Milana lives beside a local program center in her small village in western Moldova. She didn’t mind that until the center began to fill up with children.
These children came from all over the village to be fed at Convoy of Hope’s Children’s Feeding program. There were so many kids that the volunteers had to divide them into two shifts! One group ate while the other played.
But it did not work well for Milana. The children would often play soccer, and the ball would go into Milana’s garden. She would clench her jaw every time that happened. It finally pushed her to call the police.
The police arrived, took one look at the children laughing and playing, and decided no harm was being done.
Frustrated, Milana stomped back to her home and closed the door. She looked up to see her 10-year-old granddaughter, who asked her, yet again, if she could go join the others and play outside. Milana replied with the same stern “no” as always.
The leaders at the center had often invited Milana to join them for different activities, but she was never open to being a part.
Then, the center began hosting a Women’s Empowerment group through Convoy of Hope.
Once again, one of the leaders invited Milana. This time, it was to have tea and conversation with other women. Surprising even herself, Milana accepted the invitation. She enjoyed herself so much during that first tea that she allowed her granddaughter to be a part of both the Children’s Feeding program and the youth program!
“My grandmother was always in a bad mood and she never smiled, but ever since she began to attend the program, something changed in her,” says Milana’s cheerful granddaughter. “It wasn’t anything in her daily routine, but in her heart. She smiles so often now.”
Changing a heart takes time and kindness. The leaders at the center never gave up on Milana. Through their gentle patience and open invitations, something began to soften in her. And now, because of their unwavering love, lives in this little village in Moldova are being transformed over cups of tea.
