, just like you want the best for your orphan. They prayed to the Lord for their sons…and God responded by using Samuel in a great way, and is also using David and Rama in great ways. These mother’s prayers proved to be very effective!

So, speaking to all you moms out there: you’ve “adopted” an orphan. You know their name, where they live, and a bit about them. Maybe you have their photo on your fridge or on a corkboard. You are engaged at least to some level in their lives. My challenge to you, however, is this: will you commit to regularly praying for them? Will you pray that God will help them today and give them hope for tomorrow? Will you pray that God will draw them to Christ and grow them in their faith? Will you pray that God will help them to become all that He has planned for them (Jeremiah 29:11)? Will you pray that God will deploy them one day as His witnesses and that they will boldly stand for Christ, no matter what their situation, location, or vocation?

The power of a praying mom cannot be underestimated. Too often it is. It’s time to bring it back to the surface and to request all you praying moms out there to do what Hannah did, to do what David’s mom did, to do what Rama’s mom did, and by so doing unleash God’s power and work in the lives of your sponsored orphans, with the anticipation that God WILL do great things for, in, and through them.

Thanks for praying!

Sincerely,

Matthew

Memorial and Encouragement

Dear Friends,

Alesd - Tamas Tari Today I received the sad news that one of our orphans (actually he was already grown-up and left the orphanage) died recently due to blood cancer. This comes as a shock to all of us. John (name changed for privacy) would have turned 23 years old next month. The first time I met John was in the year 2000…he was only 8 years old at the time. Over the years we saw him grow up into a young man (see photo on left: John in September of 2010). Only about 18-months ago did he “graduate” from the orphan home, moving out to begin life as an independent adult.

And now, just as life should be ramping up for John, it ended. Why? We don’t know. That answer is held by the One who knows all things. But two lessons we can take away from this sad occurrence:

1. Live your life to the fullest each and every day. Keep things in perspective, love well those close to you, enjoy the blessings of each day (even the small ones!), and reach out to others, sharing a bit of God’s love with them. Remember, we are not assured of tomorrow…we only have today. So…”live it up” today!

2. Be assured of your eternity. The Bible is clear that now (while we live on the earth) is the time for each of us to decide about our eternity (see Hebrews 9:27, John 3:16-18). Once we cross the line from life to death, our decision cannot be reversed. Being sure of our eternity is of utmost importance.

So, a sad day today with the news of the passing of one of “our kids”. Let’s take this opportunity to grieve for a moment for a life cut short, but also to be challenged to live life to the fullest and to be sure of our eternity.

Thanks, and God bless each of you.

Christmas Greeting from Romania

Dear Kidstown Friends,

I just received the below message from one of our orphanage leaders in Romania. What he said needs to be forwarded to each of you due to your dedicated efforts to help our orphans in Romania, India, and Nepal. May the Lord richly bless each of you as you read this.

Lupeni2 “With God’s help we approach the end of this year. It rained a lot lately, but now the falling rain turned into large flakes of snow and the sky adorns the decor and prepares the stage for the feast of the Nativity. Children pull aside the curtains of the windows and watch with joy and enthusiasm as the white coat clothes the earth, and then they dress for celebration, find their place on the stage next to the Christmas tree and the moon and stars, singing with angelic voices of praise and thanksgiving to the Child born in a manger.

Lupeni1 Joy continues with the arrival of Santa distributing gifts, healing the wounds of suffering and bringing many smiles on the faces of all. We thank God for their joy, for rooms that are heated, for clothes they can wear, for every-day bread that is not missing from the table. Also, we thank God for you, that you are full of love and compassion for our children in the orphanage and those from poor families. We are confident that one day the Lord will tell you: “Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me.’ May God reward you, bless you, and the feast of the Nativity and the New Year bring you joy and peace.”

A very Merry Christmas to each one of you. May the Lord richly bless you, sustain you, and prosper you, so that you may serve Him in the New Year.

Our sincere thanks to all of you,

Matthew, and the Kidstown Leadership Team.

Thankful on Thanksgiving Day

Dear Kidstown Friends,

Today is Thanksgiving Day in the United States, a time when we reflect on what we are thankful for. Family, friends, freedom, and so much more come to mind. This Thanksgiving, I would like to express my thankfulness for, and to, each one of you!

1. To our orphanage leaders: I am thankful for your faithfulness to God’s call on your life to reach out and care for orphan children. I am thankful for your commitment, your service, your humility, and for the Christlike example you set for the rest of us.

2. To our sponsor, donors, and prayer-partners: I am thankful for your faith and courage to reach out to help those whom you may never meet in-person. I am thankful for your generosity, commitment to prayer, and for your faithful support of Kidstown. Without each one of you, we could not do what is being done.

3. To our regional administrators in Romania, India, and Nepal: I am thankful for each one of you, for the crucial role you play in administering the work on the ground-level. I am thankful for your sincerity and good-will, and for availing yourselves so that the orphanages can continue to receive much-needed support.

4. To our US staff: I am thankful for your tireless, and often unrecognized, efforts to advocate, administrate, and keep the engine running on the home front. You are investing your time, skills, and efforts to help many kids, and God surely sees and will reward you.

5. To our Kidstown leadership team: I am thankful for your commitment to the Kidstown vision at-large, for your faith demonstrated by your willingness to follow God’s lead, and for your unwavering commitment to helping “the least of these”.

This Thanksgiving I am thankful for each of you; for all of you!

Sincerely,

Matthew

Dr. Matthew Smith
Executive Director
Kidstown International