Two for the Price of the One

I'd never led anyone to the Lord... not directly, at least. Last week I led two. Saturday evening, Jon ended his message by telling the kids to come talk to any of us if they wanted to know more about becoming a Christian, or if they just wanted to talk. Shortly after the kids disbursed, one of them grabbed my hand and led me to Dorel, who was one of the translators. The boy said to me plain and simple, "I want to ask Jesus in my heart." So, Dorel and I took him aside, and I talked to him about what it means to be a Christian. He seemed to understand, so I prayed with him as he accepted Christ. Afterwards, I had to find out what the kid's name was, so I tried asking other people first, but in the end, I think it was pretty obvious to him that I didn't know his name. Thankfully, though, he's a twin, so he probably assumed I just didn't know which one he was (His name is Seergiu, by the way). The second kid accepted Christ on Sunday night, though his story starts much earlier. Wednesday, the first day of camp, I met Artiom (though I thought his name was something more like Artudo). I was kicking a ball around for a while with a group of kids and I got tired, so I sat down on the hill for a break. Artiom, who had been playing also, came and sat down right next to me. He didn't say anything, so I figured I'd have to start the conversation. I pulled out my list of Moldovan phrases and began talking to him. Once I'd tapped the list of relevant things to say (which was almost immediately) I went in search of a translator. Denis was busy with someone else, as were many of the translators I saw. Finally, I noticed Sergiu (not to be confused with Seergiu, or with the numerous other Sergiu's we encountered on this trip). He had a few kids around him, but no one he was translating for, so Artiom and I sat down beside him. We talked a little, though not about anything special. Worship time came before we could really get in deeper. The next day around the same time, Artiom was hovering close by again. But this time, so was Denis, so I didn't have to search at all for a translator. We all sat and talked, and I learned that Artiom had been at the orphanage for two years while his mom was in Germany. She still talked to him, though, and sent him gifts, such as roller blades, so he's much better off than many of the other kids there. She tells him she's getting the paperwork together to take him with her to Germany this coming February. At this point, Artiom had to go do chores, and I didn't see him again that day. He wasn't around much the next day, either. Saturday morning, he asked if I would give him my watch the next day. I had bought the watch the week before the trip with every intention of leaving it with a kid in Moldova, so I had no problem with that. We spent some time together that day, but not a whole lot. Sunday came, the final day. During our small groups in the evening, I saw Artiom sitting a ways off. He looked as though he'd been crying. I invited him to join the group, but he didn't want to. After groups, we had worship, and again Artiom just sat in the distance, red eyed and droopy faced. Once I finished with drama, I went and sat next to him. Without words, I removed my watch and placed it on his wrist. Tears began falling from his eyes as they were welling up in mine. I gestured for him to come join worship, and we both went and sat at the steps to the gazebo. During the first song we heard, I noticed Denis sitting at the perimeter. He would be easy for me to get to, and for once he didn't have any little girls attached to him. I gestured for Artiom to stay while I grabbed Denis. The three of us went to a bench to talk. I told Artiom he was a good kid and that he reminded me a lot of myself. I then pointed to a bracelet he was wearing which said "Jesus is the Light." I asked if he knew what it said, and he didn't. Denis translated the words, but Artiom still didn't know what it meant. I told him that the world is a very dark place and everyone is just stumbling around in it with no idea where they're going. But Jesus is a light in this world, helping us to find our purpose, our path. If we ask Jesus to come into our heart, then we have that light inside of us, guiding and directing us. I asked if he had that light inside of him; he said he didn't. I asked if he would like to; he said he would, but that he couldn't. I asked him "Why not?" and he simply replied that he didn't know what to say. So, I led him in a prayer and he accepted Christ. It was time for us to leave, but I still had one more kid I needed to talk to.... Tomorrow's story: For Petru's Sake.