April Newsletter

Dear Friend,

We see God working on behalf of our children each day. He is moving mountains to meet their needs for safety, medical care, and most of all, their need to belong in a family.

Last month I shared with you about our Stanislavs and how after five years with us, God provided a family. He will have a permanent, specialized foster family from Latvia. They are well-trained to work with his medical and special needs. Stanislavs immediately named them “Mama and Papa.” We have visited him in the home twice, and he is doing so well. He has a new, older brother with similar challenges, and theyget along well.

Our little Tina has found a foster family in Latvia. In the year she has been with us, she has grown from a timid, easily frightened child to one who can play and laugh. She celebrated her fourth birthday with us on April 1, and shortly afterwards, her family arrived to take her home.

Our Ukrainian families are doing well. There was a need for new furniture for one family in April, and God provided through the Sparrow’s Nest and our faithful partners. The family wrote their own thank you letter for me to share with you . . .

“Hello, dear friends! Our family is very grateful for all the support and help you have given us. This year has not been easy for us. It was hard financially, physically, and emotionally. It is frightening when war comes to your country and your whole life must fit into one suitcase. It is scary when you have no answers to give your children. It is frightening to flee to another country and not know how things will work out. But our hearts are full of gratitude to God for carrying us in His arms in this difficult time, and we thank you for your open hearts, your acceptance, your patience, and your financial help. All this is a manifestation of God’s love on this earth. We also ask you not to stop praying for Ukraine, where there is so much pain and grief right now. May the Lord richly bless your families and homes, and may your hearts be filled with His peace. From Sergey and Margarita and family.”

Our God is faithful! He has given us His Word to lead us, comfort us, and give us wisdom and understanding. We thank God every day that He is as Psalm 68:5,6 records: “A Father of the fatherless, and a Judge of the widows . . . God sets the solitary in families; He brings out those which are bound with chains . . . .”

What a promise for all those we are believing God to place into families and all those whom we are praying to be set free from chains of deception and darkness. There are many situations in our lives today where we are helpless to make a change, but God is working on our behalf.

April 18, 2023

There is a story of a father and his young son who went out to work together. The father operated a large bulldozer, and his little son was ready to help him. The five-year-old boy came out with his shovel and pail determined to help his father move a huge mountain of dirt. His father invited him to join him on the bulldozer, but his son wanted to do it himself. About midday, the father stopped for lunch and found his son dirty, sweaty, and discouraged. With all his efforts, he had accomplished very little.

The wise father listened and then repeated his invitation to join him on the giant bulldozer. This time, his child joyfully accepted the father’s offer, and they moved that mountain of dirt together by the close of the workday. The father-and-son team rejoiced and went home satisfied that the job was done.

Our relationship with God is much the same! He invites us to trust that He is the Father and well able to find families and set the captives free. He invites us to place our faith in Him and trust Him as we work together. He has the power, and working together with faith and trust, the mountains we are facing will be moved!

Thank you for your prayers and support of the Sparrow’s Nest. You are a part of God’s bulldozer, helping to removemountains and change the landscape for orphaned and abandoned children in Latvia and Ukraine. We are praying for you and your mountains, knowing that God is faithful. Let us encourage each other to persevere in faith and trust for the answers!

With love in Christ,

Alissa Stemple