A Happy Man With No Legs

loves Jesus, Romania, homeless elderly, double amputee, Elder Orphan Care, Bible
You would never know from the joy that flows from his face the grief he caused, nor the grief he endured. To look at that face today you can't imagine the crime he committed or the anguish he's experienced.

Sandor once had a wife and children. Losing them brought searing pain, the kind that falls just shy of unbearable. One brutally cold day he was consumed with grief and fell asleep on the graves of his beloved family. 


No one could have foreseen the next tragedy: his legs became frost bitten and eventually had to be amputated.


If you were to visit Sandor now where he lives in a home for the elderly in Romania, you would quickly notice several things: 

  • his Bible is always within reach.
  • he smiles with his eyes, not just his mouth.
  • if you are even a few years younger than him, you will have a deep desire to call him "Grandpa."

When I visited Sandor again this summer we threw our arms around each other and held on tight. Then he patted the space next to him on his bed, urging me to sit.  He couldn't wait a minute longer to show me the photographs of his baptism last month.


I know only a few details of Sandor's past, but enough to be filled with inexpressible joy at seeing the images of him robed in white, a modern-day "Saul becomes Paul."

"We were therefore buried with Christ through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may have new life." Romans 6:4



22 comments:

  1. Beautiful story of God's goodness and grace, even in the midst of suffering. Thank you, Kim.

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    1. Thank you, Vonda! I am so grateful to know people like Sandor who help my faith deepen and my love for God expand!

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  2. Kim,
    I suspect that when Sandor gets to heaven, he'll be RUNNING into the arms of his savior. Thanks so much for telling his story. It whispers, no SHOUTS that there is mercy, grace, and forgiveness at the cross of Jesus.

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    1. Lori, I agree: Sandor will RUN in to the arms of Jesus, for sure! I love to imagine that scene! Sandor's story makes my heart swell with praise for our great God!

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  3. Dear Kim
    Oh, there is nothing we can do or cannot for that matter that an make our Pappa loves us more or less. What a great wittness of our Pappa's love. Kim, I don't know if it is possible, but can we not through you if necessary, start to write letters to our brothers and sisters in Romania? It would be great to love them this way. Please let me know.
    Much love XX
    Mia

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    1. Mia: Great, great idea! Let me pray, consider translation options, talk with my Ioana in Romania, and I will get back to you! I will message you about this privately, as well. Yay God!

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  4. Wow! This is beautiful! Thank you so much for sharing his joy with all of us. How great is our God?? :) Thank you for all the hard work you are doing in Romania!

    Lots of love and blessings sent your way!

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    1. Thank you, Kelsey, and praise God. Yes, He is GREAT! It is a privilege to serve the precious elderly and frail in Romania--I am blessed. Thanks for your encouragement and prayers!

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  5. Praising the Lord for ones such as you, Kim, and for the joy that I sense from Sandor even through some photographs. I hold you each and all in my prayers. How grateful I am to have found you and these "Elder Orphans". I understand that concept as my mother lived in a nursing home the last five years of her life, and so many, so very many, of these precious ones there had no visitor, no family, no one but the staff and ones such as me to touch them, to talk with them, to love them. I am thankful that God allows me to minister to them as I do. Caring through Christ, ~ linda

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    1. Linda, thank you for your thoughtful and encouraging comments.Your prayers for us are precious and powerful. I am grateful for your ministry in the nursing home--the needs are so great everywhere, and we each need to sit at Jesus' feet and get our personalized marching orders! Grateful!

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  6. So amazing. How often do we start out with the intention to help others and they instead minister to us with their stories? Thank you for being the hands and feet of Jesus. My prayers are with you. Kim@ Pouring Down Like Rain. www.kimadamsmorgan.com

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    1. Kimk thank you for your encouraging comments! And your prayers are treasures--the fuel I run on, so keep them coming! :)

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  7. Awesome God! Thank you for sharing this wonderful testimony. Blessings!

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  8. What a wonderful ministry to serve God and the "Elder Orphans". Thank you for sharing this story and example of how God loves us all! Blessings to you as you are in Romania!

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  9. What an amazing love this man had for his family. And I love that you are ministering to the "Elder Orphans" like Sandor, Kim. I think that's probably a much-neglected area of need. I'm so glad you've sensed God's tug and have responded by reaching out to them. My prayers are with you!

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  10. How beautiful....God bless the ministry that He has given you...and He will!! Thank you for going and giving! I just came back from the country of Latvia,in the Baltics, where we served for a year, home because of health problems. I miss it so! I will be praying for you dear friend!!!!
    nannette
    hopeinthehealing.com

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  11. God bless you and the wonderful work you're doing. Thanks so much for sharing!

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  12. What a wonderful story of redemption! Thank you for sharing it. God bless you as you care for these dear people!

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  13. Thanks for sharing this story of Sandor. It is a beautiful one of redemption. Thanks too for linking up with WholeHearted Home this past week.

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  14. What a beautiful story of redemption and grace. Thank you for sharing it with our Playdates with God community!

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  15. Thank you for sharing this precious story of a joyful may who radiates the Love of Jesus regardless of his circumstances. May God bless you in your ministry to the seniors who seem to be forgotten, but are never forgotten by Jesus. Thanks for sharing at "tell me a story."

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  16. Thank you so much for sharing this story at Grace at Home! I featured you in this week's party! :)

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Each week I write a BOG (Brag On God) post. My prayer is that my words will invite you to brag on God, too. And together we'll make God smile.