Over the years, The Boaz Project’s short-term teams have been blessed to work with fabulous interpreters. In Russia, where the language barrier would be the greatest without them, they are an integral part of our Vacation Bible Schools.  Their command of English is often astounding, and many become friends—and even advocates for orphans—along the way.

Their adept language skills made life easy for us…until we brought the story of Mephibosheth.

Mephibosheth is obviously not a common name many Russians would recognize, like Paul, David, John, or Noah. Not only is it more obscure, but it also happens to contain “th,” which doesn’t occur in Russian and is difficult for many of them to pronounce.

The interpreters scrambled to find the name in a Russian Bible, to figure out how to pronounce it. Then they practiced with each other on public transportation all the way to the orphanage, “Mephib-oh-shef, Meh-phibo-sheth.” Many continued to practice at lunch.

Yet this difficult name carried with it a powerful story that the children in the VBS could relate to, one that brought the gospel into clear focus.

The narrative comes from 2 Samuel chapter 9. David, who has recently become king, asks if there are any living family members of Saul, his predecessor. He wants to show kindness to them because Saul’s son, Jonathan, was David’s best friend.

It turns out that when Saul’s house was under siege, a nursemaid had scooped up young Mephibosheth (Jonathan’s son) to carry him to safety. But she accidently dropped him, and he became crippled in both feet.

David asks that Mephibosheth be brought to him.

Of course, Mephibosheth would have been frightened. Typically, the family of a predecessor was killed off to prevent any threat to the throne. And as a cripple in that era, Mephibosheth was considered useless. He even referred to himself as a “dead dog.”

But David surprised Mephibosheth with three statements:

I will show kindness to you.

I will restore all that is rightfully yours.

You will eat at my table (a right that belonged to a son).

Mephibosheth, aware of his unworthiness, could not fathom the grace extended to him.

Yet these same promises are a glorious example of the Good News to each of us in Christ Jesus. Though we are unworthy “dead dogs,” God shows kindness to us, restores us, and gives us the position of sons and heirs. We, aware of our unworthiness, cannot fathom the grace extended to us.

This same gospel-filled word picture is brought to life in communities around the globe as you enable house parents to demonstrate kindness to orphans. Neighbors watch, dismayed, as orphans who are considered unworthy experience the grace of those who love as Jesus loves. Your gifts and prayers not only impact orphans, but entire neighborhoods!

Thank you for making such an impact.

This month, as you pray for The Boaz Project, please ask God to:

1. Continue to use our partners to both minister to orphans and share God’s love in their communities.
   
2. Provide for every home’s needs, especially as they increase due to Covid-19.
   
3. Help Sandoz (a boy in one of our homes in India) get the medical treatment he needs for jaundice, despite the local medical center being closed due to Covid-19.
   
4. Give Bethany Blessing favor as the government will be inspecting the home.

Please thank God that:

1. He has extended grace to each of us.
   
2. The orphans we serve and all of their caregivers remain healthy despite this pandemic.
   
3. We’ve been able to meet the emergency funding needed for Covid-19-related expenses in all of our homes.
   
4. God is using the Corona virus to stir a hunger for Himself
   (see http://christiannewswire.com/index.php?module=releases&task=view&releaseID=83781
   and http://godreports.com/2020/04/tyndale-bible-sales-up-44-60-during-covid-crisis/ for more information)
   

Believing in miracles,
April Jurgensen