Sunday in Ukraine

Today is Sunday and we miss being with our friends in church. It is very sad that we are surrounded by many beautiful churches full of everything this place has to offer except God. As I watched people go in and out of the church across the street this morning I realized how lucky I am to live in a place where Christians gather on a regular basis to worship God and thank him for the Gift of his son Jesus. While I know we are here doing God’s work I do miss being in church with our friends. Well enough about that.

Today started with the first hot breakfast we have had (since we did not have any matches to light the stove until last night). Kim cooked homemade biscuits, scrambled eggs with cheese, ground pork patties (we thought it was sausage but it had no spices in it at all). Cooking for the first few times is always an adventure until you get use to the stove and oven. After breakfast we washed up some clothes and hug them out to dry. Then it was off to see the kids with the new soccer balls and bead jewelry set we bought at the outdoor market yesterday. When we got the orphanage the kids were scattered all around. On Sundays they have very little to do so the kids are all over the place playing and doing who knows what. Once we found our kids we went outside to the soccer field so the kids could play with their new balls. It did not take long for word to spread and in a few minutes we were covered with kids who wanted to play with real soccer balls. All three kids loved the fact we came and brought gifts. They are opening up more every day and seem to look forward to our visits. Some of the bigger kids would take EJ’s ball from him and I would have to go over and let them know they had to share. EJ seemed to like the fact that I took up for him even though he can take care of himself. Sometimes I would watch him as the older kids would play with his ball he would just stand around with his hands in his pocket waiting like a snake in the grass. Then all of the sudden the ball would get loose and he would pounce on it and take it back. I realized that all these kids have to be tough and learn their way to survive in the orphanage environments.

Tomorrow we will start the real process we have been waiting for. The first thing that has to be done is the local SDA Inspector has to hear the kids say that they want to be adopted by us. This weekend was the time we needed to spend with the kids so they would be comfortable with us so they would say they wanted to go with us. I think and pray that they now have no doubts about coming with us. When the inspector hears that tomorrow she will prepare the paper work that Sasha will pick up on Wednesday and take to the SDA in Kiev. If all this goes according to plan we will have court next Monday, but this is Ukraine and plans change by the minute.

Well it is dinner time here and Kevin is in the kitchen making something to eat so I will go for now. Please pray for our court to be as soon as possible. If we don’t have court by the first of next week I will run out of vacation and either have to return home early alone or take time off without pay.

Thank you for all you prayers, I assure you they are felt.

Bobby