Masha first started attending our church about a year and a half ago. She has a daughter about Nastia's age, and we sometimes passed each other on our path to and from the nursery. Beyond a brief introduction, "hi, I'm.." and the standard greetings that follow when you undressing or dressing you little one in a snow suit, I didn't really know her. This past fall she joined my prayer group. I was immediately touched by her openness and her humility. She comes from a very difficult background. Her mother had been raised in an orphanage and knew very little about love and nurturing, her father disappeared when she was still an toddler. Like so many in her generation, Masha got lost in the system after the USSR fell, and became addicted to drugs. By the time she joined our church, she had already been saved and delivered from drug addiction. In one of the miracles that prove God's love is everlasting, she carried and gave birth to a beautiful, healthy, bright baby girl, while she was still using drugs.
It was in our prayer group, that she shared for the first time that her husband is still a drug addict. We began to pray for him, and for the last three months he hasn't missed one church service or small group meeting. (they also attend small group for couples). Squeezed inside a dilapidated one room apartment, they live in literal poverty. Due to years of drug use, Masha's husband is now considered handicap and unable to work. Having a preschooler prevents Masha from getting a full time job. To put it bluntly, she has every reason to be down and bitter, and distressed. But you never hear her complain, she always has a gentle joy in her eyes. She doesn't allow herself self-pity. She just reminds herself of how God has already saved her from so much.
After the New Year, she discovered that she was expecting another baby. Despite her difficult situation, she accepted her pregnancy with pure joy. This morning she called and told me she had lost the baby. The Lord worked it in such a way, that I was just a few feet from her apartment when she called, and I was able to rush to her immediately. We prayed and cried together. As always, I was touched by her calm acceptance of God's perfect plan in her life. As I left I sent the word out to the other ladies in our group to be supporting her in prayer. I was overwhelmed by the response. Immediately the other sisters started calling, asking how they could help, suggesting all sorts of ways to support her not just emotionally, but in practical ways, like keeping her preschooler for a few days, preparing meals. I noticed that everyone that offered their help would be sacrificing their own convenience, changing plans, or giving up something to reach out to Masha. It was a beautiful example of the church.
Sometimes we get discouraged by religion, by churches and programs, and brothers and sisters that let us down or hurt us. Sometimes we get disillusioned. And then something like this tragedy comes along, and we see Christ's bride, doing what she was created to do, and it's beautiful.
It was in our prayer group, that she shared for the first time that her husband is still a drug addict. We began to pray for him, and for the last three months he hasn't missed one church service or small group meeting. (they also attend small group for couples). Squeezed inside a dilapidated one room apartment, they live in literal poverty. Due to years of drug use, Masha's husband is now considered handicap and unable to work. Having a preschooler prevents Masha from getting a full time job. To put it bluntly, she has every reason to be down and bitter, and distressed. But you never hear her complain, she always has a gentle joy in her eyes. She doesn't allow herself self-pity. She just reminds herself of how God has already saved her from so much.
After the New Year, she discovered that she was expecting another baby. Despite her difficult situation, she accepted her pregnancy with pure joy. This morning she called and told me she had lost the baby. The Lord worked it in such a way, that I was just a few feet from her apartment when she called, and I was able to rush to her immediately. We prayed and cried together. As always, I was touched by her calm acceptance of God's perfect plan in her life. As I left I sent the word out to the other ladies in our group to be supporting her in prayer. I was overwhelmed by the response. Immediately the other sisters started calling, asking how they could help, suggesting all sorts of ways to support her not just emotionally, but in practical ways, like keeping her preschooler for a few days, preparing meals. I noticed that everyone that offered their help would be sacrificing their own convenience, changing plans, or giving up something to reach out to Masha. It was a beautiful example of the church.
Sometimes we get discouraged by religion, by churches and programs, and brothers and sisters that let us down or hurt us. Sometimes we get disillusioned. And then something like this tragedy comes along, and we see Christ's bride, doing what she was created to do, and it's beautiful.
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