Their Dearest Wish

Our James says that the dearest wish of an orphan child is that he will not die.

Many at the Special Needs orphanages die. Little Dima with the limp could also die. This is why, when he overheard someone say that he could be taken there, he began running away, and sniffing glue. So far I have not heard that this "good" little boy has a family. Last word was they had taken his clothes away and locked him in the medical "cabinet" so he cannot run.

This week and next a large group of would-be parents are returning to Ukraine to adopt children who have become available. Earlier these families were turned away because the Ukrainian gov't department which handles adoptions is now under a different ministry. Apparently now they are ready to process papers again.

A single lady, a missionary to China is trying to adopt a particular little girl. The little girl is supposed to be available, but as often happens, trouble has suddenly arisen concerning this child. Could I ask you to please pray just once, right now for the woman as she returns almost immediately, that God will guide her and that her little girl will be ready for her?

You cannot imagine how many thousands and thousands of little and big kids there are in those huge, old, dingy Communist regime institutions all over Ukraine! Click on Life2Orphans.org to see some. The healthy boys and girls, though most are bright and affectionate and playful, still have to be in a survivor mode at all times. But the kids in the Special Need orphanages should break our hearts.

Instead of going to the regular boarding school orphanages once they reach 4 years of age, if they have asthma or a limp or Down's or whatever, they are usually carted off to a concentration camp "home".

I am told these are terrible places, which is why little Dima, our Peter's friend kept running away. It can mean death to go there, because they do not have enough food, no schooling, and little medical care.

I encourage you to please take a minute and go to Life2Orphans.org and click on Torez, one of the Special Needs orphanages. Then ask God if perhaps one of your children may be in Ukraine, waiting for you to rescue him or her. What harm could one little prayer do?

I cannot tell you how precious our two boys are to us. We are so very blessed. A year after bringing them home, they are hugging me more than ever and still holding doors open for us. Everyone loves them because they are such eager beavers. A friend told me at the game tonight that she watches James play basketball as much as she watches her own son. She sits in the bleachers crying because of how far he has come in the last twelve months.

Both boys are growing into wonderful, happy friends to each other and to our bio son Rob, and we, and he, and they are laughing together and connecting on more and more levels each day, as barriers continue falling one after another, and we become one family under God.

We are glad that at least two orphans don't have to fight to survive or die on the street or suffer in a place like Torez. All glory to God.