Of Friends & Family

Today started with a quiet morning.  Most mornings seem to begin that way right now.  It's actually been quite nice.  We sure do miss our family being all together, but once in a while it is refreshing to have a quiet space to reflect on life.  This is likely how our days will go until our court date, and then again for another 10 days after that as we await the court decree to become effective so that we may proceed with obtaining birth certificates, passports, and visas for the children.

We will go to the orphanage later today, as usual, with some craft or activity to share with the children there.  We look forward to making the kids smile.  Actually, it is not so difficult a task to make them smile.  The kids are all smiles as soon as we walk in, and speak a mile a minute in their own form of language which is sometimes accurate and sometimes a cross between their native tongue, another
common language, and whatever else they might be able to use to be functional in communicating with one another.  Either way, we understand almost nothing of what they are verbalizing, but we still manage to communicate.

Some of the children have tried to help us learn some of their vocabulary.  However, learning to speak a word is one thing.  Learning what it means and how to use it is the crucial link that is usually missing.  However, that doesn't deter them from trying to help us out.  It's a lot of fun.  As good as their care is here, they just do not receive anywhere near the interaction and social stimulation that they need...let alone the love.  The bottom line is we were all created to need a family.






Yesterday, we met with our new friends, the Newsomes, and made our way through a local labyrinth of a market.  John was looking for a few items to help with our evening meal together, so we turned this way and that.  First searching for the items, then simply searching for a way out of the system of mazes under tin roofing.  It was cold, somewhat dark, and jam-packed full of side-by-side "kiosks" that get rolled out every morning & buttoned up every night.  Sometimes colorful displays of old
                                                                              beat-up mannequins
and cheap imitations of popular brand name clothing, coats, hats, cookware, cutlery, intimate apparel, breads, meats, draperies, wedding apparel, fake leather wallets, and all other sorts of seemingly random displays that repeat over and over throughout the miles of tunneling walkways.  It's like some sort of flea market heaven...and then reality sets in that this is normal fare for most of the world.  We're apparently the oddballs for having a heated, well-lit store with wide walkways and well organized merchandise displayed for every need or want under the sun!

After our adventurous outing, we finally made it back to the orphanage to find the children greeting us with smiles and hugs at the entry of their wing.  You can just see it on their faces that this is the moment they've been looking forward to all day long...one excruciating day of trying to patiently endure school and necessary homework to get to this one moment only to have to say "Good-bye" one more time!  I think they believe it is worth it!  Their faces speak what words are unable.  And tomorrow we will do it again...until the last time we will have to say good-bye, and the first morning we wake up together as family!

Yesterday gave us a couple of hours together coloring, tickling, giggling, learning new words, hugging, and some heartfelt sharing with Anya as she processes these new changes in her world.  Several of the other children were also able to join in the fun.  It seems therapeutic for everyone's soul, and they get to experience God's great love and care for even them through our time together.

Every day is a new day, and presents us with new opportunities to do good to the one's He loves.

Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,

when it is in your power to do it.

Do not say to your neighbor,

"Go, and come again, tomorrow I will give it"

–when you have it with you.

~Proverbs 3:27-28

Please remember to thank God for all of His goodness and sovereign care that He lavishes on us, and for the concern He has for the orphaned and abandoned, and ask Him for:

-Continued favor with all of those with whom we are working to complete our 

           adoption process.

-The Newsome's paperwork to arrive today, so that they may keep their court date 

                tomorrow!

-For us to find a meaningful, purpose-filled rhythm of life here where we may be 

                   able to meet with God and reflect His grace and mercy.

-The unity of our family while we are all separated.  There is still much time to 

                         endure, and, yet, it has already seemed such a long time to be apart.

Thank you for taking us before our Father in prayer.  It is such comfort to know that His family cares for one another!  What a blessing to allow three more to experience that amazing love!