Alena Bulovska, 15 years old, is one of our first year students at the high school. Recently, she was watching a TV show that described the situation of a local family who was in need. The father had lost his job due to an injury and was living in a one room, run down “house” with no water or electricity, with his wife and 4 young children.
Alena contacted the local TV network to get the family’s information and started to think of ways our community could help them. She made fliers to hang around our campus and spoke in front of our congregation and her peers about helping this family by donating food and clothes.
Within days our auditorium contained dozens of bags full of donated items. Alena, her mom, and other students/faculty loaded up a van packed with necessities to take to the family.
Alena explains, “I was a little nervous that people would not bring anything, but I prayed that God would move people to help this family. I felt God’s presence even when I was carrying the heavy bags of donated items. If you feel that God is calling you to help someone, just do it! It is important to try and feel what other people feel; if we know that we can help someone it would be a pity for us to ignore them.”
This kind of volunteer and charity work is rare in Slovakia, but common in our school! Alena’s initiative was inspired by our many service projects, especially our work with refugees.
In chapel we often sing a song that starts, “it only takes a spark to get a fire going, then soon all those around can warm up it’s in glowing. That’s how it is with God’s love, once you’ve experienced it. You spread His love to everyone, you want to pass it on.”
To help support our “spark” in spreading God’s love to Slovakia visit “ways to give”.
Here in the United States Volunteering is a wonderful part of Americfan culture. I am very happy that you have led this project for Slovakia and of course CCE. It is a wonderful expression of Slovak Lutheran CCE services to the community. These rewards are many in terms of God’s blessing, CCE promotion and the spreading of the gospel of Jesus.
God Bless you! John Bartko, Pennsylvania USA supporter of CCE
Thank you, Alena, for the witness of your faith and the faithful participation of all on campus who responded to the need of this family. This is the little spark, but in God’s graciousness in our hearts it is the fire of God’s gift of the Holy Spirit that keeps the expression of God’s love implanted in our hearts to love our neighbor as we have been loved by God in Jesus Christ.
Alena, what a wonderful witness to the Gospel! God bless you and your mom and friends for this good work in the Lord’s name.
Thank you Alena for listening to and following God’s voice in helping that needy family. What a blessing you are to them! May God continue to bless you in all the good you do for others.
Alena, thank you for your courage and compassion in helping this dear family. You said in this article, “If you feel that God is calling you to help someone, JUST DO IT!” Your statement reminded me of a delightful book called Love Does by Bob Goff. I hope you can read this book some time. You will learn that your care for this father and his family is a perfect example of Love Does!
Please greet your mother for me. She was an English student of mine when my husband and I lived in Martin.