We arrived safely back home today at about 1:30PM mountain time. We had to do two "OJs" in the airport to make both our connecting flights. Happy to be back home and hanging out with the Colorado kiddoes. Hoping and praying that the Kherson kiddoes are well.
Thanks for everyone's support and prayers over the last month. We'll pick things up again when I return to Ukraine in a couple of weeks to finish the process.
Bruce & Michele
Friday, October 16, 2009
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Back in Kiev
The overnight train from Kherson to Kiev was uneventful. We actually did get some sleep and enjoyed seeing some of the countryside as we approached Kiev from the south.
After arriving, our facilitator took us right to the US Embassy where we signed the paperwork that required both our signatures. It took about an hour and then we were done!
Then we were off to meet Karen Springs at her office to retrieve the keys for her apartment, and then our driver dropped us off.
We walked around a bit and had a bite to eat, but it has turned really cold up here in Kiev. Yesterday in Kherson it was actually very summer-like. Today in Kiev it feels like winter is nearly here!
We met Karen for dinner at one of her favorite Italian restaurants near the center. It was a great meal and we've had a great time learning about the work Karen is doing here with CBN and also had some laughs about our experiences over the last several weeks.
Tomorrow is a free day. We leave Friday morning at 5:30 AM (!), so it will be an early morning.
Not a lot of news today. Just want to let everyone know we are safe and sound...hanging out at Karen's apartment the next coupe of days.
Thanks for reading.
Bruce
After arriving, our facilitator took us right to the US Embassy where we signed the paperwork that required both our signatures. It took about an hour and then we were done!
Then we were off to meet Karen Springs at her office to retrieve the keys for her apartment, and then our driver dropped us off.
We walked around a bit and had a bite to eat, but it has turned really cold up here in Kiev. Yesterday in Kherson it was actually very summer-like. Today in Kiev it feels like winter is nearly here!
We met Karen for dinner at one of her favorite Italian restaurants near the center. It was a great meal and we've had a great time learning about the work Karen is doing here with CBN and also had some laughs about our experiences over the last several weeks.
Tomorrow is a free day. We leave Friday morning at 5:30 AM (!), so it will be an early morning.
Not a lot of news today. Just want to let everyone know we are safe and sound...hanging out at Karen's apartment the next coupe of days.
Thanks for reading.
Bruce
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
A Door Closed....A Window Opened....
We are heading to the train station in about 1/2 hour to catch an overnight train back to Kiev tonight. No one was able to reach the region and get ahold of the executive committe member, so we have a new plan. I'll be heading back to the states with Michele on Friday, and I (yep, just me...this is the "opened window") will return for the first several weeks of November to complete the adoption process for Pasha and Natasha.
Gotta go. We'll post more details tomorrow.
Pray for safe travels....
Thanks!
Bruce & Michele
Gotta go. We'll post more details tomorrow.
Pray for safe travels....
Thanks!
Bruce & Michele
Monday, October 12, 2009
Prayer Requests...
If you think about it today, please pray specifically for the following:
- That the member of the executive committee in the region where Yana and Natasha were born is available tomorrow.
- That he will sign the document which agrees with the court's earlier decision to allow the separation of Yana and Natasha.
If both of these happen, we will likely (at least as of today!) be able to have a court date on Friday or Monday. If things don't happen in our favor, then both Michele and I will likely come home this week and then come back sometime in November (after Yana's 18th birthday) to complete the process.
Thanks!
No News
Can you believe it........We still don't know if the separation papers are going to be accepted. Well we do know something. We won't make our Tuesday court date. We will tell you as soon as we know anything. The mantra is, Good news, Good news, Good news. Keep praying.
Pasha is sick. Please pray that he gets better soon. Thanks.
Pasha is sick. Please pray that he gets better soon. Thanks.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Still Waiting...
We had a good day yesterday (Sunday). Met the kids and about 20+ additional orphanage kids at the bus stop to go to church in the morning. Natasha stayed with us during the service instead of going with the youth. We learned last week that she didn't like the "craziness" of the youth service. Pasha did go with the youth and the rest of the orphanage kids did as well.
The service seemed extra long...probably because we didn't have an interpreter and it actually did go a bit over 2 hours! But, we both understand a few words (for example, we knew he was talking about Paul, which is "Pavil" in Russian...and Michele was sure she heard something about "by the blood of Christ"....)
Afterward....(Michele rip's computer out of Bruce's hands!)
Bruce is an absolute Bolg-Hog! I never get to say stuff. He says I type too slowly...which is true.
I would relay information differently. He is all about ALL the facts, I like a little more flavor and mystery as to what is really happening. Later when you and I speak in person we could have a real conversation about the events that have taken place. That is the way humans should communicate anyway ! Unlike Kip, I don't love technology.
Anyway..church was long.
We now wait for the call about separation papers for the girls. Today will help us decide if we stay now and finish things up or if we make plans for both of us to leave and come back when Jana is 18 on the 24th. ( she gives us smiles now when we see her at the orphanage).
I'm sure I have left a bunch of stuff out.....ON PURPOSE. Let's have coffee when we get back, or even talk on the phone.
Didn't my entry wet your appetite?
Bruce is taking the computer back.............
Nope...nothing else to say. Michele summed it up nicely. Oh, OK...one more factual tidbit. On the way home from church we saw a bunch of kids spray painting on a wall on our street. When Oksana came to the Bible House, she said it was "paint festival" or something like that. We all walked down to where they were painting and looked at their work. Pasha took some photos and when we got back to the Bible House did some of his own "artwork" on the art pad. There, that wasn't so bad, was it?
Later,
Bruce & Michele
The service seemed extra long...probably because we didn't have an interpreter and it actually did go a bit over 2 hours! But, we both understand a few words (for example, we knew he was talking about Paul, which is "Pavil" in Russian...and Michele was sure she heard something about "by the blood of Christ"....)
Afterward....(Michele rip's computer out of Bruce's hands!)
Bruce is an absolute Bolg-Hog! I never get to say stuff. He says I type too slowly...which is true.
I would relay information differently. He is all about ALL the facts, I like a little more flavor and mystery as to what is really happening. Later when you and I speak in person we could have a real conversation about the events that have taken place. That is the way humans should communicate anyway ! Unlike Kip, I don't love technology.
Anyway..church was long.
We now wait for the call about separation papers for the girls. Today will help us decide if we stay now and finish things up or if we make plans for both of us to leave and come back when Jana is 18 on the 24th. ( she gives us smiles now when we see her at the orphanage).
I'm sure I have left a bunch of stuff out.....ON PURPOSE. Let's have coffee when we get back, or even talk on the phone.
Didn't my entry wet your appetite?
Bruce is taking the computer back.............
Nope...nothing else to say. Michele summed it up nicely. Oh, OK...one more factual tidbit. On the way home from church we saw a bunch of kids spray painting on a wall on our street. When Oksana came to the Bible House, she said it was "paint festival" or something like that. We all walked down to where they were painting and looked at their work. Pasha took some photos and when we got back to the Bible House did some of his own "artwork" on the art pad. There, that wasn't so bad, was it?
Later,
Bruce & Michele
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Another Miracle...Please?
We just got off the phone with Tanya. We hadn't head from her since our documents had been shipped up to the SDA in Kiev. I could overhear her talking to Michele and heard, "It's not good." I thought, "What now?"
So, here's the scoop. The SDA is not accepting Jana's separation papers. Tanya will go on Monday to the city where Jana and Natasha were born to see if the judge/court there will "OK" the separation. Apparently, the judge in the city where they were born has the power to do this. However, Tanya said it's very unlikely that this will happen, since the Kherson region is strongly against the separation of siblings.
So, we are asking everyone to pray that the judge will look at the situation and miraculously choose to "OK" the separation papers....even if everyone else is saying this is unlikely. We know this is all in God's hands, but our patience is wearing thin and we need to bring this process to conclusion as quickly as possible.
We will update everyone on Monday after we hear back from Tanya. Until then, pray to the God for whom nothing is impossible, that the impossible will happen here in Ukraine.
Thanks,
Bruce & Michele
So, here's the scoop. The SDA is not accepting Jana's separation papers. Tanya will go on Monday to the city where Jana and Natasha were born to see if the judge/court there will "OK" the separation. Apparently, the judge in the city where they were born has the power to do this. However, Tanya said it's very unlikely that this will happen, since the Kherson region is strongly against the separation of siblings.
So, we are asking everyone to pray that the judge will look at the situation and miraculously choose to "OK" the separation papers....even if everyone else is saying this is unlikely. We know this is all in God's hands, but our patience is wearing thin and we need to bring this process to conclusion as quickly as possible.
We will update everyone on Monday after we hear back from Tanya. Until then, pray to the God for whom nothing is impossible, that the impossible will happen here in Ukraine.
Thanks,
Bruce & Michele
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
