We love what so many organizations around the world are doing to help spread the gospel and demonstrate Jesus’ love to others. Once a month, we’ll be spotlighting a few of the organizations we know and love here on our blog so you can learn about their work, as well.
Let me introduce you to my boys, Tudor and Jony. I’m not their biological mother. I’m not even their adoptive mother. But God has been so good to allow us to develop a relationship that can’t be defined as anything but family.
Tudor and Jony were abandoned by their biological parents when Tudor was 5 and Jony was 2. They grew up in an orphanage in the small country of Moldova. And in 2007, when Jony was 9 and Tudor was 12, I met them for the first time when I went on a mission trip with my church. I had no idea when I met them how God would use them to change my life, and me to change theirs.
I visited Moldova every year and continued to see the boys, and I began to sponsor them through Justice and Mercy International. Justice and Mercy International (JMI) is a non-profit organization that began work in Moldova in 2008. Through mission trips, sponsorships, and transitional living programs, they work to change the lives of the most vulnerable children in Moldova—those who are orphaned or abandoned, as well as those living in extreme poverty.
It’s hard for me to imagine what Tudor and Jony’s lives would be like if God had not used the work of JMI to intervene. But God is in the business of redeeming lives and working every situation for our good and for His glory. And that is what He has done in the lives of my boys.
Jony is 18 now, and will finish school next summer. He is learning to be an auto mechanic. He is very technically minded. You will find him serving by hooking up computer and sound equipment, running powerpoint presentations during worship, and helping fix things around the house. He is truly a servant-hearted young man. He sees a need and is the first to offer help.
Tudor is 20 and is studying International Relations at one of the universities in Moldova. He is the first person in his family to ever attend a university. He is a leader through and through. He loves speaking in front of people and is an influence and example to many kids. He leads Bible study for kids in two orphanages in Moldova every week.
I have loved watching them grow up and am so grateful that the Lord allowed me to be a small part of showing His love to Tudor and Jony. He chose me to speak truth into their lives and help them discover the unique gifts and talents that He has given them.
Over the past few years, God has formed a bond between me and these boys that honestly cannot be explained without giving credit to God. God has had to work miracles in my heart, and is still working in my heart, to help me process and understand this bond. He has taken me on a journey of love and of trust that I have never experienced before.
You see, I am a single woman with no biological children of my own. I have never been married. And being a mother is one of the things that has always been a desire of mine. And even though my “motherhood” is not traditional, it is truly one of the most incredible gifts that God has given me.
Some days I struggle with the fact that my family looks different than most other families I know. But technology (never thought the most-used apps on my phone would be Facebook Messenger and Google Translate) and intentionality keep us extremely close. I text with the boys every single day. Many days we talk multiple times. I FaceTime with one of them about once a week. As our relationship has developed, they now both call me “Mom” most of the time.
They tell me when they feel sick. They tell me about things that they are proud of and tell me when they need help or advice. They ask for what they need—and what they want. We talk about their future. I do my best to encourage them, to make them feel loved, and to be consistent in their lives. I want to do everything I can to give them the opportunity to be successful adults.
God gives us many opportunities to provide justice for orphans in the world. We can adopt. We can sponsor. We can give. For me, the opportunity began with simply saying yes to an invitation to go on a mission trip halfway around the world. And because of that, my life will never be the same!
To find out more about Justice and Mercy International and their work with vulnerable children in Moldova and the Amazon, visit their website at justiceandmercy.org.
If you’re interested in learning more about orphan care, here are some resources:
Orphan Justice – How to Care for Orphans Beyond Adopting
Orphan Justice makes it clear to readers that Christians are called to care for orphans, a group so close to the heart of Jesus. In reality, most of the 153 million orphaned and vulnerable children in the world do not need to be adopted, and not everyone needs to become an adoptive parent. However, there are other very important ways to help beyond adoption.
Ordinary – How to Turn the World Upside Down
Ordinary is not a call to be more radical. If anything, it is a call to the contrary. The kingdom of God isn’t coming with light shows and shock and awe, but with lowly acts of service performed during the normal rhythms of life. Ordinary encourages participants to move into a life of mission and justice—speaking up for the voiceless, caring for the single mom, restoring the broken, bearing burdens, welcoming the functionally fatherless, and speaking the good news to people on a regular basis in order to change the world.
Becky Loyd manages the marketing team for Lifeway ‘s Adult Ministry. When she’s not wrangling a rogue group of strategists, writers, and designers, Becky is cheering for the LSU Tigers or baking yummy treats. This self-proclaimed pseudo-crafter makes frequent trips to Moldova in Eastern Europe and stashes multiple pairs of shoes under her desk. Follow her on Twitter @Becky_Loyd or Instagram @Becky_Loyd.
