Ehud the Left Handed Assassin and other stories from the day....

Hello again, it has been another interesting day. Once again it has been such a blessing to have the Burmans with us not only for support but also someone else who speaks english! Tomorrow morning they leave for their appointment to meet with the director to get their other daughter who has already been moved to the institute after she turned 4. The director's heart is very hard to the idea of adoption, so please be praying for Brian and Shelly as they make the trip. Please pray for the director's heart that it would be softened and for peace for them as this has been a very nerve racking couple of days.

Some good news, Amanda is feeling much better. We finally had a normal night of sleep last night, our first since we left the States. Now here it is almost 1 in the morning here and I'm blogging! :) We have noticed that the portions we are eating are much smaller and we are eating a little bit more fequently. But I guess when you take a trip such as this, your appetite isn't what it normally would be.

We went to church today at the church that Stephanie had recommended. The pastor and his wife were absolutely wonderful! The whole church was very welcoming and it felt as if we were at home. It is a small church just a little smaller than the one I serve at back home. The interesting part about this church though is that they have two services, one in the morning for the deaf, and one in the afternoon for the hearing. We attended the afternoon service so it was nice knowing that with the time difference, we were attending church at about the same time our brothers and sisters were in fellowship back home. It was amazing because Sunday school and the service were conducted in english, but were translated into russian. All of the hymns were sung in russian and it was amazing to be singing along with the congregation as they were singing Trust and Obey in russian and the four of us in english! The choir did a special music of Revive Us Again in russian which that hymn is my second all time favorite. It was truly a treat for me, russian is such a beautiful language...just wish I could understand it! There was also a trio that sang Father, I Adore You in a three part harmony round in russian. I wish I could have recorded it, it was amazing!

The visits with the kids today were great. Cole was a little more awake than he was yesterday. We are working with him on being touched. Both of the children have not had a lot of personal contact by the workers, so when you would kiss them on the cheek, they don't know or understand what you are doing. Rorie at first would give me this crazy look like she couldn't figure me out when I would kiss her on the cheek. Now, she is getting better, but I still get a little crazy look, followed by her amazing giggle. She still does crazy kisses with Amanda and now Amanda is getting her to clap afterward, she is such a doll. Rorie was a little bit quieter today than before because she was a little sick. She had a runny nose and was a little more content to sit and play on the couch with toys today at this mornings visit. This afternoon she got a round a little bit more and was a little more active. The workers in her room absolutely love her! When we come for a visit or to drop her off afterwards, the helpers speak no english and it has got to be absolutely hilarious watching us try and communicate. Today when we got there this morning, the workers took the time to learn in english, "we love her! we love her!" Amanda and I were so touched by the gesture because they were absolutely beaming and you knew that they truely meant it! My only other though is that they were so sick of listing to us butcher 'thank you' and 'yes' in russian, that they thought it would just be easier for them to learn english. :)

Tonight, Amanda and I, in our Bible study we talked about Ehud in the book of Judges. I found that it was so fitting that the story so aptly fits with our situation. Ehud, being left-handed, wasn't looked upon very highly in those ancient times, but still was used by God to do mighty works! I won't spend the time explaining the whole story here but encourage you to read it on your own. It can be found in the book of Judges chapter 3 verses 12-30. This story is so fitting because our children by societies standards are inferior. The major belief here, as it was in Scripture, that this "deformity" or "sickness" was because of something they or their parents did. The story of Ehud affims to me that God can and will use anyone who is willing, no matter what people think of you. This encourgaged Amanda and I that these two little ones have a purpose and were chosen by God to do some great things!

We have been discussing about coming home or staying during the 10 day waiting period. Please continue to pray for us and this decision. I know coming home even if for 5 days would be great time to relax a little and spend some time with much missed family, but I also know that there is an extreme price tag that would go along with that visit. So if anyone has $5000 laying around, could you let us know in the next day or two so we can make our decision? hahaha. I am leaning toward staying and just pushing through now that Amanda is doing much better. We are going to talk over the next day and see where we go from here.

I just want to thank everyone for all of the prayer support that we are being covered with. I know many of you are able to read this blog or check our facebook, and I know that there are some at church that haven't gotten into this whole internet revolution and are unable to read what we post. Anyone from church reading this, please pass this along to the church, since we are unable to get a video out yet due to lack of a really good internet connection. We ask for continued prayer for us, strength, peace, and patience that this will all be over soon and that we don't run out of the orphanage with the kids one day and they send the police after us! :) Also, please ask all of our prayer warriors at home to keep the Burmans in prayer as well. Thanks that we have their companionship and experience as this is their second adoption in Ukraine, and prayer that they can perservere, patience, and strength as they are hitting all of their pothole over here. It has been a difficult time for them and we have laughed and cried the whole time together.

1 Kings 8:27-29 "But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this temple that I have built! Yet regard the prayer of Your servant and his supplication, O LORD my God, and listen to the cry and the prayer which Your servant is praying before you today: that Your eyes may be open toward this temple day and night, toward the place of which You said, "My name shall be there,' that You may hear the prayer which Your servant makes toward this place."

Colossians 4:2-3 "Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains,"

Oh, to finish because you have made it this far listening to me, I though you would like to see at least an updated picture from yesterday....

Cole

Rorieann