Our God is a Prayer-Hearing God

Greetings Family and Friends,

It looks like everything is coming together wondrously for us to leave Tulchyn with Roman on Monday! Just a couple of days ago it looked like we might be stuck here for 1-2 more weeks, but God has heard our cries for help and has intervened in amazing ways to shorten our stay and allow us to come home this week. This doesn't mean we should get lazy with prayer...things can change for the good or the bad overnight here in Ukraine so please continue to remember us in your prayers. Let me update you on a few other matters.

Yesterday, while praying and reading in the morning I had a real burden for Tulchyn. I told the Lord that I was ready to leave today(that is yesterday) if it was best, but if he were to give me a few more days here it would mean frutiful labor and an opportunity to "shine" for him. I asked theLord to give me some opportunity to say to these people whom we have met in Tulchyn that our chief motivation for adopting Roman is the love of God in Jesus Christ that has gripped our hearts. O how I wish I could articulate my thoughts to these people and speak plainly to them in some understandable way. Well, God answered this prayer in such an incredible way. Later that day we recieved a call from Svetlana that a reporter here in Tulchyn had heard of us being here and what we were doing and wanted to meet with me for an interview later that day at the orphanage (at 4). Well, I met her at 4pm in the director's office withSvetlana, Maria, and Matt present. She had a little tape recorder to tape everything I said and spoke to me through Svetlana--though I starting to understand a lot more what is being said these days. Her first question was, "Why have you decided to adopt this boy and what are your hopes andplans for him in the USA." Well, I took the opportunity to tell her our whole story from beginning to end in great detail...the picture, the prayer, the girls asking if we could be Roma's parents, the decision, the long wait, the sad news that we would have to wait longer, the money, Nicholas' adoption, the trip this summer, and now our adoption. I told her that our chief motivation was that God had sent Jesus into this world tosecure our adoption into His family. She said, "But he is an invalid." I replied, "And so am I!" I told her that we really are all invalids spiritually and physically (since we are all dying)--all of our arms are too short to reach out and grasp God and obtain a right standing before him. The good news from the Old Testament and New Testament is that God saves. And that God saves with "outstretched arms". With outstretched arms he saved the Israelites from their captivity in Egypt (Ps. 136) and with outstretched arms on the cross He saved us from our sin. His arms are long when ours are too short. He reaches down to us through the person and work of Jesus and says, "I love you with all of your problems." I told her that when that kind of love grips your heart and you realize that you have been adopted into God's family that you begin to grow--just like when we adopt these orphans and bring them into our home and love them they begin to grow in new ways. It is God's love that has brought us to this point of wanting to adopt Roman. Maria also explained how Roma is a fighter and how no one expected him to live. I chimmed in and told the reporter that Maria had saved Roma's life twice. Maria explained how Roma is really growing and developing rapidly and that he has a bright future. The reporter asked,"Who will take care of all of these children at home?" I told her that my wife would be at home caring for these children and that I would be helping every day. She really couldn't understand all of this. She asked me if there would be other people from the US who would follow our example of taking in these needy children and I said, "I hope so!" But then I said this--"My real hope is that more and more people from Tulchyn and all ofUkraine would realize how precious these children are--all of them masterpieces made in the image of God--and care for them." I told the reporter that it would be better for these children to have loving homes here in Ukraine where they were born. The reporter told me that life is too hard here and she and her husband have to work so hard to make a living and caring for children like this would be impossible. She thanked me immensely for what we were doing to give Roma a life in the US. Etc. Etc. It was really neat. The article will come out sometime this week after weare gone but I will arrange for a copy to make it our way. I just can't believe how God answered my prayer from that morning--"Lord, just give me some way to share you with these people."

Today Matt and I went on a complete tour of the orphanage facility with the director and Svetlana. We got to see every child in the orphanage and learn of many of their sad situations.I was able to get some information on a few of the children to bring back with me. Maria also pointed out many needs here. The old septic/drainage system for the facility has been repaired many many times and now has completely collapsed. Part of the children's play area is flooded with sewage and has posed a health concern. The government will not provide the needed funds to replace this system anytime in the near future. The newborn nursery is ill-equipped and in need of renovation--ceiling, heating, windows, etc. This nursery is for very very sick children.

Matt and I are planning to host a celebration tomorrow night at the flat. Our plan is to invite Sasha and Natasha from Lideszian, Ruslan and Archie,Svetlana, Albina, Katya, Andre and Andre and maybe a couple of others for a time of sharing and thanksgiving before leaving. This will take the form of a very basic worship/outreach event. Ruslan is helping us think through this a bit and thinks it is a great idea. We will sing some songs and I will preach/present the gospel (w/ Ruslan translating) to the friends we have made in Tulchyn. Please pray about this as we are flying by the seatof our pants a bit. This is looking a lot like a fellowship group kind of meeting. It was Ruslan's idea to invite Sasha and Natasha so that there can be follow up with Alina's family if they are interested. Who knows what the Lord will do.

Roma is doing great...he seems to be learning new things from us everyday. Pray for our departure on Monday as we will be on the road for 4-5 hours. He is not used to long car rides and we are not sure how he will do. Pray for the remaining appointments in Kiev. Pray for our safe trip home.

Blessings,

Jim and Matt