March 13, 2009 Friday

The boys and Jenny are always on our minds! The only thing that makes it bearable is when you are keeping yourself busy. This also comes into play, while we wait to find out when we will get the opportunity to meet “A”.

We keep hoping we will hear by today. God must have known we needed a diversion. Early, last week Paul had told Viktor (who runs the mission, which they call Christian Clinica) that we would be happy to help out with anything that they needed help with. He mentioned painting, tile work, and wall papering. Today, we finally got our opportunity. After our showers, morning bible time and breakfast, Sveta, (Viktor’s wife) told me that we could help her paint the wrought iron fence that surrounds the “clinica”. She was having difficulty telling me in English, so she drew a picture for me. I figured out what she was saying. She gave us Scrubs to wear to cover our clothes. Of course, I looked soooooooooooooo fashionable. Because I put the Scrubs over my coat, when I was going outside, one nurse said something to Sveta pointing at me. Sveta pointed to her coat. I showed them mine was underneath and they were satisfied. It is so funny when they are talking in Russian, because they get very excited and their voices being to rise in volume. It’s almost as if they are upset with you or you are getting in trouble. They speak with A LOT of passion about everything. So we went to the back of the clinica and started painting each piece of wrought iron. Paul was on one side of the fence; I on the other. We completed 4 panels. We figured it would take us about 3 hours a day for 3 more days to finish only 1 side of the clinica fencing. (LIZ, where is the Horizon’s Youth Group when we need them?) Seriously, we have seen so many opportunities to make a difference here. The young people here are very secular and most have no knowledge of Jesus at all. Drinking and cigarettes are an acceptable social activity. The Evangelical Presbyterian Church which is more like a Baptist church is longing to start a youth program. There are also opportunities to teach bible school at the orphanages. Pray about this….they would love for us to come and make a difference here!!!)

When finished I had specs of black paint in my hair, on my face and on my hands. I still had more on the fence than on me, though. Paul fixed a great lunch, rested a while, and then headed off to the orphanage to see “D” at 4:00 pm.

The first part of our visit we spent with “D” taking pictures with our camera. She also spent more time writing her name and decorating the page in her journal book. We did have her work on a puzzle that has only 4 large pieces. Not for the puzzle function, but for picture and word recognition in English. She remembers the “dog” each time now. She knows that one of them is a “fish”, but doesn’t have it connected to the correct animal, yet. She finds difficulty saying “rabbit” and can say “cat”, but doesn’t remember that the picture is a “cat”. I mean, really! Her dog is “Sa – bauk – a” and her cat is “Koash-kah”! So you see the difficulty!

We went outside on the playground and they literally wore us out. I think Paul and I got them all worked up! We started by making a line with everyone holding hands and played “follow-the-leader” around the play area. Paul started saying, “choo-choo” so then they all chimed in between giggles and laughs! Then we played, “duck-duck-goose” which I know you Minnesotan’s call it something that has “grey-duck” in it, but here everything is knew so it doesn’t matter. It is hilarious hearing them say “duck-duck-duck-duck-duck…..goose”. Once, “D” started saying “goose-goose-goose instead of duck first”. No wonder…they don’t even know what a duck or goose is anyway! Paul noticed the little boy that we have grown attached to, named “V”, was doing some dance moves. So, Paul started moving around and the kids laughed and laughed and begged him to do it again. They are not used to seeing any caregivers “play around like that”. Evan you would have really had an audience! I told Paul the other day that “V” reminds me of you, because he is very “outgoing and sweet and speaks very clearly”. He always has a smile and has an easy going personality. After today, I know he is more like you than ever. Where he learned the “dance moves” that appear to be something like what you do on U-Tube, I will never know. I wish you were here to teach him some more! He also took a stick and pretended he was leading an orchestra and then was pretending to play the drums and guitar. I was amazed. Paul and I both started dancing more “ballroom” style together, so then they all joined in. One little girl would not let me stop. She kept begging me and begging me to keep dancing with her. I would twirl her around under my arm and then tilt her back. When I would stop, she would say “Mama, Mama” over and over until I would do it again. Okay, now you can see, how difficult it is to not want to load them all up and bring them home. Paul caught “D” doing a little dance with her hips and also she would dance with another boy. She was really coming out of her shell today. After a while, Luda came up to Paul and said that “D” wanted to know if she could have a piece of gum for the boy she was dancing with. Paul only had one piece left so he took them over to the side and secretly gave it to “D” to give to her friend. This is the first time she has “asked” for something on her own from us. We also danced around in a circle with “D” in the middle, again more giggling!

After a while, Luda told us that she got a call from Natasha (which we found out is also Natalya - we never could figure out why we had two different names for her ---this is really confusing, she is our lawyer). Natasha told her we need to get a form that has to be notarized. Luda called to see if the notary was still open, but because it was Friday, they were already gone. So that puts us off until Monday. We have no idea what the form is all about yet. We are hoping it has something to do with “A” moving to “D’s” orphanage. We have realized by now, that the transfer didn’t happen this week. We are hopeful it will be early next week.

We also found out that the difficulty is probably going to be because the director at the other orphanage may not be willing for this transaction to happen, but we know that God will work this out for our good, regardless of what the outcome is. It has really been difficult for Paul because he is so longing to meet “A”. Several, times he got his hopes up that we were going to be told that it was “okayed”, to only be disappointed. Yes, he is a new “Papa”, again! I equate this to when a new dad has to wait for the arrival of a “new born” only to be told…”it’s a false alarm!”

At the end of the visit, “D” asked when she would get her new coat. I told her I would bring it tomorrow. I hope it fits. She has really long arms. It fits me so I’m thinking it will not be a problem.

Back at the Mission, we ate dinner and decided to have “movie night” with Kelly and Jason. We watch a shoot-m-up-bang-bang, movie that was really intense. There we were lined up in our little room in a row in front of Paul’s lap top! It was fun, being “American” for an hour and a half.

Whenever I become impatient or anxious….God always brings my focus to those that are in need. I am always reminded to focus on “the most important thing”!

My scripture reading today was….. Psalm 146:7-9;

“He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets prisoners free, the Lord gives sight to the blind, the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down, the Lord loves the righteous. The Lord watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow…..,”