пятница, февраля 26, 2010
вторник, февраля 23, 2010
A sweet, beautiful picture
It's no secret that alcoholism is a huge problem in Ukraine. It saddens my heart to watch drunk men try to hold each other up as they stumble down the sidewalks or worse the intoxicated man who has fallen down in the cold without a friend and now can't seem to get back up and passersby stare but don't help. Sometimes the situation seems hopeless and statistics tell you things will get worse before they get better, but today a friend shared a story that encouraged me.
He called and said “Lori, today I saw a sweet, beautiful picture.” I waited for him to tell me of watching the sunrise over the Dnepr River or the way the rain had frozen on the trees and made everything sparkle. [both of which are beautiful pictures that God paints here in Ukraine] He continued, "I was in line to buy bread and the guy behind me...he's like a teenager, but tall. I don't know how old. And he asks to buy alcohol and the lady, the cashier, says ‘show me you identification, please.’ And he says ‘I don't have identification’ and she says ‘how old are you?’ and he says ‘18’ and she says ‘I need to see your id.’ Lori, I'm just so proud. It was so pretty, really. I have never seen this before. And I thought this never happens. It just made my day."
I have never seen a person carded in Ukraine for buying alcohol. I have a friend who tells me she’s been buying alcohol for her dad since she was eight years old and no one has ever questioned her. I thank God for the cashier in Kyiv who loved this young man enough to not sell him whatever he was attempting to purchase. I thank God for the pride she gave my friend for his country—someone enforcing GOOD laws. And I thank Him for the hope that he restored in me and the reminder that, as cheesy as it may sound, together we can make a difference. As the cashier enforces laws, as we obey them, as I tell my friends, as you pray, as they educate--God can [and will] use us to bring hope to the seemingly hopeless :o)
That IS a sweet, beautiful picture.
He called and said “Lori, today I saw a sweet, beautiful picture.” I waited for him to tell me of watching the sunrise over the Dnepr River or the way the rain had frozen on the trees and made everything sparkle. [both of which are beautiful pictures that God paints here in Ukraine] He continued, "I was in line to buy bread and the guy behind me...he's like a teenager, but tall. I don't know how old. And he asks to buy alcohol and the lady, the cashier, says ‘show me you identification, please.’ And he says ‘I don't have identification’ and she says ‘how old are you?’ and he says ‘18’ and she says ‘I need to see your id.’ Lori, I'm just so proud. It was so pretty, really. I have never seen this before. And I thought this never happens. It just made my day."
I have never seen a person carded in Ukraine for buying alcohol. I have a friend who tells me she’s been buying alcohol for her dad since she was eight years old and no one has ever questioned her. I thank God for the cashier in Kyiv who loved this young man enough to not sell him whatever he was attempting to purchase. I thank God for the pride she gave my friend for his country—someone enforcing GOOD laws. And I thank Him for the hope that he restored in me and the reminder that, as cheesy as it may sound, together we can make a difference. As the cashier enforces laws, as we obey them, as I tell my friends, as you pray, as they educate--God can [and will] use us to bring hope to the seemingly hopeless :o)
That IS a sweet, beautiful picture.
пятница, февраля 19, 2010
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