Natasha
New entries will continue to be posted as they are received from team members. The following was submitted by Jason Payne.
Meet Natasha. Her behind-the-scenes role at the Ark is to hem, mend, patch, stitch, and wash all the laundry that keeps the ministry running clean and fresh. Children receive donated clothing, and most of the fabric is hand stitched, and mended on site. We were working in the opposite end of Natasha’s laundry building, and daily she quietly worked, diligently managing laundry needs. We often saw her hanging clothing out on lines.
Entrance to old laundry building
Old laundry hallway
Curiosity drew me into the rooms near Nastasha where clothing was stored, hung up to dry, and even where Natasha steadily sewed through her day’s work – sometimes in darkness, or only meager light that crept through half covered windows. What a dedicated woman! I could not get over her diligence and resilience in working in such dark, lonely, and even dirty conditions!
Natasha - always hard at work
Sometimes circumstances can be deplorable and that is when the Spirit of the Lord living shines to carry us through. Jesus Christ died and rose again to give us new life and relationship with God, a Light that can never be darkened no matter the surroundings. Have you accepted Jesus Christ into the room of your heart and soul?
“If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:9-12
Thankfully, one of the priority projects for these two weeks was to renovate the building next door to Natasha’s with designer tile floor and bright new cheery paint. God will provide! Just walking into the new unfinished building fills one with hope and happiness. The rooms are bright, airy, and the new tile floor is a world apart from the old broken-down cement and wood floor of the old laundry building next door. Praise God that He provided strength, wisdom, and patience for those who served tirelessly to haul, scrape, level, tile, and truly revive a happy place for Natasha, who’s work continues to bring clothing and a sense of stability to the many children, present and future, who are to find a new home… and hope at Father’s Care children’s Rehabilitation Center!
Floor tile being laid in new laundry building
