Dear Brothers and Sisters, November 9, 1998
It was a brisk, late-October morning in Galati, Romania. We were leaving the courtyard of the largest Orthodox cathedral in town, when two little Gypsy girls approached us. The two little ones were so sweet and so precious. Their sad eyes spoke to ours as they asked for money to buy bread. Dave Chronic, a Word Made Flesh missionary in Romania, translated for us as Phileena and I tried to communicate with these dear little ladies.
They were beautiful. Dirty skin, brown hair, and dark eyes gazed into ours, melting our hearts and exposing us to the hard life that the children on the streets are forced to face. One of the little girls was barefoot, standing on the cold pavement and begging outside a church.
Isn't that how it always is? The ones who need to be inside the church the most are the ones standing outside begging.
Later that afternoon we were in the city center when several of the street children there approached us. They knew Dave well. They all came up to him and he would take each by the hand, look into their eyes, and listen to their problems and concerns. One child wept as Dave put his arm around this boy's shoulders. The child had been beaten very badly by his drunk father and there was no one for him to turn to. On the streets, these children can't expose their emotions to the others or they would be considered weak… but Dave was there to hold and console this little man.
Another child, only 8 years old, hobbled up on crutches. He looked like a modern-day Oliver Twist. Dirty face, oversized hat, heavy coat, and sad eyes. Years earlier he had lost a leg in a tram accident. His dirty jeans were tied up just above the left knee so that the loose, empty pant leg wouldn't drag as he moved around. Dave spoke with him about his drug addiction. The child proudly announced that he hadn't used drugs since the night before… such a sad victory considering that he wasn't sure whether or not he'd use them again that night.
Later that night Dave took us down to the Danube River. It was a cold night but the fellowship was warm. Crossing the street to get to the river we were met by a little girl named Valentina. Only 9 or 10 years old and already living on the streets. Valentina asked Dave to find her a pair of pants… perhaps because she was cold and needed warm clothes, or maybe because she just wanted someone to care about her, or could it have been that she wanted something new to call her own, or could it possibly have been because she wanted to dress and look more like a boy so the sexual abuse by the other street children would stop? Whatever the reason, Valentina captured my heart. She's so small and so young, but on a brisk night she was begging at a busy intersection without a whole lot of hope. She really loves Dave and looks up to him… he may be the only male in her life that respects her and doesn't abuse her. Pray for Valentina.
Pray for the children of the world that continue to suffer injustice at the hands of an indifferent and uncompassionate world. Pray that God would use you redemptively to bring His love to these little ones.
As Thanksgiving approaches, remember to pray for those who have very little to be thankful for.
Mercy, peace, and love be yours in abundance.
A servant among the least,
Chris Heuertz