Dear Friend,
What a joy it is when we see our children growing and finding success. With the help of our partners, some of our children are participating in sports and learning new skills. We had a Judo center approach us and provide one scholarship to their training sessions. One of our young boys chose to start the sessions, and at his first competition this week in the eight-years-and-under division, he won first place! His eyes tell the story of what this success means to him.
More than five years ago, K and her siblings were abandoned by their parents. Whenever feeling discouraged, K frequently mourned being discarded by her parents, believing that she was nothing but trash. However, she got involved in Latvian folk dance, and just in her second year of lessons, she has been chosen to advance to a more skilled group. She asks repeatedly, “Why did they choose me?” Her question expresses wonder and amazement that she is a good enough dancer to be chosen for this honor. K is the shortest and youngest of the four girls pictured in the second row, and this month, her group took first place in all Latvia for their dance execution and group harmony.
A is our 6-foot 4-inch, 130-pound, 17-year-old who will turn 18 years old in August. He has finished the eighth grade and is attempting to continue his studies through distance learning. This process is tedious, but he keeps at it sporadically yet with determination. Motivation and hope are hard to find on some days, so we looked for a course or certification he could achieve while pursuing his ninth-grade diploma. We enrolled him in a tractor operator course with classroom work and training in tractor driving. This month he completed the course and passed his exam. A is now a licensed tractor driver with the ability to work while he continues his studies.
Little by little and layer by layer, restoration is taking place in the lives of our children. There are many places in Scripture where God reveals Himself as the Restorer. In Psalm 23:3, the Lord restores our soul; in Joel 2:25,26, God is the One who will restore the years that the enemy has stolen; and in First Peter 5:10: “Through God’s grace after we have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”
God’s character is revealed in these verses and many others. He intends to return what was taken from us by the enemy through trauma, through the trials of life, and even through our own disobedience and mistakes. The story of the shepherd who leaves the ninety-nine sheep who are safe in the fold to go after and restore the one who is lost also speaks of His desire to restore the lost to His family. God’s love seeks restoration and healing for all of His children.
We have three new sparrows who have come to us as a result of abandonment and abuse. Abandoned by their parents who left many years ago to work in Europe, they were abused by the relative who took them into his home. The children are a tight-knit family, and though we are just getting to know them, the strength of their love for one another is clear.
We did not have room at Sparrow’s Nest for these three children when we received the call, but yet, we knew we needed to help. God gave us the confidence to take them in, and we thank you for helping to make this possible through your partnership with us. As we work and pray over the children in our care, we pray for you and for your families. Together, let us have ever-increasing faith in the God who seeks restoration for all of us. Nothing is too difficult for God!
Thank you for your support, and thank you to those who feel calledto pray for Sparrow’s Nest. Through these expressions, you are with us aswe rescue and work hand in hand with our Lord to bring restoration to the lives of children entrusted to our care.
With love in Christ,
Alissa Stemple
Prayer Requests and Special Needs:
Spring break is approaching, and we have several children who would benefit from participation in sports camps. The camps provide an opportunity to make relationships and catch up on skills. These camps average about $150.00 USD for one week of camp per child.
Please pray for additional staffing needs. We need a driver and caretakers who love children and know God.
We are glad to announce that we have a couple coming to serve as the caretakers of our farm. Their help means we will be able to produce our own eggs and produce again, and the children will be able to use the farm at any time. The farm was last used for our Ukrainian refugees, and we need to replace furniture, replenish household goods, and make repairs to the flooring in the home. The estimated cost for this is $6,000.00 USD.
Also at the farm, we will need to repair and replace parts of our tractor and some tools specific for cutting and splitting wood safely. These updates and repairs are estimated at $12,000.00 USD.
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