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“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? . . . No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” Romans 8:35, 37 Thank you for your prayers for the persecuted church in November. Special thanks to Karen who shared with us her experience with YFC in Romania (posted on facebook and on the yfcwomen website – HATS November Blog). As we enter this month of advent we pause once more to join the YFCI family around the world as they pray and fast together on the first Monday of December. Our sister, Bukie, from YFC in Nigeria writes about the Great Rescue Mission we share. YFCI Day of Prayer and Fasting – December, 2015 As 2015 comes to a close, we welcome your thoughts, verses, prayers, poems and photos about God’s FAITHFULNESS throughout this year. -The HATS Team (www.yfcwomen.org) “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and for ever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.” Isaiah 9:6-7 |
HATS November Blog 2015
I recently had the privilege of going to Romania for staff training. The first week I was there I shadowed Coco, a staff person of YFC Romania who serves the gypsy community in southern Romania. I can tell you in all honesty that Romania broke my heart. It warmed my heart. Its people encouraged my heart.
Where do I begin? I met women who were sold to men when they were between 12 and 14 years of age. Sold for a horse or goat or whatever was decided beforehand between the families. Many of these women have endured the worst sort of neglect and abuse with no support or options for escaping their desperate situations.
I met a teenage girl, who was born with eyesight but eventually became blind due to an eye condition. There was money for the doctor but her father drank it away. She is a follower of Christ now, the only one in her family to make that decision at this point, and has a beautiful singing voice.
I met a young mother, married and with her first child at thirteen. She says that life is better where she is now, although she lives with her young husband, his parents, and his seven siblings in the midst of poverty. There is alcohol abuse and domestic violence in her new home, however, this situation is preferable to life before her marriage where she lived with her grandparents and an abusive uncle.
The children were loving and curious. Their mothers were hospitable and gracious. All of them were illiterate. They willingly opened their homes and shared with us what they had.
These beautiful women and their children have found their way into my prayers since my return to Canada at the beginning of October. I may have left Romania physically but its people remain in my heart.
Karen Bott
Eastern Region Development Coordinator
Youth For Christ, Canada
Hands Across The Seas – November, 2015
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. ” 2 Timothy 1:7
Critical thinking, conscience, and compassion – these three themes are mentioned in this month’s Day of Prayer and Fasting as we pray for the persecuted church. Please join the YFCI family around the world as they pray and fast together. We welcome your thoughts, verses, prayers, poems, and photos throughout November.
-The HATS Team (www.yfcwomen.org)
HATS October Blog 2015
This month we are trying something new – our blog is written in Italian! To translate it into your own language, please use https://translate.google.com/
“Chi potrebbe infatti disprezzare il giorno delle piccole cose, quando quei sette là, gli occhi del SIGNORE che percorrono tutta la terra, vedono con gioia il piombino in mano a Zorobabele?”
Zaccaria 4:10
In questi ultimi due anni in Italia non c’è stato nemmeno un giorno in cui i media non abbiano mostrato immagini di barche cariche di uomini e donne africani di ogni età, di gente annegata nel Mediterraneo, di navi che soccorrono gente in pericolo di vita. Il tutto condito da discussioni accese su come il Governo italiano dovrebbe gestire tale situazione.
L’arrivo dei profughi africani in Italia è un’emergenza umanitaria di proporzioni immani. I numeri cambiano ogni giorno, ma si sta parlando di migliaia e migliaia di persone di ogni età. È evidente che aldilà delle opinioni politiche su come andrebbe gestita la cosa, come cristiani abbiamo un’opportunità unica di dimostrare amore e offrire speranza a persone disperate. Come YFC Italia capiamo la nostra responsabilità verso i tanti adolescenti che sono profughi. Molti di loro hanno perso i genitori e subito forti traumi. La nostra missione è verso OGNI adolescente. In questo OGNI ci sono anche i ragazzi profughi.
Da circa un anno ho lottato molto per capire quale fosse la nostra parte. Non so voi, ma io quando mi trovo di fronte a un problema enorme, mi sembra che tutto sia inutile, al punto che quasi resto bloccata e finisco per non fare nulla. Frasi tipo “siamo una piccola organizzazione con così poche risorse!”, “Ho già tanto da fare!”, mi hanno riempito la testa per tanto tempo. In questa lotta, le parole di Zaccaria 4:10 sono state più attuali che mai. Dio non ci sta chiedendo di risolvere i problemi del mondo, ma di ubbidire quando ci chiama a partecipare alla sua opera di redenzione del mondo. E in quell’ottica anche la “piccola cosa” assume un valore enorme, perché diventa parte di un piano molto più grande di noi e della situazione stessa. Dio non ha alcun problema con le nostre “piccole cose”. A Lui interessa la nostra ubbidienza.
YFC Italia ha iniziato un programma fra i rifugiati la scorsa estate in luglio. Gli oltre 30 ragazzi che hanno partecipato non hanno affatto considerato il nostro lavoro con noi una “piccola cosa”. Anzi, l’hanno accolta come un grande regalo e qualcuno ha detto “questi sono stati i giorni più belli che ho trascorso in Italia da quando sono arrivato.” Stiamo continuando a fare “piccole cose” con un incontro settimanale per i ragazzi che arrivano ogni settimana. Possano le nostre “piccole cose” essere semi del Vangelo in questi cuori bisognosi per la gloria del Padre di ogni compassione!
Ester Montefalcone
YFC Italia