“What do I
care if they are hungry?” Comrade Snezhana scoffed. “We've put up with them all day long, and are
taking a well-deserved break.”
Lyosha could
hear whimpering down the long halls in the orphanage and it made her feel
uncomfortable. She knew how little the children had to eat today, and it wasn't any better yesterday, or last week either.
A half hour
later Comrade Roksana handed her a glass of wine to go with the expensive white
chocolates that were topping off the meal but she felt too full, or was it sick,
to take another bite.
A toddler’s
fretful whimpers were turning into lusty wails. Lyosha knew she should go
comfort Klava before Comrade Snezhana strode over there and started slapping
her around. But Lyosha didn’t dare. She knew she had the reputation of being
too soft on the ‘brats’ and didn't have the nerve to make a scene in front of
all the other comrades including hardened officers who were partying with them.
I suppose
you are horrified that something like this really did happen in Russia during
the war. Why is it that we can sympathize with physical needs and want to do
something, yet hardly hear the hidden cry of the heart?
How many
children, young people, and churches are starving spiritually while those of us
that should be helping them are feasting on what the world has to offer and
barely take enough spiritual manna to keep our own souls alive?
When’s the
last time you or I have had a truly satisfying hour of studying the Bible? When
is the last time we fasted, not to be seen of men, but because we had such a
deep longing to pray, that food or earthly pleasures just didn't seem
important? I fall so far short but oh I pray that I can do better!
