“I want my children to have a good life. I know if they are with you, everything will be fine.”

Diana
SGA Storyteller and Orphans Reborn Team in Central Asia

No; for while you are gathering up the tares, you may uproot the wheat with them. Allow both to grow together until the harvest . . . (Matthew 13:29-30). 

This story is about how the bright light of faith in children’s hearts burns in the darkness of sin and despair. Yerzhan and Ihsana’s mother grew up in an orphanage. She fell into bad company and became a drug addict. She remembers how we came to the orphanage and talked about Jesus. When we found her years later, she already had three children. Yerzhan and Ihsana are her two oldest. 

We see that their mother’s life is not going well. But the children didn’t want to choose the path of poverty, hunger, drunk company, and debauchery. We began to come to visit them and take the children for several days. Since their mother always knew us, she allowed them into our home. The children began to grow up in our environment. We teach them how to cook and take care of themselves. We try to provide them with clothes and shoes.

We call such children “social orphans.” They live without a father and with a mother who does not think of them. But now we are their family. We teach the children Bible lessons. They pray to God and dream of getting a profession. They visit villages with us and learn virtue. Yerzhan is preparing to be baptized and wants to serve on the worship team. Soon we will start teaching him to play the guitar. Ihsana is always there to sort food and clothes to help the poor. Camp season is also starting soon, and we are excited for them to grow with us. 

We are glad that they chose us as their mentors. We are honored to convey God’s love to these children. We are always in touch with their mother and share news about the children. She says, “I am so grateful to you for taking care of my children. I know that my life has become a bad example for them. But I remember everything you taught me when I was still in the orphanage. I really want my children to have a good life. I know if they are with you, everything will be fine.”

We know this is not about us, but instead about our great God. He can make the lives of these children the happiest. Please remember Yerzhan and Ihsana in your prayers. We don’t want to separate children from their mother. They love each other. The mother is trying to fight sin. Children grow up communicating with us. We believe that their mother will turn to the Lord because of the devoted faith of her children. We are working hard until the harvest season. God is in control!