Time for blessing!

When you’ve found yourself in a difficult situation, what is the number one thing you need?

When you’re not sure what to do for the best, what are the first steps needed to make a decision?

Very often, what we need most is another person’s time. Time to talk things over, get clarity and another person’s perspective, then, that difficult situation becomes a bit less of a burden – it is shared – even if they’ve no advice to offer, taking the time to listen can lighten the load. Another person’s perspective can help us come to a decision then the moving forward can begin - knowing you are no longer alone because somebody else cares.

Giving time may sound like an incredibly simple act, and it is. But, for lots of us with busy lives, time is a commodity and one of our most precious resources. What we choose to do with it affects our whole lives!

When Love Russia representatives visit our co-workers, our friends in Russia, the number one thing we find ourselves doing is taking time to listen, talking things over with our Mentors, helping them make decisions.

When young people who’ve been abandoned and neglected all throughout their childhood finally get the opportunity to be around adults who care, they just desperately want their time, to be listened to and to be helped . It’s this first step that is crucial to begin the change of knowing they are loved.

On a recent visit to Russia, volunteer Ian came back and told us… “What struck me most was that our Russian friends want time - our time to help and encourage them . Money is very useful too, but it is the precious commodity of the giving of our time to help them that they really value – time to encourage them, time to understand them, time to build better understanding, time to develop friendships, time to become friends – I felt they really appreciated the efforts we gave in encouraging them through the projects”.

And it feels good to give – here’s why. Proverbs 11:25-26 says ‘Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered’…That is, in giving time, we ourselves are blessed!

Ian went on to say… “I believe Pastor Slava’s vision through Serve the City is a way of building these relationships. I did go out to Ryazan in the hope that God would make me useful but I will admit that I did not for one moment think I would be so encouraged and receive the way I did”.

If giving your time by volunteering with Love Russia is something you would be interested in next year, please get in touch so that as and when projects emerge we may contact you with news.