From the desk of CERI Executive Director, Connie Belciug
It was July 2007, but I remember this day as if it were yesterday. I was at the summer camp for Orphanage #2 with a volunteer team conducting Vacation Bible School for the children in our care. We were getting ready to leave for the day and members of the team were gathering around the vehicles as the children followed… everyone was giving and receiving last minute hugs and heart-warming smiles when a 12 year old boy, with deep blue eyes, blonde hair and a face full of freckles came up to me and asked if he could tell me something… his name was Maxim.
He insisted that I come closer to him so he could whisper it in my ear. “Would you bring me a Bible?” he asked. I was taken aback by this… you see, many children his age ask for candy, gum, or maybe a pair of tennis shoes. But typically, not a Bible… I was both fortunate and blessed to be able to fulfill his request and gifted Maxim a Bible later that year.
Two months ago, I had a pleasant surprise – Maxim, now 20, contacted me via Skype to tell me: I still remember your first present to me… Do you remember? It was a bible. Of course I remembered! It was indeed a memory I would not soon forget. Maxim is in the CERI program thanks to the generous support of Linda B., who has sponsored him for a number of years.
In May 2016, Maxim successfully completed school and is now happily married. This young man, who received Jesus in his heart a few years ago, will soon become an independent and thriving young adult. Which is what we strive for with this amazing program. This could not happen without faithful supporters like you!
Making a gift to change a child’s life may not always be easy, but making a difference in a child’s life is simple:
