Meeting at Orphanage #24

This is my 4th full day in Russia and some things are working out and other things are yet to be worked out.

This evening I had a great meeting with the Children's Director at Orphanage #24. We discussed several things, but I was most worried about having enough supplies for the kids activities. She recongized that I was a very detailed person and identified herself as a very happy-go-lucky person! She was very open and very assuring that everything will be OK. She's fairly sure we will have enough as some will be in the hospital and some will be away. We are also going to combine the first three groups into one as she said they are used to going around with one another anyway. It will be a group of 19, ages 10-12. So, that means I'm back to 9 groups! Ahh... God knew this and He had a plan!

Victoria, the Children's Director, felt more comfortable with me during this visit that she spoke to me in English! She was a little bit shy the first time to talk as she hasn't had much practice. She was very open for us to do anything we wanted. I sensed she trusted us and understood what we were doing. I knew things would go well after we were saying goodbye to one another in the hallway. I told her I had one more VERY important question to ask her. She looked into my eyes and immeditely knew I was a teasing soul! "Ahh yes", she said, "the toliet is this way!" :-)

The doors are open here and next Monday we will step through them.

Those are the things that are going well. Thanks for your prayers!

On the other side is problems that my kids are facing. I've found out some things that are affecting them and there are a lot of bridges to cross.

Sergey has made a lot of requests lately, but there are two important and serious issues facing him right now. First, he has an ear infection. He showed me what appears to be a CATSCAN and the infection in growing into his sinus cavity. He needs an operation soon to take care of this. It's been lingering for a year now. He will have the operation in May in the town of Rostov. Please pray for him regarding this operation.

He has also requested help with getting an attorney to write a document that says he is exempt from Army service. Although an attoney can write a document llike this, my understanding is that it is illegal for an attoney to provide this document. Although they do if one can pay the right price. There is a spiritural battle here with regards to law and rule of law. Pirated software exists, and it is sold easily in Kiosks, but it is illegal. Pirated movies can be purchased for $5 each and they are sold in Kiosks, but that is illegal too. If you have enough money, attoney's can write a document too. Nevertheless, it's illegal.

I don't want him to enter the Army, but it's required here. You can't get a good job, or many other things without a record of Army service. I'd rather have him go to the university like he wants, but they evidently are requiring proof of Army serivice. This is a huge dillima. Please pray for this situation. Maybe there is another way that will keep our intergrity and allow him to go to the university this fall. Please pray for this.

All the kids have financial requests where the total is beyond what I can do. Education, food, getting set-up in an apartment, an operation and various other needs are typical of teenagers, but are coming at me to fast to handle. Please pray that I will have wisdom and discernment to know how to handle these requests and that they will have understanding of what I can do.

Thanks for your prayers! I'll update you in a few days!

Blessings!
John