Patience is the word of the week

This week I regret to inform that the homestudy is a stand still. As part of the homestudy, there were medical evaluations required for Brandon and I but due to a contract dispute at a laboratory in Ohio (long story) our homestudy is on hold.  Once the medical evaluations are done it will take about 3 to 4 weeks for the homestudy to be finalized.  At that point we can tell Vitaliy that we are adopting him.  We were hoping that we’d be able to tell him in December but with the holidays we are doubting that this will happen.  We are not discouraged for we understand that God’s timing is perfect and his plans are straight.  We are just having our first setback of what we were hoping would be the plan.   

Now for the good news and there is always good news when you are a child of God!  Last week our dear friend Heather Pelczar once again stayed at our house all day on her feet cutting hair for our adoption fund.  We raised $458!  Along with some other generous donations we have now raised 30% of our total costs.  We are so thankful for the blessings of others as they pour out their love for us.

We haven’t heard anything from him in awhile but we are praying he is well.  We still write to him each week and pray that this gives him hope for a future.  As you pray please join us with a few specific prayer requests:

1.        That Vitaliy’s heart is being prepared for a forever family and that our hearts are prepared to bring  him into our lives.

2.       That God will provide for 50% of the total costs of the adoption to be donated by 2012.  To achieve this we would need an additional $8,000 by the New Year.

3.       That the missionary Natalya who translates and delivers our letters to Vitaliy would be strengthed and encouraged to continue her much valued service for the Lord.

4.       For us to have clear wisdom on when we should visit Ukraine to meet Vitaliy for the first time face to face. 

Thank you for taking the time to read, pray, and journey with us.  We feel your prayers, love, and support. 

I am thankful

November is the month that reminds us to be thankful.  We start our American holidays in November with Veteran’s Day and are humbled and thankful for the sacrifices normal everyday individuals took and made extraordinary sacrifices.  I think of my grandfather serving in the Pacific during WWII and my father serving during the deadliest years in Vietnam and then to all my peers and friends who continually put their lives on the lines for others.  I think about the families like mine who have had to endure long separations from loved ones due to deployments and being stationed around the world.  When I reflect on these things, I am thankful.

Then we have Thanksgiving, a holiday that calls on everyone to look at their many blessings and then share those joys with others.  In the midst of turkey and stuffing there should be an intentional desire to give what you have to others including your time and smiles.  I have noticed on many FB pages that people are listing something they are thankful for everyday leading up to Thanksgiving.  It is difficult to grumble with God about what you lack when you meditate on the things he has blessed your life with, including the breath in your lungs this morning.  I am thankful.

This week we have blessings to share with you all.

 First of all, our dear friend Heather Pelczar is sharing four Saturdays with us in our home cutting hair to raise money for our adoption.  The first day we raised $225.  She is coming back this weekend and then twice in December and all of this during her preparation time for her family to move back to the states.  I am thankful.

We have a dear brother from Afghanistan who was orphaned at the age of 12 when the Taliban killed his entire family.  He was recently adopted by our Lord Jesus and baptized.  He feels a burden in his heart for orphans and donated some of his wages to our fund.  I am thankful.

We have a sweet friend, Justine Erwin, who makes beautiful jewelry and has offered to give all profits on her sale of bracelets during the month of November towards our adoption fund.  She is getting ready to move back to the states too so this is a sacrifice of her time and shows the beautiful condition of her heart.  If you like to see her jewelry check-out her web-site http://www.etsy.com/shop/babycady?section_id=8032714.  I am thankful.

Psalm 33:11 states, "The Lord's plans stand firm forever; His intentions can never be shaken."

Psalm 18:30 states, "As for God, His way is perfect. All the Lord's promises prove true."

Thank you for your prayers and encouragement as we seek to adopt Vitaliy.

Why are we doing this?

       As we travel down this road to adoption we have been faced with many personal questions from well meaning friends and family.  We try our best to find out the truth in everyone’s statements and use those comments and present them to the Lord to see what we can take with us and what is better left ignored. 

      This past week we had a particularly tough week with people pointing out the most negative aspects of our decision to adopt.  Many people think that we are just plain crazy.  Why would a nice, normal family purposely choose to bring pain, suffering, anger, and danger into their home?  What would possess a family who is comfy and cozy to bring in a child that has major issues, doesn’t speak English, and has had a life where adults tend to be people he can’t trust.   These are all valid questions and we have been talking and praying about them a lot.  This is what we have come up with as a answer.

     As disciples of Christ we have a very different reality of this temporary world.  Christ came into this world and was faced with seemingly insurmountable pain and discomfort yet he came anyway.  He came and purposely subjected his self to suffering in order to show his amazing love and grace towards humanity.  He did things that made others look and think of him as foolish and even insane.  Despite what others thought of him as being weak and crazy he shocked the world when after he willingly laid his life down for all of us, he rose again on the third day to prove to the world that He came to conquer sin and death.  That is the truth of the gospel (good news). 

     We understand that God never promised us comfort.  The Bible doesn’t include a verse that says, “And the children of God shall find comfort in all they do.”  But there are a lot of verses that talk about the opposite of comfort, and that is suffering. 

For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him.  Philippians 1:29

To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.  1 Peter 2:21

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  2 Corinthians 4:17

Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin.  1 Peter 4:1

     We are aware that we cannot fix Vitaliy.  We can’t heal his broken places, we can’t make him love us or accept us as his forever family.  We can love him, guide him, show him, teach him, protect him, and sacrifice for him but only God can heal him.  We are trying to be realistic in our expectations and lay down our starry-eyed enthusiasm that Vitaliy will make our home a wonderful place.  We know that this road is very costly financially and will be emotionally trying but we are choosing to be uncomfortable momentarily on this earth to follow God’s heart, “Whoever receives a child in My name, receives Me.”   Matthew 18:5 

We appreciate you support, encouragement, and prayers as we follow God’s leading to bring Vitaliy home. 

Rounding the first turn

I feel like we are heading into the first major turn in our journey this week.   On Saturday November 5^th a social worker is coming in from the United Kingdom to do our home study.  As soon as this is complete and she finishes her report we can officially let Vitalik know that we are adopting him.  I have asked the missionary there if we can tell him in a video instead of a letter and she said, “Definitely!”  She has agreed to video tape him watching our video to see his reaction to the news.  So excited for that moment!   In a letter we received from him this week he expressed that it would be good for him to be with us.  We totally agree with that statement.  He wrote to us on his own without the prompting of the missionary and we are thrilled that he has hope and knows that someone cares for him.  We were told that when he gets a letter from us, all the other children gather around to read it as well.  They are so excited to know that someone is interested in any of them.  I pray that this also gives the other orphans hope that they too will be rescued someday. 

These are the statistics compiled by UNICEF regarding orphans in Ukraine. 

70% of boys will be imprisoned, 60% of girls will become prostitutes, 10% of the children will commit suicide.  These statistics are real, but they only tell part of the story.  These are real children, not just numbers.  These are living, breathing children in need of a family.  If you are interested in older child adoption and feel a burden to save a child from these horrific statistics there are many children waiting.  From the hosting program that Vitaliy was part of, there are still 6 children waiting. 

 Praises this week:

We have raised 25%of our total adoption funds!

Our Italian Cooking Class raised $1,125.00 on Saturday, October 29^th.

Brandon and I finished our home study preparation!  Now we just have to clean the house.  J

We are taking some much needed family time this week and it’s only Tuesday and we are all feeling more refreshed.

Prayer requests for this week:

We are still waiting for one more document to arrive from Florida before Saturday.  Pray for it to arrive.

That our home study on Saturday goes smoothly, that we are all healthy and well, including the social worker and her travel to and from here will be safe and uncomplicated.

That as we continue our family refreshing time that we are sensitive to each other’s feelings and we just have time well spent loving and laughing.

That our hearts and minds will continue to be prepped for Vitaliy coming home and that his heart and mind will be prepped for us.