Standing in the doorway of her small home, 88-year-old Olga wears a smile that carries years of loss, loneliness, and suffering. Olga knows a widow’s grief since her husband passed away 40 years ago. She also knows the pain of watching her son become addicted to alcohol.
Olga’s home is in a village in Moldova, where she lives alone since her daughter who cared for her passed away three months ago. She tries to cover her expenses with a little assistance from the government, equaling about $4.70 a day. Medical expenses are a heavy burden: Olga faces blood pressure problems and leg pain. Recently she lost vision in one eye.
Paying for housing, food, and heating costs on a few dollars a day is a struggle for elderly Moldovans like Olga. Those in rural villages often live in poorly insulated homes without running water or indoor plumbing. Some also need to pay neighbors to haul water, split wood, or do other tasks they are unable to do.
Despite her struggles, Olga goes to church and faithfully prays for her son and other unbelievers in her village.
Among Moldova’s elderly, Olga’s story is not uncommon. As age and failing health keep them from contributing much to society, people often view them as burdens. Many live alone when their children leave for job opportunities in other cities or countries. In some cases, elderly parents are rejected for their decision to follow Christ.
For these people, Help-for-the-Elderly food parcels are more than a monthly supply of food. They are a lifeline of support, a source of encouragement, and a reminder that they are remembered. Seeing Christians visit and care for abandoned, elderly believers leaves a powerful testimony in recipients’ communities.
God bless you for remembering the elderly in Moldova and other countries through the Help-forthe-Elderly program! From Olga and other recipients, thank you for demonstrating God’s promise in Isaiah 46:4: “Even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.”
To help support the Help-for-the-Elderly program, please click the button below to give a gift.
