The Face I Can't Forget

I think his name is Sasha.

He was between 12 and 14 years old when I met him in 2005. He was one of many that I talked to through an interpreter that day at the boy's prison in L'viv. I have prayed many times for him and the other boys. I wrote their names down in my prayer journal. They were typical names for Ukraine: Sasha, Misha, Yura. I don't know why they were there, what crimes they had commited. Whether they ever lived in an orphanage, ran away, or lived on the street. They might have stolen some food because they were hungry. We were told that at least a couple of them had taken a life. Was it in self defense or something else? They were so hospitable and welcoming, we were their guests and we were treated as such. They spoke english to us. They asked, how far did you travel? How long did it take you to get here? Our interpreter pointed out that they wanted to please us by speaking english. They were impressed when we gave the answers. We told them, God has sent us here to tell you that He loves you. He knows your name and He has a plan for you. We told them about Christ and His sacrifice for them on the cross. That day, they were just boys, nice, mannerable boys. I felt sad for them. Not knowing whether they had a mother or not. A mother who cooked them supper, encouraged them to read, to get their education. A mother who worried about them. A mother who tried to protect them as they learned to become men. You hear stories. Stories like, one boy who wrote to his mother saying that he would be discharged soon from the prison. She wrote back saying that she had another child now and she must do all she could for this other child. How sad? What happened to him, you ask. Well, Misha at New Life Ministries who visits this prison often, took him in. He has rooms at his church where people in need can stay. Where orphans stay for the weekend, a few at the time, in order to get a broader view of the world, by going to the circus or the mountains near by.

Will I ever see him again? I don't know. Will I ever hear of what became of him? I can only hope. We asked the boys that day, What are your dreams/ hopes for the future. Their answer was so sad. They had none. My prayer is that He has Christ as Savior. That he has a safe place to sleep at night. That he is not hungry. That he is not mistreated by anyone. That he has hope.

For the grace of God has appeared,bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires,... looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus. Titus 2: 11-13