It is not always convenient to serve others, but it is definitely worth it.
Olga Mantula from Hillsong Moscow shared a life-changing experience that she had when she was only six years old that shaped her perspective about helping other people.
It was 1986 when the Chernobyl nuclear disaster forced her and her family to evacuate their home out of fear of serious health consequences. Thousands of families were displaced because of the accident, and they all had to change schools, cities, and find new jobs.
Olga felt so overwhelmed by their loss and struggles that she questioned why God let bad things happen to her family and so many other people.
But years later, God reached out to them. A family from another country decided to take them in and help them out, despite being complete strangers. Olga could not understand why they were being so nice to them.
"They had small kids and challenges of their own so why did they want to support my family? Why did they so generously share their lives with us, treating us like family?" asked Olga.
But the family did more than just share their home with Olga's family. They introduced Olga to God and gave her her first Bible. Because of them, Olga became a Christian.
"Today, I have a family of my own – two sons and a third baby on the way. My husband and I love God's house, and made the decision to serve God as a family," she shared.
They live in Moscow and see the plight and needs of the people around them, and so they do what they can to help alleviate their problems. "This Christmas we served more than 200 families facing difficult circumstances. We also invited refugees for a special Christmas dinner and blessed them with clothes and good, and had a party for the kids. We wanted them to feel accepted and loved, and know that Jesus is with them," said Olga.
So whenever people in need ask them the same question she asked when she was a child, Olga can answer that it's because Jesus is in all we do.
"It is amazing to watch their hearts soften and change as they grow in faith and sense some form of hope," she said. "I am so thankful that many years ago someone reached out to help me, and today I get to do the same. It is not always convenient to serve others, especially when you have small kids and challenges of your own, but it is definitely worth it."
