PLEASE KEEP THiS FAMILY IN YOUR PRAYERS:

Below is a letter I received from an incredibly strong woman who is trying to adopt 2 children from the same region. The kids are in a different city, but same region, same judge. Because of the privacy laws in Russia in regards to orphaned children, I have changed names, dates, details, etc. in order to protect their privacy. They, like the other waiting families need all the prayers they can get as this journey is so, so, difficult. I know this is a long post, but please take the time to read it in its entirety.

Thanks in advance!

Hello to all,

Sorry about the generic letter. It's been a very long trip - a long time spent preparing for this trip and a long time away from civilization and family. I'm still a few days from being home. I miss my husband, my family and my friends. I apologize to anyone that I forgot to contact prior to my travel.

Okay, so, three years ago we received horrible news that our son, "B", had contracted the HIV virus. 6 months ago were were informed that, due to the lack of required medication for his HIV, he has now progressed to Phase Four of that infection. (Please keep in mind that we were always told that "B" was doing well). This recent news came as a shock! There's so much "other stuff" that I'm not mentioning because, frankly, I don't want to bore anyone. I don't know, anymore, who cares and who doesn't. If you care, please, please pray.

This trip back to Russia was certainly a test of my faith. I contacted a friend in who lives in region and we headed out together to see my kids. There are no hotels or motels where my children are. I rented a room at the train station. The bathroom is down the hall and there is no bath or shower at the station. I happen to pick one of the weeks (lucky me!) when Russia cuts off it's hot water supply to do countrywide maintenance on it's boilers. There are two little cafe's in this town and a handful of kiosks close by where I was able to pick up bottled "carbonated" water (we Americans can get very sick from their water). There are no public phones, no internet and no toilet paper in public bathrooms. The state of those bathrooms is for another email. We stayed there for three nights. By day five, we headed back to the capitol city (almost 4 hours by train) to boil water (lots of it) and wash ourselves in a tub. My native Russian friend decided she didn't like the inconveniences of this city and informed me that she would not like to spent the evenings there. So, from that day on we traveled to and from there daily by train. The total amount of time traveling by bus and train averaged 8 hours per day. Add two hours of play time with the kids and an additional hour of walking time to and from the apartment or the orphanage. We left the apartment by 11 and returned every night by 9 - ish. We exhausted ourselves. I don't think I would have minded it so much except that traveling is so inconvenient. The train is so uncomfortable! Hard seats, very hot weather, smelly people, drunk people...too many people! Still, I think I could have endured this better if at least these people were friendly or kind. NOPE. No one smiled. No one was nice. Everyone was rude - everyone! At one point, my friend started to make apologies for the rudeness of her countrymen. Did they know I was an American? Nope! They were rude to her - not me. She's the one who would ask questions. I kept my mouth shut and my nose clean! They're just rude, rude people! Everyday I prayed. Actually, it was more like every minute of everyday. I was so grateful to God for the small things... like if I was running late but so was the train... or a cool breeze in an otherwise stifling train compartment. I was grateful when I could find bottled water that was refrigerated (cold)! I was grateful to God in every small thing and He gave me joy so many times a day! This verse saved me daily:"From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I" Psalm 61:2

I have visited my children everyday until today. I won't go into too many details. Our son, "B", (7 years old) seemed well enough. He was/is very pale. I sensed a lot of bitterness in him. He has a skewed interpretation of family relationships. He thinks it's all about receiving presents because that's the only relationship we have had with him for four years. Still, he was happy to see me and talked excitedly about going home in an airplane. He talked about what he remembered of his Mama and Papa. Some of it was right on. Most of it was his imagination. All of it was wonderful and endearing. Once he said "Mama, when you leave, will Papa come?" Another time he asked why he couldn't leave with me? I told him about the judge. And yesterday, after I finally received some papers regarding his health (a subject for another email), he said "Good, I'm glad you have started to get papers for me. I want to go home and see my puppies". "B", due to his failing health and poor diet, has stunted growth. Still, he's amazingly smart. He will be transferred, yet again, to another orphanage where there is a school in it and he can learn. Children do not go to school in this region until they are 8 years old. We talked briefly about his illness. He said when he is sick his body hurts but mostly his head hurts. He says he hates to take so much medicine but he was glad he was feeling well so he can play with me and "G". "B" did not like to be touched or held unless he invited you to do so. He did it on his terms. Reactive Attachment Disorder.

"G" was scared the first ten minutes and then would warm up. She was rigid when I hugged her (RAD - reactive attachment disorder) She was hesitant for the first two days... after that, she entered the room with a huge smile on her face. She is very hyper active. She remained protective of her personal space but allowed me in at random moments. One time, "B"said something very endearing to me and I told him that I loved him. She immediately stopped what she was doing and asked me if I loved her too? It broke my heart. I picked her up and covered her with kisses - and she let me. She will remain at this orphanage for 1-1/2 more years. When she is 8 she will go to different orphanage but not the same one as "B". I am having a hard time with a statement that the Director of the orphanage made. He said my daughter was extremely delayed and would go to a special orphanage for delayed children. While I was there I saw NO delays in her speech, she was fairly appropriate with her number readiness (she counted to 25 and identified numbers to 20). She knows all her colors, the days of the week, the months in the year... I just don't get it!!!!! Yes, she is hyperactive and becomes distracted. That's very fixable. She's not retarded! Yet the director spoke about her as though she was. Together, "B" and "G" talked animatedly about how they would both sleep in the same room when they "came home". In fact, they would both sleep on the bottom bunk of the same bed. She decided she wanted bed sheets with Disney's 'Ariel' on them (She knows all the Disney Princesses). He agreed that it would be okay for him to sleep on those same sheets. They talked out loud among themselves about random things (my friend was translating). Many things would bore you but for me it was all wonderful and hopeful! Our children WANT to come home to us. That's a REALLY BIG DEAL!

I struggle with something Christian to say about a judge that is allowing my son to die and my daughter to be thrown in with mentally handicapped children. I do sincerely pray for his salvation. That's on a good day. If I weren't a Christian I might wish he has an attack on her digestive system of such magnitude that he screams out to God daily for the rest of his life! I might wish that he is tormented nightly in his dreams of children screaming accusingly at his for keeping them from as many loving families that are wanting to adopt them. But that's not the Christian thing to do.... so I will continue to pray for his salvation.

I will investigate a medical visa for "B". My husband and I will continue to fight and pray for our children. We ask that you remember them in your prayers as well.

"Husband", "Son", "Daughter 1 & "Daughter 2" - I miss you so much and I can't wait to see you! I can't wait to hug you and smother you in kisses. You are my life! Thank you for your support and your love. Praying His promises bless your day!

"Amazing Mother"
Num 6:24,26 Jer 29:11 Zephaniah