By John Stenen When Russia became a communist nation in 1917, among the many who were tortured, persecuted relentlessly, and murdered were the Christians. I read the story of one young man who was arrested when he was just twenty years old and spent the majority of his life in a Russian prison camp because he was a Christian. When released he said, “I feel like a stone that has been hurled out of hell.” It is hard for us to imagine the horrors so many endured under communist rule. The sad thing is that so many in our nation today believe communism and socialism is the way to go. I wish they would study the communist and socialist rulers who have murdered millions and millions of their own people to keep them in line, and have destroyed all freedoms and privileges of those they rule over; and the people live in constant fear.
One of the reasons the Church of Jesus Christ has expanded in Russia is because they noticed the Christians, over-all were hard workers & honest, and they were not drunk like so much of the population; so they moved them throughout Russia and as they went, they shared the gospel everywhere. Of course the true Christians were in the ‘underground Churches.’ Just think of what life would be like in our nation when all the Christians are taken out when Christ comes for His own. I would encourage you to watch the movie,’Left Behind.’ God bless.
HOPE
The other day, I was in the grocery store checking out when I heard an excited voice behind me say, “We only have one thing.” I turned to see an adorable, bright-eyed, tousled-haired little boy. He excitedly smiled at me, showing one adult front tooth growing in, and said, “It’s cake!”
He brought joy to my heart, and I asked him what kind of cake. He replied, “A Black Panther cake.” I said, “Oh, is it your birthday today?” His mother said, “No, it’s tomorrow, but this is for him to share at school tomorrow.” As I continued to scan my items, I asked him how old he was (7) and what his favorite part of school was (recess, of course) and wished him a happy birthday. He was so overflowing with excitement and hope for tomorrow, it made me think of how lucky he is to be safe and secure with the ability to bring a special treat to his classroom the next day in celebration of his birthday. Some are fortunate enough to have the resources to get a cake for all their classmates, and some are less lucky and hope for food on the table each night.
HOPE… It is such a small word, but it can mean so much. At the United Way of Southwest Minnesota, our focus is on creating hope in our community with our work and that of our partner agencies. With your support, we can provide hope to those in need.
Our annual campaign, themed “Raise your hand!” is currently underway. What inspires you to get involved and raise your hand? Is it your desire to help others, give back to the community, or create hope for the future? The list of needs within our community is endless, including food insecurity, homelessness, early childhood education, and much more.
Even small actions can have a significant impact. Each one can make a significant difference. Help can be through a donation, volunteering your time, or inviting others to volunteer with you. Your support can help us create positive change that affects everyone in our community.
We encourage you to join us, get involved, and raise your hand to bring hope to our community, just like the young boy who was so excited to share his cake the next day. Because change doesn’t happen alone, with your help, there’s HOPE.
Meg Louwagie, CEO - United Way of Southwest Minnesota
