A Story of God's Grace

An Orphan Shares Her Deepest Wish

2011-07-31T16:33:00.000-05:00

An edited letter from a friend serving orphans:

"This summer as I look back on the years that God has allowed me to know and love orphans, I have been challenged again by the words of William Wilberforce who played a huge role in ending slavery in Britain during the 1700 and 1800s:

“Having heard all this, you may choose to look the other way . . . but you can never again say that you did not know.” William Wilberforce

It was 10 years ago this summer, that I first visited these children. The first time I set foot on this soil I knew basically nothing about the orphans who call this place home. I spent two weeks at their summer camp, meeting and spending time with many children. When I left, I never expected to return, I never wanted to return. But something happened during those two weeks:

My eyes were opened to pain I had never before imagined.

I knew.

And I could not go back to not knowing.

After meeting these orphans, I could never again say that I didn’t know they existed or needed help.

I knew that I had to do something; and that I needed to ask God what that something was. It turned out to be moving to be with them, which I had never even considered before. Over the years my eyes have been opened to many more needs. So many children have touched my heart and forced me to go to God again and again asking what my role should be. The answer is different every time.

A few weeks ago, I was faced with another need, another hurting child, another plea for help:

A girl from the orphanage came up to me and quietly asked if we could talk in private. I agreed. Later that day as all the kids walked from camp to a nearby park, Emily and I hung to the back of the bunch and she presented her request: “Can you please find me a family? I really really want to be adopted and have a family! I don’t have anything here. I don’t have any relatives. I don’t have a future. I want to have a family!”

It is so hard for me to respond to this question. Everything in me cries out that Emily should have a family; that no child should have to plead for someone to love her. We talked awhile and I explained to her that being adopted is not so easy, that it is hard to adjust to being in a family, following rules, learning English etc. She said that she knew and would do her best to make it work, if only she could just have a family.

I have known Emily for several years but have never really been close to her. She is a nice girl. She is confident, smart, and has many friends and I am usually more drawn to the quiet, shy kids who are ignored and end up in the background all the time. But now here she was, begging in the only way she knew how for the one thing she longs for more than anything else - a family.

Now I knew.

I knew more than the general knowledge that all kids dream of being adopted. I heard the words come out of Emily's mouth. I saw the look in her eyes as she talked about being adopted. I saw the fear as she thought of what it would mean to stay here without a family. Now I really knew and it was time for me to ask God again what I was to do with this knowledge.

I hadn’t planned to write or tell others about Emily but then this conversation happened, and I couldn’t pretend that it didn’t. An orphan shared her deepest wish with me, and now I share it with you . . ."

Camp in Ukraine

2011-06-26T15:57:00.001-05:00

The following is a report from one of our indigenous missionaries in Ukraine who cares for orphans. If you are interested in supporting her ministry, please contact me.

It's been more than a week since our first camp in the village orphanage was finished.

A few days after camp was over I felt I wanted to go there again and make another camp. God shows me how much spiritual contribution these children need. They need my time, need friends who visit them, talk and play with them.

This was the first time in my life when it was my responsibility to organise, set up things and coordinate the camp. It's not easy for sure.

But the best thing about it is to be used completely for serving those children in His Name.

The huge blessing for our team was freedom to share Gospel with the children (there were 60 children) and with the staff of the orphanage(around 30 people) and freedom to pray with the children and teach them Bible verses.

The principal and his assistant were very favourable to us.

The camp expenses were fully covered by our church and by a few individuals. This is also a big blessing that Ukrainian people give money to this ministry. I think for Ukrainians it's not usual.

The theme of our camp was "True Friendship with God".

Every day we took a new Bible story: on Monday - Adam and Eve and their friendship with the Creator and disobedience, on Tuesday-True friendship David and Jonathan, on Wednesday-Friendship and jealousy between Jacob and Esau, on Thursday-Fear and distrust in God (story about Jonah), on Friday-a summary.

Children were excited to hear so many interesting Bible stories completely new for them. They enjoyed learning Bible verses and getting scores for that. They were told that on Friday they would have a chance to go to the "fair market" and buy all they want with their scores. Things like toothpaste, toothbrushes, toys, stationary, candies, T-shirts.

Also what children enjoyed doing for most is playing general camp games. In those games everybody was involved and the game lasted for about one hour. We had a few games with water, which they liked very much since it was hot almost all camp.

On night programs they liked our skits and group fellowships (the time when the leader and his children share the impressions of the day and talk about God).

Also they liked morning exercises to the music "Every move I make in you, Jesus".

We had much interesting stuff for them to keep them busy, excited and involved.

Most of these children in the camp were with some light mental disabilities - slow to understand, focus, learn by heart.

Despite all that they they could feel and realise our good attitude to them and sincere care.

Our team spent 5 days and 4 nights in the children's dorm along with the children. We had 11 people in the team and every other day we had new people coming to help. Every evening we had a new special guest from the city who spoke on topics of friendship with God and with people.

Children didn't believe us when they heard that we would stay with them for 5 days and would sleep with them in their rooms and next door to them.

Nobody ever did that.

We learned some stories about some children from their teachers and governesses.

We learned so much information from these children and their life that we couldn't get during the whole year of our visits to them on Saturdays.

God let us know so that we could keep these children in our prayers and be willing to serve them even more.

One boy named V was raped by his father when he was little. He and his other 2 brothers and one sister also study together in this boarding school. He is very cute and nice. V was one of the greatest helpers for our team in the camp. He knew where to get things for us, to find ways for us to do some things. He was fast to learn and showed us how to serve others.

One girl named N cannot speak. Her mom wanted to hide the fact that she was pregnant, that's why she tied her belly to look slimmer. In such a way she blocked some nerves of her not yet born-baby. And when she gave birth to N, she realised what a damage she brought to her child. N could not speak.

These two stories were the most terrifying for me.

It shows they need us.

On the last day of the camp the principal thanked us and invited us again.

This camp happened because of God's will and direction. The Gospel was shared freely and children had open hearts to receive it. On Thursday night 7 teenagers professed Jesus as their Savior and many children prayed. We don't know how deep they got the Gospel but we believe they want God to be their friend.

We had a great time in the camp learning from God ourselves how to love practically not by words but mostly by acts.

And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.
(Ex.33:19)

Happy Birthday, Karina!

2011-06-12T17:20:00.000-05:00

Today is Karina's birthday and we praise God for giving her another birthday and that she is with us on this birthday. It is truly a sweet day. It is also a reminder of where she would be this summer if she had not been adopted and a reminder of what is to become of some of her friends. Many of them will not return to the orphanage at the end of this summer and from their communications with Karina, some of them do not know where they will end up. We hope to visit them soon. Please be in prayer for those orphans who age out of the orphanages across Ukraine this summer.

There was a Girl. Fifteen Years Old: An Adoption Story - Reformation21 Blog

2011-04-15T12:47:00.000-05:00

There was a Girl. Fifteen Years Old: An Adoption Story - Reformation21 Blog

Report from Ukraine

2011-03-07T19:18:00.000-06:00

This is the latest report from one of our missionaries on the field in Ukraine.

Thank you very much for supporting my ministry to the children in the orphanages.
Praise the Lord that He gives me health, time, money resources, prayers and support of many people. He blesses me with everything I need for my ministry.

Last Saturday we spent time with children in the village orphanage and it was a really good time of playing with them, telling them how God created this universe for us to enjoy it and take care of it. Our practical craft was planting beans in the plastic glasses. Children enjoyed that very much. The children get excited every time they see us and they take us by the hand and ask many questions. They ask so many questions we must be flexible with our schedule.

We're fine about that and very often at our planning when we share our impressions and things we achieved we often laugh because most of the time we spend listening to them, which is so great.

Would you please pray for the doors in this village orphanage to be kept on be open for us as always and that we'll be allowed to make a camp for children.

Palmer Home for Children - Where Hope Still Grows

2010-12-01T11:06:00.000-06:00

Palmer Home for Children

2010-11-19T10:22:00.000-06:00

Thrift Store Open House!

2010-11-03T16:29:00.000-05:00

November 4-6, 2010 - 2nd Annual Columbus Thriftstore Christmas Open House

8:00 am - 5:00 pm

2608 Main Street

Columbus, MS 39701

WE WILL HAVE: new toys, electronics, bicycles, lotion sets, gift sets, crystal, everyday jewelry, holiday jewelry, perfumes, colognes, new clothes, men's Reeds t-shirts, collectibles, Christmas decor, decorations, Dept 56 decor, Christmas Trees, Southern Living cookbooks, Palmer Home... cookbooks, and various gift ideas.

Come shop to win - Daily drawings for prizes.

Christmas Cards from Our Palmer Home Children

2010-10-11T13:53:00.000-05:00

Click to enlarge.

Click here to order online at palmerhome.org.

Order Poinsettias and Support Palmer Home for Children!

2010-10-04T10:03:00.000-05:00

Click order form to enlarge.

Turning 16

2010-09-18T22:18:00.000-05:00

Another note from a friend:

"A few days ago I went to my 16 year old brother’s performance. Over 200 high school students held their heads high and played their memorized music, knowing that their parents were watching from the stands. As they showed off their skills, hundreds of proud parents looked on, eager to capture each moment on camera or film. In the middle of the moment, it felt so obvious, so right: this is what a 16 year old child should have . . . someone interested in their life. It is what I pray for each of the kids in the orphanage.

People often ask me what the hardest part of my job is, and I can say without hesitation that the hardest thing is watching a child’s 16th birthday come and go with no family stepping forward to adopt them. 2010 has been especially difficult in this area. This year there were no families deciding to file paperwork at the last minute to keep a child eligible for adoption.

Instead, 16th birthdays of children I know well and love dearly have come and gone over and over again. Each of them hold a special place in my heart, a place that will now be a little bit broken and hurts every time I think of them and what awaits them outside of the orphanage.

Each of these children is so different, each has unique needs and challenges but in one way they are all the same-they desperately wanted and needed parents, but parents never came. They will never have a chance to show mom and dad what they can do. They will now face life on their own. The commitment of an adoptive family to love them no matter what, could have changed all this, but for those 16 and over, it will never happen.

At the same time that I smile watching my brother, another part of me cries inside for the 16 year olds I know on the other side of the world who have gone without parents for so long and now will go without them forever. Please pray for these kids, as well as others in the orphanage who will be turning 16 this school year."

Children Waiting for a Family

2010-09-18T21:51:00.000-05:00

From a friend about children living as orphans in another country:

“I met him 9 years ago. Back then, he was a tiny 8 year old, bouncy, bubbly, and full of life. Now he is taller than me. On his birthday last week, he turned 17. His mother is alive but mentally disturbed and unable to care for him. He waited for years, hoping for an adoptive family. No one came. I haven’t seen him for awhile; he is in and out of the orphanage, probably finding trouble. But today I saw him and we talked about life, about the future, about his plans—and we played a game together. His eyes lit up, “I LOVE that game,” he said. “Let’s play!” He was respectful and played by all the rules. When it was time for me to leave he helped me gather up all the items that the other kids had been playing with and insisted on carrying the bag as we walked to the gate. I saw it then, in his eyes . . . this child was created in the image of God and even though no other adult is there to see it or notice it or care, there is something good in him, something very good.

In some kids in the orphanage goodness is so easy to see,

. . . in "E" who kicked around a soccer ball today with his little brother and then sat in the grass for a long time finding new bugs

. . . in "V" who found the self-control to not blow up when another boy was teasing him unmercifully this afternoon

. . . in "S" who was trying to fix a bicycle wheel today and sat patiently explaining to another boy what needed to be done

. . . when little "K" skips down the hallway to give me a hug and say hi

. . . when "K" sits quietly and reads her book in the middle of the noise and chaos that usually surrounds her

I can see something positive in each one, but there is negative too, believe me, a lot of negative: bad behavior and habits, disrespect, and hurtful teasing.”

How incredible to know that all of these things can change. By the grace of God hearts can be changed.

I have seen how children can change through adoption. I am in awe of the changes that have happened in one little boy's life over the past months since he has lived with his new family. He looks so healthy, there is a sparkle in his eye, and he chatters on and on, but the most amazing changes to see are the ones that have happened on the inside. He is more confident, loving, caring, respectful, and considerate. These changes have not come without the cost of time, energy, and love from his parents, but oh what a reward! What a joy to see him run into his dad’s arm, carefully push his brother on the swing or sit at the kitchen table working through a school book with his mom!

God created all these good qualities in him from the very beginning, now in a family he is able to grow, and mature in these things under the watchful eyes of his parents and so many other adults who love and care for him. The other children that remain as orphans have good qualities too. Sadly they often go unnoticed. Thank you for praying for them and the many other orphans who are waiting for parents.

Are You Interested In Joining Us?

2010-09-16T11:35:00.000-05:00

We are looking for a couple, with or without children, to come live and serve with us at Palmer Home for Children. If interested, please contact me.

I Love You Big, Big!

2010-08-22T09:15:00.001-05:00

In her early 70's Grandma Lela left her home in the States for Ukraine so that she could show orphans the love of Jesus. The first time Lela saw Karina, our daughter was trying to read but could barely see the words on the pages of the book. Grandma watched as Karina held the book close against her face so that her eyes could see what was there. Grandma walked over to Karina, gave her a hug, told her she loved her and took her to the eye doctor.
That was about eight years ago.
God used Grandma Lela to help Karina see both physically and spiritually as she not only bought glasses for Karina but told her about the love of Jesus. Lela told me one time that she left family and home to care for those that had no family and home and to tell them about Jesus.

The first day Sheila and I met Lela she was sitting on a couch in the playroom at the orphanage and one by one boys and girls would give her a hug and kiss.
"Does Grandma Lela love you small, small?" she would ask the children.
"No! Grandma Lela loves me big, big!" they would respond.
She loved on every child... and every child loved on her.
As we watched her interact with the kids we thought, "What a woman!" In the words of a fourteen year old former orphan, "She could have retired and done nothing with her life or just taken care of herself. Instead she gave herself to us."
It is an honor to know her.

Lela had to leave Ukraine not long after we adopted Karina because of medical reasons and a few weeks ago several of the children that she ministered to came to visit her.
As each child came to her she told them, "I love you!"
And they responded, "We love you Grandma, Lela!"
Grandma went to be with Jesus this past week.

We are so thankful for her, we praise God for her and we pray that God would raise up many more Grandma Lela's.
For many orphans, she was the first person to show them Jesus.
I imagine Jesus telling Grandma, "Lela, I love you big, big!"

Dot Courson Art Blog: Art for the Love of It

2010-08-16T11:09:00.000-05:00

Dot Courson Art Blog: Art for the Love of It: "Here is a painting that I'm just about finished with that I'm giving to the Palmer Home Orphanage in Columbus, MS. My friend Vicki Overstree..."

House Parents Needed

2010-08-10T16:54:00.000-05:00

We are looking for a couple/family to serve as house parents at our Hernando Campus. If you are interested, know of someone who would be or would like more information, please let me know. If you do not have my contact information you can send me a comment. Comments are moderated and the public will not see it.

Palmer Home Children Reaching Out to Haiti

2010-07-27T16:30:00.000-05:00

Jesus "came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (from Matthew 20:28) and Galatians 5:13 tells us to serve one another through love.

Serving others is one of the characteristics we hope to instill within all of our children at Palmer Home for Children.

Recently a mission organization needed help washing buckets that are on the way to Haiti. These buckets will be used by those still suffering from the massive earthquake to haul fresh water.

Several of our children came together to wash the buckets... and have a lot of fun in the process.

Where Hope Still Grows

2010-07-14T16:52:00.000-05:00

Many things grow at Palmer Home for Children.

We have an orchard full of apples, peaches, blueberries, plums, blackberries, grapes and figs where the children love to pick and enjoy eating the fruit. It is fun to see them exclaim how delicious the fresh picked fruit tastes and teach them how the fruit must be nurtured for it to grow.

Palmer Home for Children is known as a "Christian ministry where hope still grows". This summer at Palmer Home I have seen that statement to be so true. The good news of Jesus and the love that the staff showers upon the children here at Palmer Home truly gives them hope. What a joy it is to see so many children come from a place of hopelessness to Palmer Home where they do have hope, love, care and the gospel. Over the past few weeks a tiny little girl told me, "In the shelter we cried every night but at Palmer Home we do not cry anymore." An eleven year old boy exclaimed, "I am not afraid anymore!" when a caring staff member helped him conquer one of his ongoing fears. A six year old boy professed Jesus as his Lord and Savior with joy. These are just some of the wonders that happen through the love and service of the staff of Palmer Home and because of the grace of God.

Someone called me recently crying out for us to help three children that had no parents to care for them and were staying in a different location almost every night. At the end of the conversation she said, "Thank you. You have given us hope."

Jesus has given us hope. It is that hope that we pass on to these children and then nurture them to see them grow.

She is Home!

2010-07-03T00:14:00.000-05:00

When we were adopting Karina we met one of her good friends. This was the girl that begged us to find a family for her. On the day that Karina left the orphanage with us, this girl grabbed us and pleaded with us not to forget her, to pray for her and if we could, send someone to rescue her.
God answered her prayers and a year and a half later, she has come home to live with her new family not far from Karina.
It is good to see them together again and we praise God for the family that was willing to rescue another former orphan from the hopelessness she was facing.
Many of you prayed for this girl. Thank you. She is home.

Palmer Home for Children

2010-06-26T08:55:00.000-05:00

Many have asked to know more about Palmer Home for Children where we are serving. Palmer Home is a ministry for children growing up as social orphans without the nurture and support of a loving family. Palmer Home provides a stable, Christ-centered home for these children. To learn more, click on the link and see the mission statement below.

The mission of Palmer Home for Children is to reflect the hope and love of Christ by providing a stable, long-term Christ-centered home for children who lack an adequate family structure.

To that end Palmer Home, as it has since 1895, remains committed to privately-funded, non-government child care which keeps siblings together, models evangelical Christian values, mends emotional scars, restores self-esteem, and provides for each child the full opportunity to reach his or her God-given potential.

Palmer Home for Children currently serves nearly 100 boys and girls from birth through college age who live year-round on two campuses in Columbus, MS and near Hernando, MS. It also extends counseling to the family of origin, foster care, and other family-related services that Palmer offers through its well-qualified, professional staff.
Palmer serves both individual children and sibling groups, brothers and sisters who need and want to be together, providing opportunity for every child to learn traditional family values and to become responsible, caring adults. Each day is structured to provide a careful blend of education, work, family, fun and freedom - all the things a healthy child needs, including the incorporation of Biblical principles into every aspect of life.
But whatever the length of stay or depth of need, Palmer is there to extend effective, healing help, so that hurting children can dare to hope, to dream, and to love again...all because caring friends have chosen to participate in Palmer's growing outreach, prayerfully and lovingly providing financial support and volunteer help.

My Best Friend, Peter

2010-05-30T22:07:00.004-05:00

Noah and Peter

A boy named Peter lived in an orphanage in Russia but a family in the States decided to step out in faith and bring Peter and his sister into their family through adoption.

These two former orphans have lived with their new family for over four years now.

My children have loved getting to know this family over the past year and one day I asked my eight year old son who his best friend was.

His answer was, "Peter is my best friend."

When we lived near this family Noah and Peter were almost inseparable, Noah prays for his friend, talks about him often and even named his favorite stuffed animal after Peter.

The best friend of my son is a boy that lived in an orphanage on the other side of the world but was adopted.

Think about that for a minute.

If this family had not adopted Peter, how much joy would be missed?

Peter would still be in an orphanage.

Noah would have never known his best friend.

How much is missed when we do not listen to God's calling to visit orphans in their distress?

How many best friends will our children never know?

To the family that adopted Peter... thank you for adopting my son's best friend. The blessing of your adoption continues to spread.

Isaac, Noah and Peter fishing

A Conversation with an Orphan

2010-05-29T21:41:00.000-05:00

The school year has ended in many orphanages around the world and for those children 16 years or older that are done with high school, their opportunity to be adopted is most likely over.

They have "graduated" from the system and now they move on.

A small number will survive.

Most will become criminals and prostitutes.

Many will be dead within a few years.

All it takes to break this cycle is for someone like you to step out in faith, go get a child and make that child your own.

A friend recently had this conversation with an orphan that may never have the opportunity to be adopted:

Where is your mother?

She died.

Do you remember your mother?

Yes, of course, I do.

Did you live with her?

Yes.

How long?

I don’t remember.

I’ll bet she was pretty.

(Smile) Of course she was.

What was her name?

(Long pause) I don’t remember.

And what about your dad?

He’s in jail.

Has he been there for a long time? Did you ever live with him?

Yes a long time, no I just lived with my mom.

(A little while later...)

What kind of family do you want one day? A pretty wife?

No, I don’t want a wife, but I am going to adopt a child from an orphanage.

Why do you want to do that?

Because I know what it is like to live in an orphanage. And my child will be thankful that I took him away from the orphanage, he will value what I will give him.

Like you would have valued if someone came for you?

Yes, but I live in the orphanage, I am not complaining.

Value. This orphan understands at least a little bit about what is really important and what we should value.

What do you value? Do you value these children enough to make life a little uncomfortable for a while to change the life of a child.

You may come to find that a little discomfort now becomes the greatest blessing of your life.

And you will change the conversation with an orphan.

Welcome Home!

2010-05-15T11:24:00.000-05:00

Last night, four former orphans welcomed home two more children that are no longer without a family. What a joy it was to see all of these children and their families together. Karina and her siblings love seeing children, no longer living in an orphanage on the other side of the world, coming to live with their family in a home and they pray that more and more children will be coming home soon.

Almost every week we receive messages from different orphans in different parts of the world asking the same question: Is someone coming for me?

Thankful for Mom

2010-05-14T12:35:00.000-05:00

Mother's Day is a special day for a former orphan. Karina drew flowers, purchased a frame for the drawing, wrote a card and had it ready for Sheila on Mother's Day.
"I am so thankful to have you as my mother." Karina told Sheila.
A friend that ministers to orphans in Eastern Europe sent us this video recently and if you listen to the end you can hear orphans crying out for a mother...

Ministry Update

2010-04-30T10:48:00.001-05:00

Click on image for larger version.

One Family Comes Home, Another Family Goes

2010-04-25T15:04:00.001-05:00

Last week a family came home with their new son. It was a great homecoming with many people welcoming a child, no longer an orphan, at the airport. We praise God for this homecoming and we pray for this family as they learn to live as a family together.
Today we visited a church in Alabama and the pastor briefly touched on God adopting us as his children. To describe adoption he said that in adoption God tells us we are his forever and I could not help but think of how that should also describe earthly adoption (obviously in our fallen world there are cases such as the one recently in the news with the woman sending her child back to Russia).
I pray that the boy we met at the airport last week soon understands that he belongs to his family... he is no longer an orphan... and, God willing, it will be that way forever.
There is another family that leaves for Ukraine tomorrow to bring two girls home and into their family. We thank God for both of these families, for the example they set for us, for the faith they demonstrate, for putting fear aside, for not listening to worldly wisdom and stepping out to do what they have been called by God to do.
Our prayers go with this family.
As they leave they are still in need of money.
If anyone reading this will pray for them and support them, please visit their blog where you can donate and help them bring two orphans home:
http://www.takingupourcrossesandfollowinghim.blogspot.com/
If you cannot adopt... if you cannot go... will you give to help them adopt?

Pray for Russia

2010-04-14T12:09:00.000-05:00

Pray for Russia’s Orphans

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James Walter Nasekos

2010-03-21T21:55:00.000-05:00

The name of this blog is A Story of God's Grace. We are so thankful for the grace that he pours onto us. After an intense nine months that included a blood clot, hospitalization, the discovery of a near fatal blood disorder that could of taken the life of my precious wife and our unborn son... James Walter Nasekos was born on March 8. Both baby and mother are doing great and James' five siblings are loving every minute with their new brother (and so are mom and dad). He is such a joy and we thank God for his love and care of us and for this little blessing in our life.

Christmas Presents to Orphans in Ukraine

2010-02-25T18:32:00.002-06:00

Many of you sent gifts for the orphans this past Christmas. This is a video of the kids getting the presents.
Thank you!

A Letter From Karina

2010-02-21T21:58:00.000-06:00

Hello. My name is Karina and I learned something that I want to share with you.
I was really upset about what I saw yesterday and today.
I was an orphan in an orphanage in Ukraine. There are a lot of kids that need a family in this orphanage and I was one of them.
Our life in the orphanage is not good. We need love and we need parents.
Children in the orphanage are the same as children everywhere else except we are orphans and need a family... but I think that people think we are different. Why do people think we are so different that they will not make us part of their family?
I was waiting for someone to adopt me for a long time but it never happened. I wondered why it took so long.
Children in the orphanage are usually mean to each other, fight with each other and make fun of each other.

In our orphanage every child has imperfections and I was no different. I had imperfections too but I did not see them. I was looking at other people's imperfections instead of recognizing my own.
In 2008 I was adopted and left the orphanage.
I was really happy but I remembered the kids still in the orphanage and I knew they needed a family and most of all they need God.
He is our heavenly Father and we need his love more than anything else.
One year after I was adopted my daddy was planning a trip to Ukraine and I wanted to go with him.
He told me that we were not going to Ukraine just to "hang out". We had a mission. Our mission was to visit orphans and people that ministered to orphans.
I wanted to go with him and go to the orphanage where I spent so many years.

I was able to go with him to Ukraine and we went to the orphanage I came from. I saw my friends and supervisors but the thing that made the biggest impact on me was that I saw a change in the orphans and I saw a big change in my heart because I realized that God had given me true life.
Everything went good while at the orphanage.
My friends asked me why I did not make fun of a boy that I use to make fun of when I lived at the orphanage.
I said, "I do not want to make fun of him anymore. It is sin."
After that, the girl that use to be a good friend would no longer talk to me.
When we left the orphanage I was thinking about all of this and I realized that only God could have changed my heart from one that always joined in with the crowd and made fun of those that were weaker than me to one that wanted to help and care for those that were weak or "different".
When I was an orphan I would make fun of people.
I am no longer an orphan.
I wondered why the kids made fun of certain kids in the orphanage just because they looked a little different or were weaker than them.
I realized how sad it made the kids who were made fun of. I realized how sad I made these kids when I did it. I realized that I use to hurt people with my words.
Thinking about this made me cry.
I cried because I realized what I was like before I had a family. I did things that were wrong but I did not know they were wrong. No one ever taught me that they were wrong. I had no one that loved me enough to teach me the things that are right and the things that are wrong.
I never knew how much I hurt people. I never knew how sad people were because of my actions.

I never knew until today.
I know now that everyone has imperfections but we do not need to make fun of them.
I do not ever want to make fun of a person again.
I want to show them love.
I also want to tell you that there are a lot of orphans that need a mom and dad. These orphans have never been taught what is right and what is wrong. Will you reach out to them, take them into your family and teach them?

If you do, there will be one less child crying in the orphanage tonight.

Prayer for a Family in Ukraine

2010-02-21T20:10:00.000-06:00

Please pray for this family as they are in Ukraine adopting: mcneilladoption.wordpress.com

A Wish Under a Bridge

2010-02-14T20:30:00.000-06:00

Last night we drove under a bridge and Karina said, "In Ukraine every time you go under a bridge you are supposed to make a wish."

"Did you make wishes when you went under bridges in Ukraine?" I asked.

"Oh yes! Every time."

"What did you wish for?"

"For a mom and a dad, of course!"

Daughters

2010-02-13T14:46:00.003-06:00

What a blessing daughters are. God has blessed me with two daughters that I treasure immensely. I thank God for Storey Grace and Karina.
I pray that God allows me to be a good father to them...
To raise them in the way of the Lord...
To protect them...
To teach them...
To love them...
To prepare them to be the women God wants them to be.
They truly are good gifts.

With Valentine's Day approaching I asked two of my Valentine's if I could take them to lunch. They both excitedly agreed and so, yesterday, my two girls dressed up and went out with daddy.
We were able to eat lunch at a nice restaurant where we talked about how they were doing, how God was working in their life and spent time praying for them and their futures.

After lunch we walked around just talking, went to a flower shop and Storey Grace picked out pink flowers, Karina picked out white flowers and we picked out some purple flowers for mommy.
It was a great time with the girls God has given me.

I encourage all fathers to give their daughters some time this Valentine's Day weekend.
Your daughters need you.

Keep Me Warm, Daddy!

2010-02-11T22:33:00.000-06:00

Right now it is 21 degrees Fahrenheit in Kiev... warmer than it was a couple of weeks ago... but still cold.
How cold does it have to be for you to put on a coat?
How cold is it when you put a coat on your children?
One of my favorite things in life is to snuggle up with my children and keep them warm.
"Keep me warm, daddy!" they often tell me. Warmth and love often go hand in hand.

For some children in Ukraine, even when the temperature drops below freezing, they do not put on a coat... because they have none.

There is an orphanage... there may be many.... where the children do not have coats to wear this winter.
Before we left for Ukraine several friends gave money to purchase coats for these children. Thank you to everyone who gave. I cannot imagine spending much time outside in this weather without a coat.

Thank you for showing your love for these children by keeping them warm.
It was an adventure getting the coats... driving through the snow, walking and sliding through the snow and ice, bargaining for a better deal, carrying big bags of coats and getting suspicious stares as our coat bags got larger and larger.

It was a joy to be able to do this. Thank you for wrapping the kids up in warmth and love!

Deep Desire to be Loved and Adopted

2010-02-10T10:37:00.000-06:00

The following is from a letter written by someone who visits orphans every day:

"Little boys shoveling snow in the freezing cold with no gloves... screaming teachers... older boys bullying younger ones... kids running wild around the orphanage... or lonely kids wandering the hallways alone... during the last few weeks I have seen all these things and more in the orphanage.

The reality of life in many orphanages is shocking.

It is not a pleasant reality to talk about.

For those of us looking in, it is much easier to pretend that it doesn’t exist.

For the children trapped in the middle, it is easier to think “I am okay, I can make it”.

But no matter how we all look at it, the harsh reality remains the same and it won’t go away until someone steps in to help. That someone is ultimately God because He is the one who loves the children most of all, and I also believe that God wants to use us to help these kids know and understand His love.

In many ways I feel helpless to do anything that will really make a difference for these kids.

I feel that all I have left now is my voice, my words to express to you what I have seen and heard in the orphanages, to speak out for these children, and to communicate their deep desire to be loved and adopted into a family.

In these last few months the urgency of their needs seem to fill my heart even more, I have been quick to share with you about the desperate situation these kids are in.

But as I long to share with you and show you the reality of life here, I have been reminded of an important lesson. . . .the lesson of what must come first, and that is crying out to God for these children. He is the one who can save them. He alone is the one who can work in hearts and lead His people to action on their behalf.

And so, today, I want to thank you for joining me in lifting these precious orphans up to the Father and ask you to continue. He wants them to be loved and protected, safe and cared for.

“The Lord watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow.” Psalm 146:9a

“A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families,” Psalm 68:5-6a

And he calls us to be involved: “Learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.” Isaiah 1:17

“Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Psalm 82:3"

If you are interested in receiving a prayer calendar for the orphans, contact me.

Tragedy in Haiti

2010-02-09T10:42:00.000-06:00

Through our adoption process we learned how governments and groups like UNICEF are responsible for keeping orphans from being adopted and in some instances causing the death of orphans. The situation in Haiti is displaying this tragedy for the world to see. Doug Philips of Vision Forum has been in Haiti caring for orphans since the end of January and explains the situation including his assessment of the missionaries accused of kidnapping. Please visit his blog to learn more: www.visionforum.com/hottopics/blogs/dwp/

You Are The First Visitor In Over One Year!

2010-02-08T11:15:00.000-06:00

Our hosts in Odessa are an amazing family. They have committed their life to caring for orphans and the love they have for God and others is energizing and wonderful. Their ministry, which we are partnering with, is far reaching and effective. The four main areas of ministry consist of Orphan Outreach, Sunday Schools, Kids Games and Summer Camps. The photo above is a picture of two team members preparing to visit sick children in a hospital and bring them joy through clowning (just another aspect of the ministry).

Through the Orphan Outreach they are able to visit orphans in areas where almost no one visits. As they entered one of the orphanages they were told that they were the first people to visit the orphans in over one year.

Think about that for a minute.
Imagine not one person coming to see you this year.
Now imagine that you are alone...
You have no family...
No friends...
No one to care for your needs...
Imagine that you are a small child...
And scared...
And no one ever comes to see you.

Now imagine that there are people around the place you are living that are commanded by the God they worship to visit you.
But they never come. What would you think of their religion? What would you think of them? What would you think they really believe?

What if you, as the little orphan child, were sitting on a crowded bus and you drove by a Christian's house one Sunday morning.
The yard was perfectly landscaped.
The house was huge and beautiful.
The people were dressed nicely as you saw them heading for the church building in their fancy car.

What thoughts would go through your mind as you witnessed this year after year after year?
You would understand what was important to the Christian.
And you would understand what was not important.
It is important to them to look good, have a well kept house and yard, have a nice car, be well educated, go to church and know all about good doctrine. It is important to them to be healthy and wealthy.

But you...
And those with you....
You are not important. You do not matter.
The Christian, by their lifestyle, would be reinforcing what you have already been told by others.
It would have been better if you had not been born.
You should go the way of your biological parents.
You are worthless.
You are stupid.
You should die.
Not even God cares about you.

These are the things that some orphans learn...
from the world and from Christians.
These are words that were spoken to our own daughter as she grew up in the orphanage.

Why are we partnering with this ministry? Because they are doing what God calls all Christians to do... to visit orphans and widows in their distress.
Why are we involved in orphan ministry? Because there are thousands of orphans that not only have no family... they also have no one to visit them... no one to teach them... no one to tell them about Jesus... no one to care for them physically or spiritually... and many of the Christians around them ignore them.
What about you, dear Christian?
What is your response to the orphans and widows?
What are we teaching them by our life?

Love

2010-01-31T17:17:00.000-06:00

"See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are."

And so we are... children of God.

Love.
These words from I John 3 explain to us that our Father loves us and that is the reason we are his children. It is love. That is why Jesus gave up the glories of heaven... the fellowship with his father... to come to earth to suffer and die. He loved us. His suffering and death allows us to be in God's family. His love gives us a family. His suffering, his death, his love gives us hope... joy.... life... heaven... a family.

Was this easy for Jesus?
No. He suffered tremendously. He asked his father if this cup could be passed from him... "but not my will, your will."

It was not easy for God to adopt us into his family but he loved us and he did it.
As believers, we have this family and this life that we have because God loved us enough to bring us into his family.

See what kind of love this is. This love makes us what we are and gives us what we have.

I pray that God will help me see what kind of love this is. It is a wondrous kind of love.

It is a love that caused Jesus to lay down his life for us.
And this same chapter tells us that we are to do the same.
You and me. We are to lay our life down. Give it up. It is what Jesus did for us. It shows us that he loved us. It is our calling. It shows that we also have love. It shows that we understand what we as Christians are called to. The gospel is not about health and wealth. The gospel is about Jesus giving his life up for us that we may have true life... and then we are to do the same for others.
This is the test that reveals whether we have God's love in us - "if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?" I John 3:17

How are we to love? Verse 18 says not in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
In deed and truth. We are to take action. We are to stop just talking about caring for people and do it. We are to stop just debating about the proper way to respond to the person in need and actually take care of them. We are to stop just talking about all the reasons we should not reach out in mercy and reach out in mercy. We should stop just forming committees to discuss mercy ministry and actually reach out in mercy to people.
What does mercy look like?
Share the good news of Jesus Christ.
Visit the widows in your neighborhood and clean their yard.
Welcome into your home the children in your neighborhood whose parents are never home.
Take blankets to the homeless that live under the bridge downtown.
Bring food to those in need.
Spend time with people... including your own family and relatives.
Give of your time, gifts and talents to help those that can give you nothing in return.
Give of your resources to help those that are ministering to others.
Visit shut ins.
Visit nursing homes.
Adopt orphans.
This is only a short list of endless possibilities.

But what about making sure we reach out with caution and wisdom to make sure we are not taken advantage of? I am all for wisdom but real wisdom acts. Was Jesus taken advantage of? Was Jesus abused? Was Jesus hurt? Did Jesus suffer? Did he withhold mercy because of the way we would abuse his mercy? Have you and I abused his mercy? Am I thankful Jesus did not withhold his mercy to me because he knew how I would react to it?

Do we have God's love?
Reach out in mercy.

My time in God's word while in Ukraine consisted of I John. Reading it, thinking about it, praying about it.
I am in God's family because he loves me.
It is love that will give these orphans a family. It is love that will give these orphans life. It is love that will give these orphans hope.

Dear God thank you for your love. Please help me to love others as you have loved me.

Love gives the orphan a family. Dear God, help us to love.

Love is not easy.... but, oh the rewards are so great.

An Early Alarm, the Visit and Boys

2010-01-20T22:29:00.000-06:00

When setting an alarm to wake up, please check to make sure the clock is on the right time. I need to wake up at 7:30AM but I am wide awake at 4AM.

The clock is on my Ukrainian phone that I purchased a year ago on the adoption trip. It came in so handy while working through the adoption process, it has returned twice with families adopting since we came home with Karina and will be returning next month with a family adopting. I am glad that the phone can be used to bless others.
It did not feel like a blessing when I realized I woke up four hours too early... but we will see how God uses the time.

At my last post we had not visited the orphanages yet... we have since visited the orphans twice; met with orphanage leadership; hopefully encouraged a runaway orphan; made plans to partner with and support a Christian Ukrainian non-profit ministry that is doing the orphan ministry we want to promote (we have observed and followed this ministry for over a year now and one of the goals of this trip was to finalize the partnership - more details later);

spent time with people that used to care for our former orphans (This was such an encouraging time for the supervisors and for Karina and Kristina. The supervisors were able to see how much the girls had grown, that they were doing well, loved where God had placed them and they were overwhelmed by the thanksgiving of the girls. Both Kristina and Karina thanked them for caring for them while they were orphans and the supervisors were blessed to know that their labors had not been in vain.); and planned out the details of running a camp for orphans to be held in Ukraine during the last two weeks of July 2010.
We are putting the team together now. Let me know if you will be joining us.

The Visit

Upon arrival to the orphanage we stopped at the iron gate to take a picture. The last picture I took at that gate was the day Karina left the orphanage with all of her worldly possessions: her new parents, the clothes she was wearing and a purse that contained a Bible and a few items. This time the girls entered the gate as children with families, as United States citizens, as believers in God, with bags full of gifts and with a mission to minister to children that are in the situation that they were once in.

Entering the orphanage we met with some leaders. They looked upon the girls and us in amazement. It seemed as if they had never seen children who had once been orphans for so long return to thank them for caring for them and let them know how well they were doing. The comments and questions for the girls and parents kept coming...
"What is life like for you now?"
"Are you doing well?"
"What adjustments have you had to make?"
"You smile so much and you look so happy. Why?"
"Do you like your families?"
"What problems have you had?"
"I see that they are taking care of you... they have not hurt you... they have not eaten you... you do not seem to be mistreated." Seriously, folks... this was one of the responses of seeing the girls.

They seemed very happy to see the girls. We let them know that one of the reasons we came was so that the girls could thank them. I hope to instill within all of my children a thankful heart. Even when circumstances seem bad, God's incomprehensible plan, his good plan, is being unfolded and we must thank him for the grace he sheds upon us, the people he uses to care for us, teach us, correct us and make us more like Christ. So we thanked these people for what they do and for the care they gave the girls. They seemed grateful... so grateful that I wondered how often they hear thank you from the lips of a former orphan.

We walked down the hall and the kids began to gather around us...
"Karina!"
"Kristina!"
"What are you doing? How are you doing? Why are you here?"
Everywhere the girls go there is a crowd of children around them staring at them, asking questions and listening with amazement at what the girls have to tell them.

Boys

I love my boys. God has blessed me with four incredible boys. Harrison, Isaac, Noah and Baby you are four of the greatest blessings in my life. I love you. I love spending time with you. I love bringing you on business trips, lunches, hunting trips. I love tickling you and tackling you. I love playing football with you. I love watching you play and swing and work and serve and help and just be boys. I love when you ask me to look at what you have done or watch you do something brave or just listen to what you have to say. I love receiving your gifts and your pictures to hang on the walls of my office. I love your personalities. I love everything about you.

There are boys that do not have what you have. There are boys that no father loves because there is no father or the father cares nothing for his child. One of the things that makes me mourn is the loss of parents that do not want their children. They miss so much. Children are a blessing and to the extent that we do not minister to children (our own or others) we miss so much of the blessing God has in store for us.
My boys... I thank you again for your sacrifice in letting us be apart for a while to spend time with boys that have no daddy.

One of the first boys at the orphanage that recognized me flung his arms around my neck, I lifted him into the air and spun him around. The boys crave male companionship. They crave a manly example. They crave another man teaching them what it is to be a man. They crave teaching, time, protection... even correction.

Many of the boys and I have talked, thrown the football, been silly together and wrestled... how they love to wrestle. They will give me a few minutes to take a break but not too long. If I turn my attention to something else, they are quick to remind me we need to wrestle again. One, two, three, four boys at a time would jump on me and try to bring me to the ground. Over the year that it has been since last wrestling with these boys, some have grown stronger and some have grown weaker. Some are more outgoing and some are more hurt, scared and quiet.

All of them want to know... is someone coming for me.
The comments from them are the same as they were a year ago...
"I am a good boy. If I had a family I would be good."
"I pray every day for a mom and a dad."
"My birthday is coming. I am almost too old to be adopted. I do not know what is going to happen."

For my own children birthdays are great celebrations, wonderful milestones, a testimony of grace.
For an orphan a birthday is a reminder of the coming day when they will be sent to the streets...
A birthday brings them one year closer to a life of almost no hope...
A year closer to becoming a criminal...
A year closer to becoming a prostitute...
A year closer to living in the cold... searching trash cans for food, having hardly any skills to hold a job, a year closer to likely death.
It is hard to smile when talking about your birthday as an orphan. It is not a day of gifts (I have posted before about Karina's comment about gifts: "From whom, daddy?"). It is a day that marks the passage of time toward the streets.

So much more to say... I have a little while that I could sleep...
to be continued... thanks for your prayers... thanks for your support.

Ready For Some Football

2010-01-18T22:28:00.000-06:00

Never in my life have I seen so much snow. Flying into Kiev as far as the eye could see was beautiful, pure, bright white. The crisp, cold air and whirling snowflakes were refreshing after so many hours of travel.

We are in Odessa where the snow continues to fall... but let me go back to last Sunday.

How encouraging it was when Ligon Duncan preached from Luke 9:10-17 on the compassion, the power and the provision that Christ has for his people. A few thoughts from the passage continue to fill my mind as we reach out to orphans:
Just as Jesus came to earth to serve others and deny himself - we are put on this earth to serve. We exist not for ourselves but to serve others.
When the people came to Jesus, he welcomed them, taught them, healed them, fed them.
Jesus is more than enough. When Jesus provided for the people everyone ate, everyone was satisfied and there was plenty left over.

Satisfaction... only Jesus can truly satisfy and nothing this world has to offer satisfies like worshipping my savior.
My mind is also full of this past Sunday's sermon where Derek Thomas preached from I Samuel 17 and reminded us not to be afraid of or impressed by outward appearances and to be reminded of God's past faithfulness to us.

God's faithfulness is amazing.

After the early worship service (where we were encouraged not only by worship but by many friends who let us know they are praying - thanks!) we headed to the airport and met up with the Ulerichs. It was Anderson Ulerich (five years old - wearing baseball sweatshirt in above photo) who thought of the idea of baking "Karina Cookies" to help support the adoption of Karina. His mom, Erin, is one of our team members. Erin has been praying for and writing numerous stories about caring for orphans (published in Parents & Kids Magazine, Metro Christian Family, Belhaven Tartan, French Camp Today, several newspapers and others).

In Atlanta we met Robert Landrum (Landrums Blog) and Kristina Landrum. Robert and Leslie adopted Kristina a year before we adopted Karina. Kristina and Karina were best friends while living in the orphanage and have seen each other one weekend last spring and then now - it was a sweet reunion when they met at the airport in Atlanta.

The five of us headed off for a quick layover in Paris, France and then on to Kiev... I wish all my kids could see the snow in Kiev.

For those of you praying, thank you! We brought hundreds of gifts and supplies for the orphans and everything made it through... except my gloves... now where did they go... Kathy I am now very glad you sent extra gloves with us to give away... I may be wearing them before I pass them on.

We got tickets in Kiev for Odessa and landed in Odessa with more snow whirling around us.
In Odessa we were greeted by wonderful friends that we have grown to love. We are thankful for their love for God, their love for people, their servant hearts and their amazing ministries.
We are staying with a wonderful Ukrainian family that has a heart for orphans and we are so blessed to be with them. We pray that God blesses them immensely for their care of us.

I mentioned in the last post that one of the goals while we are here is to be part of a documentary. The film crew met us at the Odessa airport and immediately began filming. The main goal of this movie project is to make people aware of the orphan's situation in Eastern Europe and what a difference God and a family can make in the life of an orphan. It was fascinating to see the love that this Ukrainian film company has for orphans. They told me that the orphans have almost no hope if they remain in the system as an orphan and they hope that their movies can be used to encourage people to reach out and care for these kids.
The film crew followed Karina and Kristina as we left the airport and came to the home we are staying in where they had set up a studio for filming. I hope that many of you will be able to see the testimony that was revealed through this documentary. It truly amazes me to see how God has delivered these former orphans and how he is working in their life.
Many tears were shed as the girls compared their former life with the life God has given them now.
After several hours of recording, the film crew wrapped things up and headed back north.
They hope to have the movie aired on Ukrainian TV all across Ukraine.

Karina sat down beside me after they left and said, "Daddy it is hard to think of my friends and other orphans that remain in the condition I was once in. It makes me so sad. I hope God will one day use me as a missionary to help orphans."

I did not tell her but I thought to myself, "He already is."

The day before we left I gathered all of my children around me and asked them what they thought about this time in Ukraine. The response was....
"Every day we read God's Word and pray together. Every day we hug and kiss each other. Every day we have a mom and dad who loves us and takes care of us. Every day we have you but the orphans never get that... there is no one to have devotions with them... no one to hug and kiss them... you must go! We must always be willing to help them."
When Karina saw this response from her siblings... she cried.

With the filming behind us, we turn our full attention to the orphanages. We appreciate your prayers as we spend time with the orphans today.
We will also be visiting with orphans that are not living in an orphanage.
I appreciate you keeping the rest of my dear family in prayer as Sheila cares for our other five kids at home... this pregnancy has been a tough one but the little man inside is doing well.
I miss you my dear wife!
I miss you Harrison, Isaac, Noah, Storey Grace and Baby Boy!
Thanks for your sacrifice... my children in your own words you told me it was worth it so that the fatherless could taste a little bit of what it is like to have a father.
My boys at home, I hope your football game goes well today in the front yard with your neighborhood friends... I pumped up the footballs that I brought tonight and will be taking them with me to the orphanage... boys at the orphanage, I am keeping my promise to you... I hope you are ready for some football!

Returning to Ukraine

2010-01-14T18:14:00.000-06:00

Eleven months since leaving Ukraine, Karina will return. This time, not as an orphan but as an American citizen and a member of our family. Returning not as a tourist but in order to minister to the very children in the situation that she was once in. As part of our family we have taught her that God blesses us so that we can glorify him and bless other people. We are placed on earth to serve... just as Jesus did.
Karina will serve as the translator for our team as we visit southern and western Ukraine.

Will you consider partnering with us in prayer as we make this journey?

Our mission consists of the following:

1. Visit orphans. We will be with hundreds of orphans spending time with them, playing, talking, bringing them gifts, checking up on them and seeing what needs we can help with and sharing the incredibly good news of Jesus that we have to tell them. The children love visitors. To have someone come see them shows that someone does care. I have asked orphans if they want people to visit and their faces always light up.
"Oh yes!! Please, please, please tell people to come see us! Anyone! It does not matter who they are! We just want someone to come be with us and play and talk!"

As always I will have an American football with me to teach the boys how to play. There is a group of boys that made me promise to come back and tackle them and teach them more about this interesting game called American Football. I hope to keep that promise.

Thanks to many of you we also have 112 gifts to be given to orphans that received nothing for Christmas. This will be the one gift they get all year. We thank all of you that helped with this project including family, friends, my Sunday school, parents that are adopting and many others! We will post pictures.
We will also see what specific ways we can help the kids.

2. Encourage Missionaries. We work with some missionaries in Ukraine that we will be meeting with to check up on their ministry, make plans for this next year of ministry, encourage and pray with and see what needs, opportunities and challenges we will face in 2010.

3. Film Documentary. Two former orphans will be taking this trip with us and we will be filming a documentary on how they are returning to minister to those who remain orphans. There is also a Christian film group in Ukraine that has asked if these former orphans would be in a movie they are making about orphans that now have families.

4. Explore Opportunities. Wherever God leads us we pray for opportunities to further this ministry to children and this trip is no exception. We will be meeting with leaders to see how we can partner with them and encourage believers in the States to come alongside believers in Ukraine to help reach out to orphans.

Will you be one of our prayer partners? Send us a message or leave a comment to let us know.

Camp in Peru

2010-01-05T12:51:00.000-06:00

Many of you have followed the camp ministry in Peru. This is the third year for summer camp in Trujillo, Peru that ministers to the children in the churches and orphanage that Peru Mission is involved with.
You can follow along this year at the following blog:
www.twinlakesinperu.blogspot.com

Also, please be in prayer as we make plans for a possible camp for orphans in Ukraine this summer. Let me know if you want to join us on the trip.

My First Birthday Present

2009-12-31T11:30:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was my birthday and I wanted you to see Harrison's gift to me:

You may be wondering what that amazing delicacy is.
Well, Harrison enjoys making pancakes in the morning so he prepared a unique Birthday Pancake Cake and brought it to me in bed.
We still have remnants of Christmas candies in the house so the Birthday Pancake Cake that I received included the following ingredients:
Flour
Four Eggs
Honey Nut Cheerios
Strawberries
Blueberries
Chocolate Milk
Whoppers
Nerds
Lemon Heads
Fudge
Brownie
Peanut Brittle
Peanut Butter Balls
Sugar Babies
All topped off with Whip Cream

The assumption made was that since all of those things taste good separately, surely they will taste great together.
Now that I look at that list I realize that we got way too much sugar for Christmas.

We spread a blanket over the top of the bed, all got in bed together with forks and enjoyed breakfast.
How did it taste?
Well, we all ate some...
We enjoyed being together...
It was filling...
The kids said it was delicious...
Karina said she had never tasted anything like it before...
The fruit was yummy...
It was a great way to start a birthday...
It was another great reminder of how wonderful it is to be a dad...

Thanks, Harrison, for a great start to another year!

To Have Parents

2009-12-27T10:44:00.000-06:00

We were on our way home from church today when Karina pulled out her Bible, read a verse from the sermon and asked what it meant.

After a brief explanation she put her Bible down, sat back in her seat and said, "It is so good to have parents... to have parents that can tell me what things mean... to have parents that can explain what the Bible says... what God wants. It is good to have parents."

"It is good to have children ask questions." I said.

To have parents... the dream of the orphan child.

To have children ask questions like this... one of the many joys of parenting.

Christmas Eve

2009-12-24T16:35:00.000-06:00

Christmas Eve 2009

Christmas Eve one year ago Sheila and I were in court in Odessa, Ukraine when a judge declared that Karina was our daughter. It was a wonderful day and the past year has been an incredible year. We praise God for the way he has blessed our family and how he has grown Karina.
This is what we posted one year ago today:

Received another call...court will not be at noon....maybe at 2PM Odessa time...6AM Central.

Please pray that we can find a flight out...it is a tough season to book a last minute flight.

Thanks for all your prayers and support.

We received another call...

Facilitator: "Matthew, um...yes...the judge says the electricity in the courthouse will be cut off from 1-4PM today. There will be no court, again. He will not promise court today or tomorrow. He has too many cases tomorrow...and is not sure when he can reschedule your court. I do not know what to do."

Matthew: "Can we go ahead to the courthouse and wait to see if the electricity actually gets cut off?"

Electricity...maybe yes...maybe no...it comes and it goes...where it goes and when it returns nobody knows.

Facilitator: "Yes, we can do that. I will wait until after 1PM. If it stays on, I will come get you. Maybe it will stay on."

Matthew, Sheila, Jay, Martha and all of you out there spend time praying.

We spend 96 minutes and 49 seconds on the phone looking for a way home...praying that we will have court and praying that we can see Harrison, Isaac, Noah and Storey Grace for Christmas...praying that we can find a flight and that it will not be too expensive...

First flight representative...no flights from Ukraine to Jackson until Saturday..."we can get you home Saturday with overnight stay in New York"...transferred to someone else..."let me see if I can get you home"...listened to groovy telephone music..."ok, thanks for your patience"...(she did not understand what we have already been through - we thought she was fast)..."I have found a Ukrainian airline that flies from Kyiv to Paris, Air France from Paris to Atlanta, Delta from Atlanta to Jackson...it leaves Kyiv at 6:30AM December 25."

"Wow", I say. "One problem...the overnight train does not arrive until 6:12AM...flight leaves at 6:30AM. Let me call you back."

Talk with Sheila, Jay and Martha...hmmm...if we have court early enough we can run from the courthouse and catch the one flight from Odessa to Kyiv...it leaves at 6:10PM Christmas Eve.

Call Delta - "We would like to book the 6:30AM out of Kyiv to Paris, Atlanta, Jackson."

(Still praying because we do not know if we will even have court today to be able to go to Kyiv to catch this flight home.)

Delta - "Sure, that will be the change fee plus seven dollars."

(We have expected the change fee from cancelling our earlier flight...and as we have been checking on flights home, the least expensive new flight we had found flying out around Christmas was $3,000.)

Matthew - A little confused but very pleasantly surprised..."Seven thousand? Seven hundred? Could you please say that again?"

Delta - "Seven dollars."

Matthew - "One more time...I think we have a bad connection."

Delta - "Seven dollars plus the change fee will be charged to your credit card."

(Can you hear me now?)

Matthew - "Yes. We would like to book that flight!"

So...we have the flight home...now we are praying for court so we can take that flight home.

Phone rings..."Matthew, the electricity is still on in the courthouse...there is a red taxi waiting for you outside."

Sheila has been packing while I am on the phone, so we get our luggage...tell Jay and Martha goodbye (we will miss them so much...they are dear friends and we thank God that He allowed us to spend this time together...Jay and Martha, you are in our prayers! Thanks for everything! Keep your eyes open - you never know when your "gangsta bus daddy" will step onto the bus you are trying to "blend in" on.) Keep praying for Jay and Martha...they received more good news today...things are moving...keep praying...they are so appreciative of your prayers.

We arrive at the courthouse and Karina is there waiting on us along with our facilitator, lawyer, social worker and inspector. (Thanks Alonya for getting everyone to the courthouse when we did not even know if it would happen! You have been incredible!)

Now we wait and we pray.

Here comes the judge...maybe....YES! Let's hold court!

Pre hearing: Name...Address...work...what do we want the court to consider?

Leave court room. Pray for hearing...pray that electricity stays on.

Enter court room.

Hearing: Answer many questions...

"What is your work?"

"Where do you live?"

"Why do you want to adopt Karina?"

"What is your religion?"

(Praying that electricity stays on.)

"How will you educate her?"

"What does her future look like with you?"

"Did you make this decision as a family?"

"What do your biological children think of this adoption?"

Many more questions...one of the questions the judge asked Sheila was:

"You already have four children, do you think you can handle one more?"

I will never forget her response...I could feel the mother in her rising up and filling the court room...she said, "Da"...but I could tell that she really meant, "DA!!!!!!!!! Yes, I can take care of my children. What kind of question is that? Do you think I would have spent the last three weeks in this country if I did not think I could take care of my children?"

We know we can only do it by God's grace - he is the one that allows us to take care of these children...it was just fun to see the mother in Sheila stepping up to take care of the blessings God has given us.

(Praying that electricity stays on.)

Karina had to stand up - she was so nervous - and answer questions.

"Do you understand that this family wants to adopt you?"

"Da."

"Do you understand that they already have four biological children?"

"Da."

"Do you have a good relationship with them?"

"Da."

"Do you understand that you will live in a different country?"

"Da."

"Do you understand that they do not speak your language?"

"Da."

"Do you want Matthew and Sheila to be your parents?"

"Da!"

Hearing concludes. Debate period begins.

"What do you want from the court?"

"It is our desire that this court accept our application to adopt Karina and that her name be changed to Karina Ann Nasekos."

The lawyer, inspector and social worker give their approval.

Leave courtroom. Pray for decision...pray that electricity stays on.

Re enter court room again.

"It is the pleasure of this court in the region of Odessa, Ukraine to accept the application of Matthew and Sheila Nasekos to adopt Karina. Her name is now Karina Ann Nasekos. Her birth certificate will be changed to read Karina Ann Nasekos, daughter of Matthew and Sheila Nasekos."

Thank you, Holy Father in Heaven for this blessing...thank you for allowing Karina to be ours. Give us the grace we need to raise Karina in the way of the LORD.

When we left the court room Karina said, "FINALLY!"

Karina is no longer an orphan. She has a family...a mother...a father...three brothers and a sister.

We asked her how she was doing.

"I am so happy!"

We held her for a few minutes, prayed for her, told her we loved her and then she was taken from us...

in Ukraine there is a ten day waiting period between the court ruling and when the ruling takes effect.

Ten days, Karina...she told us, "Soon."

Ukraine's holiday season is approaching when not much work is done through January 15.

So, we have the ten day waiting period and then the offices that we need to get the last paperwork will be closed until mid January...she must stay in Ukraine until then.

After Karina left we jumped in a taxi and sped off to the airport...without tickets...not knowing if there was space on the one flight out of Odessa....but God provides...we are there in time and there is space on the plane...and the electricity is still on.......we buy tickets, leave Odessa and are now sitting in a restaurant that has electricity, great food and internet access in snow covered Kyiv.

Sheila and I leave Kyiv at 6:30AM headed home...God is so good...on Christmas Eve he gives us Karina Ann Nasekos and on Christmas Day he will let us be with Harrison, Isaac, Noah and Storey Grace. To be honest, it is hard to leave Karina but we know that the time will be short and as she always says....soon.

After the court ruling Karina, Sheila and I held each other in the court. The judge, who had not broken a smile through the entire proceeding looked at us and smiled. We told everyone thank you.

Dear Heavenly Father we thank you for giving us Karina. Thank you for all of our children. Thank you for your provision. Thank you for your timing. Thank you for how you have led us and how you have changed us. Thank you for causing us to rely fully on you. Thank you for all the prayer warriors back home. Thank you for the prayer warriors in Ukraine. Thank you for our parents who kept our children in Mississippi. Thank you for all our friends that brought food for our children. Thank you for those who spent time with our kids and gave our parents a break. Thank you for Jay and Martha. Thank you for those who supported us financially. Thank you for those who supported us through emails and comments and in many other ways. Thank you for this journey. We look forward to taking the final steps in this journey and bringing Karina home...soon. Thank you for adopting us as your children. Thank you that Karina is no longer an orphan.

Thank you, LORD.

Merry Christmas! This is a picture of our Christmas tree in Kyiv.

For those of you that want to see Karina...we will keep the blog updated and let you know when she will be arriving in the States. She looks forward to seeing you!

From Whom?

2009-12-21T22:00:00.000-06:00

"Karina, are you excited about Christmas?"

"Oh, yes! I am so excited!"

"What was Christmas like in the orphanage?"

"Well, we woke up and we ate... and we watched movies... and maybe we would go outside... and we ate some soup and two pieces of bread - we always had to eat two pieces of bread - and we watched some more movies... and we went to bed."

"Did you get any presents?"

She laughed and then said, "Presents? From whom, daddy? From whom?"

A Children's Christmas Story

2009-12-17T16:57:00.000-06:00

The following is an edited letter from some precious friends of ours to their family describing what they taught their children while reaching out to orphans. We are thankful for the way they have ministered to children on the other side of the world while ministering to their own. If you are interested in doing something similar, there is still time to send gifts.

"As we read a letter several months ago from some missionary friends of ours who had adopted a little girl named Karina from the Ukraine, our children asked us what an orphan was. We explained that there are children in the world whose parents for one reason or another were not able to take care of them, or had died and there was no one to take care of their children, so there were a bunch of children who lived in a place without mommies and daddies. Their eyes grew wide and their mouths opened in amazement. “You mean they don’t have a mommy and daddy?!”

“That’s right,” I said. There was a very serious and sad look on our two children’s faces. Then, their mouths were loosed and the questions came in a flood.

“So who helps them when they fall down?”

“Who plays with them?”

“Who tucks them in at night?”

“Who hugs them when they are scared?”

“Where do they live?”

“Who protects them from bad people?”

“Who buys them toys?”

“Who prays with them and for them?”

“Who reads the Bible to them?”

“Who takes them to church?”

“Who gives them baths?”

“Who feeds them right?”

“Who takes care of them when they are sick?”

“Who loves them?”

“Who teaches them about Jesus?!”

And as you may guess, there are no easy explanations for any of these questions. But it was not too long after this that they came to us very serious - as serious and determined as any five and three year old can be. They said that we will love the orphans. They asked us if we could show a bunch of orphans in the Ukraine that we loved them and God does too. So they wanted to give gifts this Christmas to children

like Karina who didn’t have mommies and daddies and toys and all sorts of things. They also said that they already had so many toys that they didn’t need any more.

So, we went to the store and bought socks, gloves, crayons, paper, candy, balls and cars, headbands and purses, playdoh, stickers, and Christmas cards written from both of them. We did this for twenty children - ten boys and ten girls about our children's age - at an orphanage in Odessa, Ukraine where Karina is from. Then we paid the postage and customs shortly after Thanksgiving and sent your Christmas presents to the other side of the world to some children who have no family to spend Christmas with.

And so you see, two small but big-hearted children, because they are filled up with so much love from all of you and most importantly filled with the love of Jesus, could not sit idly by when there is so much need in such a place at this time of year.

And so, because they love Jesus and you, they gave just a little of what they knew and enjoyed to children who may not have any of these things.

You know, it is precisely because the Son of God pitied a bunch of fatherless children such as us, lost and in bondage to their own sin, ignorant of the Father’s love, far from grace, that Jesus took pity on us and came and became one of us, took our sin and punishment that we, who were once orphans, might be adopted into the family of God. He who knew no sin, became sin, that we might become the

righteousness of God. We who once were justly children of wrath, but now have

faith in this Christ, have now been adopted into the family of God and become

God’s children that we might tell others of the excellent greatness of God’s grace.

This is what our kids, and all of us want you to know: that we gave in your name for God’s glory to children who may not know what Christmas is or what it is all about."

A Conversation with My Dentist

2009-12-10T11:39:00.000-06:00

This week, last December, Sheila and I were in Odessa, Ukraine finalizing all the details of adopting Karina. It was such a joyous time and a blessing to get to know the other children hoping that a family would one day come for them. We still pray for those children and look forward to seeing them again in a few weeks (we have space for you to join us on the trip - contact me if you want to help us minister to these precious children in January).
It is God's blessings on us and the fact that these children are still waiting in the orphanages and crying out for someone to care for them that compels us to tell their stories and ask people to care for them in their distress.
Yesterday I had an interesting conversation with my dentist. My dentist has a small practice in a neighborhood in Jackson and I started going to him about 14 years ago because I lived next door to his office in a rough part of town (we regularly found drug paraphernalia tossed into our front yard). I rented a house with four other men, most of us were seminary students, and the neighborhood was a great opportunity for us to put into practice what we learned in the classroom. One of our windows faced the dentist office parking lot and we decided to set up a life size Luke Skywalker in the window to stare at anyone in the parking lot. Later, my dentist told me he noticed that every time he went to his car, someone was staring at him. After several days of wondering what was going on, he came up to the window and realized that, no, we were not as strange as he thought - we had not been spending all day, every day, staring at him. It was just Luke. Thus began a continuous stream of conversations with my dentist.
Yesterday he asked me to tell him something weird: "All day people have been telling me the strangest things. Weird things. I wonder if you can top any of it."
I responded with, "I am not sure if you really want to hear some of the things I deal with."
We began a conversation that led him to asking how I was enjoying what I do now.
"I love what I am doing: caring for orphans.... encouraging the church to reach out to orphans in mercy..."
He stopped.
He put his tools down.
He fixed his gaze on me.
Say that one more time.
"I love encouraging the church to reach out to orphans."
In shock he said, "Do you mean to tell me that you have to encourage Christians to do that? To care for orphans? I mean, the Bible... is it not plain about orphans and widows? Isn't that what Christians should be known for... caring for orphans and widows?"

Before I left his office he told me, "Well, you won. You told me the strangest thing I have heard all day."

Collecting Christmas Presents for Orphans

2009-11-18T14:00:00.003-06:00

Getting ready for Christmas in an orphanage in Ukraine

We are collecting Christmas presents for some orphans in Ukraine. If you are interested in sending presents to a child, please read the following letter from a friend of ours:

For the last several years I have been involved in ministry to orphan children in Ukraine and some of my friends have been ministering to children in many poor orphanages outside the city. The children in these orphanages range in age from 7-18.

The children come from many different situations. Some have parents who have died, are in jail, have been involved in drugs or alcohol, or have abandoned them at some time in their lives. No matter the reason that the children have been placed in the orphanage, life there is tough for all of them. The children have the same schedule day after day, eating, sleeping, going to school, and having all their free time right at the orphanage. Even holidays are spent in the orphanage and without much celebration.

This year, we have organized a Christmas Gift Project to provide a special Christmas gift for the children in these orphanages. Many churches from here will be gathering gifts, but we also need help from you in the US. The goal this year is to collect enough gifts so that each child in 16 orphanages will receive something special on the day when we remember the most wonderful gift ever given: the day when Jesus Christ our Savior was born. Maybe you would be willing to help?

This project is open to churches, small groups or individuals. We are looking for anyone willing to help. If you are interested in learning more, I will include instructions about the project at the end of this letter. For more information please contact Matthew at Nasekos@perumission.org.

Thank you for your consideration of this opportunity to be a blessing to the orphans of Ukraine!

Instructions:

If you or your church or small group is interested in sending Christmas gifts, please e-mail Matthew as soon as possible (Nasekos@perumission.org). Please let me know how many gifts you would like to send. Then I will send you an email with information (age and gender) about one of the groups of kids.

It’s up to you to decide how to divide up the needs and gather the gifts. All gifts should be mailed directly to the address I will send you once you let me know that you are interested in sending gifts. Packages usually take 2-4 weeks to arrive in Ukraine so all gifts should be mailed before Dec 1st. In Ukraine, we celebrate Christmas on Jan 7^th so hopefully the gifts will arrive in time.

Gift Guidelines:

All gifts should fit inside a sealed quart size zip-lock bag and the cost of each gift should not exceed $10. Each gift should include: 1 pair of socks, 1 type of candy, a Christmas card, and an extra item(s). Some ideas are listed below but these are only suggestions and other items may be included as well. Be creative and use your imagination J The zip-lock may be sent wrapped or unwrapped (We will wrap unwrapped gifts so they will all be the same). All gifts should be labeled with the age and gender.

Gift ideas:

any small toys, balls, cars, crayons, markers, colored pencils, coloring books, hair things, lip gloss, jewelry, photo frame, photo album, keychains, yo-yo, legos, building games (k’nex, magnetic toys), small notebook, stickers, UNO card game, small puzzles, brain teaser games, small electronic games, watch, hat, gloves, scarf, calculator, flashlight, belt, comb, brush, small calendar, expanding washcloth, etc.

Karina, last year in the orphanage painting Christmas balls.

When Will I Have a Momma?

2009-10-29T16:07:00.000-05:00

One of our missionaries that works with orphans sent the following edited message recently:

"A few days ago I was at the orphanage and a little boy came running to give me a hug. He wrapped his arms around my legs and looked up at me with his big brown eyes. He wrinkled his eyebrows, showing a question in his eyes, and then he asked “When will I have a mama? In the winter or in the spring?” My heart was torn into pieces and I had no idea what to say. Then he went on: “ My friend was found. When will someone find me?”

What can I say to a small child whose deepest desire is to be found and wanted by a family?

I am no longer allowed to help with any communication between America and the kids in orphanage. What can I say to K who asks me if he can write letters to his best friend who was adopted? What can I say to V who doesn’t really have any friends in the orphanage, and almost cried when I told her she couldn’t write to Val anymore? With a serious face, V told me,” It is such a tragedy to lose my best friend.”

What do I say when three orphanage graduate girls are sitting in my living room explaining to me that in the dorm there is one shower room for almost 1000 boys and girls living in the five story dormitory? How do I respond when we are talking about being patient and waiting for God, and they say they don’t expect anything from God anymore?

Sometimes it feels like the only response I can manage as I listen to these beautiful children in their desperate situations is tears. How hard it is to know that these children don’t even have anyone to cry for them.

The following poem was written by Antwone Fisher, an orphan boy who grew up in the foster care system in the US. His questions apply to orphans everywhere:

Who will cry for the little boy lost and all alone?

Who will cry for the little boy abandoned without his own?

Who will cry for the little boy who cries himself to sleep?

Who will cry for the little boy who never had for keeps?

Who will cry for the little boy who walked through burning sand?

Who will cry for the little boy, the boy inside the man?

Who will cry for the little boy who knew well hurt and pain?

Who will cry for the little boy who died and died again?

Who will cry for the little boy, a good boy he tried to be?

Who will cry for the little boy who cries inside of me?

-Antwone Fisher

Who should cry for the little boys and girls who are orphaned and alone in this world? The answer is both simple and complicated. Who should care for orphans? The church. We are the church. Is caring for orphans easy or pain free? Not usually.

“As long as there is a church on planet earth, she (an orphan child) is not destitute. If there is a church in the world named after Jesus Christ no orphan should be destitute. Care for that child. Do what you have to do to get there.” -John Piper

Today I want to challenge you not only to be willing to cry for these children, but to intentionally and prayerfully consider if adoption might be something God has for your family. Even if you have never thought about it before, if you are married and between the ages of 25-60, would you please ask God if there might be a child on the other side of the world waiting to call you mom or dad? Maybe each time when you read about the plight of orphans you feel a tug deep inside you, maybe you are or soon will be an empty-nester with room in your heart and home for more children, or maybe you have watched others adopt and said to yourself “I could never do that”. No matter where you are in life, would you please pray and consider adoption? If you are not in a position to adopt a child, please pray and consider ways you could assist a family who wants to adopt.

I will be praying for you too, that God would make His will clear to you whatever that may be. Thank you for your prayers for the orphans of Ukraine and for me. I really appreciate all of the encouraging emails and prayers as things remain difficult.

Waiting with you for God’s answer to our prayers..."

I join with our missionary...

Karina, once an orphan, joins with this missionary to ask you to consider what God would have you do for the orphans...

Will you adopt? My family would love to help you.

Can you financially support a family that is adopting? Our mission agency, Christian Missionary Society, can help you with that.

Will you pray for the orphans? I can give you names, pictures and prayer requests.

Are you interested in coming with us to see these children? I will be with them soon. Join me.

Are you able to support the Nasekos family or our other missionaries working with orphans? We can only continue by your support.

Contact me if you want to take that next step toward caring for the children that ask, "When will I have a momma?"

Nasekos@perumission.org

Sitting in the Window

2009-10-27T13:03:00.000-05:00

God blessed us, while in Ukraine, with other American families that were in the same city adopting at the same time. One of them recently left this comment for us and I wanted to share it with you as a reminder that the children are waiting for a mom and dad...
sitting in the window...

"I'll never forget the day I came late to visit, after dark, and saw Karina's friend Sasha sitting alone at this very window in the dark. Literally dark. There were no lights on. You know how it is near the front door. It was the day after Karina left. I felt so sorry for her. Time heals hurts and I think she is doing OK now. But we know that time is running out for the older kids to be adopted."

"The Orphans Never Have a Day Like This"

2009-10-16T23:36:00.002-05:00

Karina weeped on my shoulder tonight...
not because someone had hurt her...
"this is so much fun"...
not because she had a bad day...
"It was one of the best day's of my life"...
she was weeping because she was thinking of the children she grew up with... the orphans that do not have a mom or dad... the orphans that are sitting in orphanages all around the world crying out "why doesn't anyone want me?"

A friend stopped by the house today and handed me a large stack of tickets for rides at the Mississippi State Fair. He said, "I want you to have these... go have some fun with the family."
So this afternoon all of us piled in the van and went to the fair.
It was Karina's first time to the fair... any fair.

Now the rest of our kids have been to the fair but today was different. It was different because, in the past, a typical fair day for us looks like this:
go during lunch so parking and entrance is free... don't ride any rides... instead go to the free petting zoo and look at all the animals... walk around... leave the fair.
Before the fair started this year one of our kids asked, "Dad, can we actually ride a ride this year instead of just doing the free stuff?"
I told him, "We'll see."

Well our friend, Sam, changed that today. Thanks for the tickets, Sam!

With a large stack of tickets the kids were able to ride many rides... all of them had a blast... Storey Grace, Noah, Isaac, Harrison and Karina.

We spent a while in the kiddie section and then Karina wanted to go ride the big rides. We all rode the ferris wheel together and ate caramel apples. Isaac saw a booth where someone tries to guess your weight and he wanted to try it... the guess was wrong and he got a giant sword... Harrison tried and won a sword... Noah tried it and won a dolphin... even Storey Grace tried it and won a puppy.... Karina said she did not want anyone trying to guess her weight.

We spent hours enjoying each others company, talking with people and riding the rides.
All the kids faces were lit up with excitement.... Karina's expression had something else in it...
she talked about it when we were home:
"This day was so wonderful. I was with my family all day. We were together having fun. Today I did things that I have never done... and I did them with my family. Orphans never have days like this. Daddy, my friends in Ukraine have never known a day like this. Will they ever know a day like this? Today was the best day... I am so happy and so sad..."
She weeped for the children around the world that are sitting in orphanages...
she weeped for the children who never spend a day with their mommy and daddy...
she weeped for the children that have never been to the fair, holding their sisters hand, eating a candy apple, riding the ferris wheel...
she weeped for her friends who, instead of a day like Karina had, are beaten, abused, forgotten, scared, wondering if anyone will ever come for them, sleeping on the streets, hiding in the sewers...

she weeped for her classmates that, one by one, on Karina's last day at the orphanage said, "Karina, do not forget me! Tell people I am here! Please find me a mommy and a daddy! Tell them I am real! Tell them I will be good! Tell me I want them... and ask if they want me... I will be waiting for them... I will be watching out the bar covered window to see if they are coming to get me."

The orphans do look out the window. We see their eyes peering out every time we visit.
They are waiting for you to come get them...
And to give an orphan a day like they have never had.

Mission Newsletter Page 1

2009-10-16T11:52:00.000-05:00

Please click on newsletter for a larger version to read.
Thank you for your prayers and support.
Our greatest need right now is monthly supporters.
Thanks!

Mission Newsletter Page 2

2009-10-16T11:49:00.000-05:00

Click on newsletter for larger version to read.

"My Daddy is Going to Die Tonight"

2009-10-14T13:26:00.000-05:00

Last night Karina translated as three Russian speaking pastors explained the gospel to people at a nearby hospital. When she returned she was full of excitement as she described what happened.
The good news of Jesus Christ was shared with many people in many different situations and all of them except one responded to Karina and the pastors. The one that did not want to talk told Karina that he was a pastor. She said he was a sharp dressed man who claimed to be a pastor but when she began asking him questions he told her that he was fine and did not need Jesus. His good works were enough... they were all that was needed in this life and the next. Karina said he walked off irritated and she was sad for him... and for those he pastors.
Several people were eager to hear the gospel and many made professions of faith and displayed a desire to serve Christ.
Then Karina said that one child looked at her and said, "My daddy is going to die tonight."
Karina knows what it is like to be without a daddy. She prayed with the child and prayed for the daddy... that he knows Jesus and will be in heaven tonight.

A Few Published Articles

2009-10-13T15:29:00.001-05:00

Over the last several months, some of our mission work and the story of Karina's adoption have been published in magazines and newspapers. To see two of these stories, please copy the links below and paste in your browser.

Mission Camp in Peru - found starting on page 12 of Leadership & Ministry, a publication of Reformed Theological Seminary: www.rts.edu/Site/Resources/M-L/issues/M_L_Spring_Summer09.pdf

Adoption Story:
From the Tartan, a publication of Belhaven College:
http://blogs.belhaven.edu/alumni-magazine/alumni-news/belhaven-connections/

Other magazines including the current copy of Parents & Kids and the July issue of Metro Christian Family have the story of Karina's adoption. We thank Erin Ulerich for her writing and desire to spread the word about children that need a family.
Our prayer through this is that many people will reach out to orphans in their distress.

God's Amazing Grace

2009-10-13T14:55:00.000-05:00

Please keep Karina in your prayers this week as she is getting an incredible experience while serving in an amazing way. Three Russian speaking pastors from Eastern Europe flew into Jackson yesterday but their translators were not able to get visas to come. They are here for evangelism training and to attend a conference designed to strengthen churches through developing godly servant/leaders.
A friend of ours asked if Karina would be interested in being the translator. She willingly took on this great task.
God continues to amaze us by his plan...
This time last year Karina was in an orphanage on the other side of the world and sent us a note telling us that the "hot water was just turned on since it is getting really cold" and asking if we could send her some soap...
This week she is serving as an English/Russian translator for pastors desiring to strengthen and grow the kingdom of God in their own lands.
The story of God's amazing grace continues on....

It's A Boy!

2009-10-12T17:00:00.001-05:00

God has blessed us with another boy! Sheila's checkups continue to go well and she has had no further blood clotting. As far as we can tell, the baby is doing just fine. Last week we took everyone to see the sonogram and all the kids were so excited to see their baby brother on the screen. The nurse was great as she explained to all the children what everything was - what a great science lesson the kids had... they measured their brother's brain, heart, kidney... they were able to hear the heartbeat and learn all about babies in the womb. It was a great witness to life.

General Update

2009-10-05T13:46:00.001-05:00

Our latest mission update newsletter will be going out this week. If you would like to be added to our mailing list, please send an email to Nasekos@perumission.org.

Sheila and the baby are doing well... we have a sonogram scheduled for tomorrow and we pray that all is OK with the baby. At the end of this month we will need another supply of Sheila's medication. Please join in prayer with us that God would supply this medication.

Karina has now been home over eight months and she is doing great. The above picture is of her in Peru with a former orphan from China that was adopted by a missionary family in Peru. School is going well, she is involved with the choir and she is enjoying the youth program at church. Next week she will have the opportunity to serve as a translator for some pastors and evangelists. We are excited about this opportunity she has to use her Russian and English for the church.

We have trips planned to Peru and Ukraine this Fall and Winter. The children and orphans in Peru are excited about summer camp coming up for them in January and we are working on plans for a camp in Ukraine at the request of a church in Odessa.

We have two missionaries in Ukraine ministering to orphans - please pray for them and this orphan ministry. Next month this orphan ministry will expand into western Ukraine.
Anyone interested in a vision trip to Peru or Ukraine, just let me know.

As a recruiter for Christian Missionary Society, I can tell you that there is plenty of work to be done... "the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few." Luke 10:2
We need your prayers and financial support... but we also need people to join us in proclaiming the gospel and reaching out in mercy!

A Tattoo Artist, a Prostitute, a Man without a Job, a Pit Bull and Time with Harrison

2009-10-05T12:20:00.000-05:00

Ten of the last twelve years we lived way out in the country... and enjoyed it. We now live in the heart of the city... and absolutely love it. What do we love about the city? There is an endless flow of people... an endless flow of people like us: sinners in need of God's grace. What a joy it is to continually come across people to minister to, share the gospel with, reach out to in mercy, encourage, help, learn from, disciple and be a neighbor to. Our children are great accountability partners...
"Daddy, does that person know Jesus?"
"Are you going to share the gospel with the people that live at that house?"
"Can we go help that lady?"
"Can we invite them over to our house?"
During the first week a man came over to hook up the phone and internet and our kids immediately wanted to help him and watch him... this house is an older house and did not have modern phone jacks... instead the phone jacks were four pronged squares... so he had to rewire a few rooms... plenty of time to talk about him and what was going on in his life... the good news of how God has provided his sinless Son, Jesus, to take our sins upon himself and transfer his righteousness to us so that, if we believe in him, we will have eternal life... we will be changed so that we can turn away from our sins and obey God... this new life brings a joy that we will never know apart from Christ... invited the man to join us at church...
His response was, "You know, I have seen a lot when I go to houses to work... people fighting and yelling... throwing things... it is good to be here and talk to you. Thanks for inviting me to church. I need to come... I need to bring my kids. Thanks."
I have not seen him yet but I pray that God would draw him to himself.

My work with Twin Lakes has come to an end and last month I attended my first board meeting with Christian Missionary Society. Each time I travel, I take one of the children in order to spend time with that child and hopefully grow closer to one another and God as we learn what God has to teach us both during the journey. Harrison came with me to Georgia and we had to travel through Atlanta... little did I know what God had in store for us... we were traveling on the day after the Chattahoochee River overflowed and killed people, flooded homes and businesses and washed out roads and bridges. Even Interstate 20 was closed for several miles. Harrison and I were ushered into detour traffic where we spent six hours in a traffic jam before coming out near the Atlanta airport. Yes, at the beginning of this traffic jam we were a little irritated at being stuck... until we remembered how blessed we were... while the flood was all around us, we were dry, our home was not under water... we were alive... and there were thousands of people around us in need of help.
We began looking around us and realized that we had an incredible opportunity to serve people... as cars began overheating... breaking down... running out of gas... people getting too hot... there was an elderly couple whose car stopped in the middle of the road and one after another cars just went around them. Harrison and I stopped to find two exhausted people in an old car with no air conditioner... after a few minutes their car was up and going and they pulled off at the next place they could to rest. We decided to help every single person on the side of the road... we were not getting anywhere fast - the detour we were on had to be detoured because another bridge washed away. Whatever the need was, we tried to meet it - usually it was a ride to the next gas station or help with their car. We met several people including a homeless man, a prostitute, a tattoo artist, a man looking for a job... we even gave a pit bull a ride (with his owner - Harrison was very excited about having the pit bull in the car... after he realized the dog was not going to bite his head off). With a captive audience, we had some good conversations which always led to talking about God's grace through Jesus... the way, the truth and the life. We pray that God would save them all.

Harrison and I had a great time together and it was very encouraging to make plans for our mission work. I thank God for the opportunity in Atlanta to serve and I pray that God would use that trip to encourage Harrison to tell people about Jesus every chance he gets... every day that we have been given, may we use it for God's glory.
"You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise." Deuteronomy 6:5-7
...and when you are on the way to a meeting... and when you are driving down the road... and when you are stuck in traffic...

A Big, Big Summer

2009-08-09T16:04:00.000-05:00

A few Sunday's ago Derek Thomas preached from Romans 8:28-30 - "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose..."

Near the beginning of the sermon he quoted from John Piper's book, Future Grace:

“If you live inside this massive promise, your life is more stable and solid than Mount Everest. Nothing can blow you over when you are inside the walls of Romans 8:28. Outside of Romans 8:28 is confusion and anxiety and fear and uncertainty. Outside this promise of all-encompassing future grace, there are straw houses of drugs and alcohol and numbing TV and dozens of futile diversions. There are slat walls and tin roofs of fragile investment strategies and fleeting insurance coverage and trivial retirement plans. There are cardboard fortifications of deadbolt locks and alarm systems and antiballistic missiles. Outside, are a thousand substitutes for Romans 8:28. Once you walk through the door of love into the massive unshakeable structure of Romans 8:28, everything changes. There come into your life stability and depth and freedom. You simply can’t be blown away anymore. The confidence that a sovereign God governs your good and bad and all the pleasures you’ll ever experience is an incomparable refuge and security and hope and power in your life.”

People wonder how we could adopt a teenager from another country that had been abused as a young child... it is because we live inside the walls of Romans 8:28.

People wonder how we can now leave the comfort of the ministry I have served for 12.5 years with a steady paycheck, a nice place to live and a beautiful place to work to face the uncertainty of support as a missionary especially under the current economic times... it is because we live inside the walls of Romans 8:28.

What an incredible promise Romans 8:28 is. It is the promise we rest in... it is the promise we live in... it is the promise we take the next step in... it is the only way we can go on.

God has given us a big, big summer. He blessed camp in many ways... over 1600 children, 130 Leaders in Training, 70 staff... good health, safety, dozens of professions of faith, growth in Christ, growth in the desire to serve others sacrificially, lots of fun... some kids being put, for the first time in their life, into an environment where they see how Christians live... and a great program featuring the story of David and Goliath.

My children had the privilege of being Philistines along side of our 6'9" Goliath (thanks, Paul!). Above you see Harrison, Noah and Karina just before David came in the name of the LORD and conquered the giant and then the Israelites slayed the Philistines.

The children were taught not only that the battle belongs to the LORD - that God fought for his people, but also that the judges and kings of the Old Testament were not enough. They could not bring salvation to God's people. The judges and kings saved the people for a short period of time but something so much more was needed. The judges and kings point to something much greater... they are just a small picture pointing us to Jesus... the one who came to truly save his people.

I thank God for a great summer at Twin Lakes. Here are a some pictures of our children at camp:

Even Storey Grace was able to attend camp this year. She was ready, so at four years old she spent the night for a whole week at camp... she loved it. All the kids attended and had a blast. Karina is too old to be a camper so she served as a Leader in Training - a program designed to train young people from Scripture to lead by serving others. Karina thrived in the program and served for two weeks. She loved all the friends she made, the Bible studies and the work.

Karina had a great summer and is doing well. Her English is excellent. She is growing both physically and spiritually and we are thankful for God's grace in her life. Today marks seven months with her family.

Many of you know that this was our last summer at Twin Lakes and that we have been planning to move to Peru to serve as missionaries with Peru Mission under Christian Missionary Society.

Peru Mission is an incredible mission that proclaims the good news of Jesus Christ along with deeds of mercy. Church planting, training pastors, seminary, schools, language school, medical clinics, economic development, agricultural development, micro-financing, disaster relief, university ministry, music ministry, summer camps, publishing of Christian materials and orphan ministry are just part of what Peru Mission is involved with in order to renew Peru through the power of the gospel. It is exciting to see how God is using this mission to draw people to himself both in Peru and the United States.

This summer the camp pastor at Twin Lakes preached a sermon where he said that God's plans are deeper, wiser and bolder than ours... we have truly seen that this summer... God has orchestrated life for us in a way that will change us from serving primarily with Peru Mission and being based in Peru to serving with Christian Missionary Society (the mission organization that oversees Peru Mission) with a focus on Peru, Ukraine and expanding missions to other lands as God leads while being based in the United States. We are so excited about the direction God is leading and the scope of his plan.

Here are some of the ways God led us:

This summer we found out that we are expecting a new addition to the family! We are all so thankful and joyful about the coming of a new baby Nasekos. Karina, especially, looks forward to having a baby to help care for. She told us that she has never been taught how to care for a baby and is glad she will be able to. The kids are pulling for a girl to even the number out at 3 and 3.

Just a few weeks after we found out about the baby and just three days after camp ended, Sheila was hospitalized with a blood clot. It was a scary time for all of us. Karina was afraid for her mother and said, "I need my mommy. I just got a mommy and I do not want to lose her." She was very concerned for her mother and prayed continuously for her.

After several blood tests we learned that Sheila has a certain condition that makes her prone to blood clots and the loss of babies early in pregnancy. The fact that we have four biological children with one on the way is amazing.

We thought the adoption of Karina was a huge step of faith for us... we realize that step was only the beginning of what God has been doing with us this year.

Camp had ended and it was time for us to prepare to leave Twin Lakes and begin our mission work. In the hospital the doctors told Sheila that because of the blood clot, the condition of her blood and the pregnancy, she cannot get on an airplane for about a year... major change in our plans... what was God's plan for us?

We also learned that there was one medicine she could take that would help her condition and not harm the baby... one medicine that was incredibly expensive with no generic. Our insurance was maxed out immediately... then our savings... how were we going to pay for the medicine?

Next we had to find a place to live since we were already planning on leaving Twin Lakes. Where could we find a house that would fit us that we could afford in the States?

We had several questions... several major things in our life that we had to trust God for... and he has provided in amazing ways. He always does. He was growing our faith.

With Sheila's health condition keeping us in the States for now, we will be doing development work for Christian Missionary Society - a great need that they have. In a nutshell, we will be raising awareness in the States for all the ministries of Peru Mission and the developing mission in Ukraine, growing the prayer support, raising money for the mission, recruiting people to help and developing the orphan ministry both in South America and Eastern Europe. Being based in the States will allow us to do all of this which meets many needs that the mission has and uses the gifts God has given us. His way is better than our way... bolder, wiser, deeper.

Sheila is recovering from the blood clot and the baby is doing well. We were able to have a sonogram and see a healthy, wiggling little baby.

We let the drug company know our financial condition and they sent a 90 day supply of the medicine at no charge... telling us they might send more later... we are thankful for God's provision and pray that they will supply the medicine for the duration of the pregnancy.

A friend called to offer a house that we could afford to rent, it is large enough for our family and in a great area.

God has provided... and cared... and shown us a better way. He has stretched our faith and shown us how much we must rely on him... and trust him...

and TRUST him.

A few days ago I returned from a trip to Peru where I was able to share the good news of Jesus Christ, map out the coming year of ministry, visit all aspects/ministries of Peru Mission and spend time with the orphans that we support and work with.

When we learned that Sheila could not come with me on this trip we decided that Karina would go. Seven months after coming home from an orphanage in Eastern Europe, Karina flew to South America where she was able to minister to and love on orphans in Peru.

When I was packing before the trip she came into the room, looked at what I was taking and asked, "Daddy, where is the stuff for the orphans? What are we taking for them?"

I am thankful that she thinks of others and that her heart is to care for others that are still in the situation that she once was in. I pray that she always cares for others and always reaches out to them in mercy.

We packed a suitcase of things for the orphans.

It has been a big, big summer. A summer of conversions... a summer of growth... a summer of new direction and expanded ministry... a summer of faith in our great God... a summer of remaining inside the walls of Romans 8:28.

Karina's Big Day

2009-07-08T17:32:00.000-05:00

One year ago today - July 8, 2008 - Sheila and I asked Karina if she wanted to be adopted. She quickly and enthusiastically said, "YES!"
Later that evening, her guardian from the orphanage in Ukraine that was accompanying her told her, "You did not even think about it! You said yes so quickly. Don't you think you should take time to think about it?"
Karina responded, "I have been thinking about having my own family for years. There is nothing more to think about. I know I want to be adopted and I know I want them to adopt me. I said yes quickly because this is what I have been dreaming of for most of my life."

Today I asked her if she was glad she said yes to us a year ago.
"Oh, daddy! Of course!"
She has been with us in the States for over five months now and God's grace continues to be evident in her. Monday night one of her classmates from her orphanage flew into the Jackson airport with his new family. How amazing to see God's hand at work to not only bring another orphan home... but to bring an orphan that has lived with Karina for several years to the same state... less than an hour away from one another.
Karina walked up to Grisha at the airport and said, "You see all these people? They have been praying for you. Welcome home."
On the ride back home Karina said, "It is just so amazing to see how God has provided for Grisha. God has given him a family that loves him and a family that loves God. He will be OK now. This is what he needed... this is what all of us orphans need."
Karina says that July 8 - the day we told her we wanted to be her family - is bigger than her birthday. It is her big day.

Birthdays, Rain and Promises

2009-06-11T20:17:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow is Karina's 14th birthday.

Her first birthday with her new family and her first birthday in the United States.

A couple of days ago we asked her what she would like to do for her birthday and she looked at us with a puzzled look on her face...

"I do not know."

I asked her what she had done on past birthdays....

"I remember one time... about a month before my birthday M had a party for some of the kids that were having a birthday during the summer and that was fun...

I remember when I was eleven and my biological dad found me at camp and told me he did not want to be my father...

I remember when I was five...

I ran away...

I ran away from...

I have never had a birthday party on my birthday and I have never done anything on my birthday because it was my birthday. It always rains on my birthday. Every single birthday I have had I remember rain. I would like to call someone in Ukraine on my birthday and ask if it is raining."

We have a big day planned for Karina... even if it rains we will have a big birthday for her.

She is excited about her first birthday with us.

We recently saw a rainbow and had a conversation about promises.

She has mostly known broken promises... learning to trust is something very new... some of her earliest birthday memories are of broken promises...

We have made her promises since meeting her and bringing her into our family and she is thankful for the fulfilled promises she has seen.

We looked at the rainbow and talked about our God who always fulfills his promises.

We talked about how much God has blessed her even through tough times... and we looked closer and saw two rainbows.

God keeps his promises...

even when it rains on our birthday.

Four Months

2009-06-03T21:53:00.000-05:00

Yesterday marked four months that Karina has lived with her family in the United States.

We continue to see God's hand and thank him for the incredible blessing of Karina.

She is enjoying camp and is a great help around Twin Lakes.

These four months have flown by.

Please Pray

2009-06-01T22:00:00.000-05:00

Tonight while we sleep in the United States, the government in Ukraine may be voting on a bill that could end international adoption. If this bill passes, thousands upon thousands of children may never have a family. Please pray that this bill will not pass and that international adoptions will continue in Ukraine. There are families in Ukraine right now and families soon on the way that could be turned away without children if this bill passes.

These children... these orphans desperately want families. Every day throughout the weeks we spent with the orphans they asked us the same thing...

"Will you find a family for me?"

"Will you tell someone about me?"

"Does anyone know I am here?"

"Does anyone care about me?"

"Will you forget me?"

"Will you remember me?"

"Will I ever have a mommy and a daddy?"

Everyday they asked these questions.

Every single day.

It is the main thing on their mind... it is what they desire... it is what they ask God for... it is what they ask visitors to the orphanage for... these children want a family.

Please pray.

Sometimes It Makes Me Sad

2009-05-14T11:13:00.000-05:00

The sun was setting as Isaac, Karina and I walked from camp towards our house...
"Daddy, there are children that no one comes to see."
"What do you mean?"
"The sick children. The ones that have diseases... no one talks to them about being adopted... no one says they will think about adopting them. Sometimes parents come to the orphanage to spend time with kids to see if they want to adopt them. People do not come to see the sick kids. The other kids make fun of them and tell them that no family would ever want them because they are sick. When the other kids laugh at them and tell them this, it makes them cry. Remember V? He cries a lot. He thinks no one will ever want him....
sometimes it makes me sad."

For the rest of our walk Karina looked at the ground... her demeanor was sad... after having a family for three and a half months she is beginning to realize what she has... and what the others do not...

She thinks about the classmates she left behind and asks us every once in a while, "Do you know if someone will go get them? They need a family."
We do not know what God has in store for Karina but is encouraging to see her thinking about the needs of others and asking us to help them.

Three and a half months... how the time has flown by. Karina's English studies continue to go well. She has two more hours and she will have completed all levels of Rosetta Stone's English. Her reading, handwriting and cursive studies are going well. There are some words that she asks us to explain in more detail but we almost never consult the Russian dictionary anymore. She has learned fast.

In the process of raising support for missions, we have traveled to eleven different churches since Karina has come home from Ukraine. She has seen a lot and met many people. Some people we have met are considering adoption and it is so encouraging and exciting to see families that are thinking about and praying about adopting an orphan. You are in our prayers.

Someone recently asked me these questions:

"How did you know it was time to proceed with the adoption?"

"When do you do what is best for the orphan or what is best for your family?"

Sheila and I have been thinking about and discussing these questions as we continue to learn how to live as a family that recently adopted a thirteen year old girl from Ukraine.

How did we know to proceed?

We saw the need: Karina. A girl without a family living in an orphanage. Her future looked bleak. The statistics show that over 60% of girls become prostitutes when they leave the orphanage. About 10% commit suicide before they turn 18. They have almost no skills to be able to live and work outside of the orphanage. Karina knew Jesus. Dear missionaries had told her the good news of what God has done for us. She did not own anything but one set of clothes, a purse and a Bible. She wanted one more thing... she wanted a family.

We saw our blessings. We had a family that loved one another and Jesus Christ. In Christ, we have all that we need and God has blessed us in so many ways.

We saw God's heart: "... to care for orphans and widows in their distress...."

We saw God's provision and promises. We did not have the resources but we knew that God owns everything and that he provides for his people to answer his call in their life.

We saw the need, our blessings, God's heart, God's provision and God's promises. We had dozens of questions and even some fears... but we took the first step... and the next... and the next... and now Karina has been home for over three months.

The second question, "When do you do what is best for the orphan or what is best for your family?" really made me think about what God did for us.

We need to make sure that we loving our spouse and children and raising them in the ways of the LORD.

Part of loving them and raising them includes reaching out to others in mercy.

Mercy... it is what God did for us when he sent Jesus.

Mercy... it is what Jesus did for those he met while on earth.

Mercy... it is one of the things God calls us to do for others.

We realize now that reaching out to Karina was good for her and for our family.

God has used this adoption to grow all of us... to show us how selfish we have been... to show us sins in our life that need to be uprooted... through the struggles that came from the adoption we have seen God change us... and that is so good. What was best for an orphan God used to be best for our family... they are one and the same.

Some people have confronted, challenged and questioned what we have done.
"Is this a wise thing for you to do?"
Some are concerned about the "dangers" of bringing an older child into our family and how that could have a bad impact on our family.

There seems to be a fear that if we are not in control from day one raising a child then it is not wise to bring that child into our family.

The God we serve is bigger than that.

The God we serve is a better daddy than I am.

The God we serve can raise a child for thirteen years and then bring her into our family and it "work" better than if I had raised that child for thirteen years.

Is it wise to bring an older child into our family?
Is it dangerous?

Is it wise to ignore the cry of those in need?

Is it dangerous to ignore God's call on your life?
We believe that God is in control of all things and that he is greater than we are.
We rest in him.

We recently took a family vacation. With summer camp approaching and all the traveling we had done, our family needed a break... so we went to the beach.
I wish you could have seen Karina laughing and playing in the ocean as the waves rolled in against her, see her catch a touchdown pass as we played football in the sand, scream with delight as fish and stingrays swam around her, see her catching crabs late at night, reading books beside her mom on the beach... doing things she had never done before.

Speaking of books... a dear friend gave Karina several books in Russian and Karina has read all of them. She told us that she had only read one book in her life... one book in thirteen years. In three months with us she has read seven. She loves to read. If anyone knows of a resource for good Russian books, please let us know. She reads them as fast as we get them to her.

One day at the beach Storey Grace and I were playing... tickling each other, tackling each other, laughing, running around... I noticed Karina was just staring at us... watching everything we did. Storey Grace got tired and laid down... Karina came over and said,
"I never played with my dad... I never did anything with my dad."
She leaned over and cried in our arms.

Later on we were walking on the beach. The boys were ahead of us, stopping occasionally to splash in the waves or tell us they found a jelly fish or some kind of animal. Storey Grace was holding my right hand. Karina was behind us. Eventually Karina walked up and put her hand in my left hand. Looking at Storey Grace she said, "I never held my dad's hand."
She held tightly for the rest of our walk.

As time goes on she sees more and more the things she never did and never had... and she sees more and more what she can do now and what she has now... and she thinks of her friends still in the orphanages and she says,
"...sometimes it makes me sad..."

Help For Two Families

2009-05-02T07:55:00.000-05:00

Two families are on their way to Ukraine to adopt and they need help with money. They are bringing these children into their home but need help. Can you help them?

To find out more about them you can visit their blogs:

The Hoffmann Family blog is private but you can email them at hoffhouse@hotmail.com to request to see their blog:

www.hoffmannclan.blogspot.com

and Fumia Family blog can be see by clicking on this:

Grab this button

Daddy

2009-04-28T09:23:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I wonder how Karina views God as her heavenly Father considering the abuse her biological earthly father gave her.

God continues to allow us to see his grace in her life.

A few days ago Karina and I prayed for Sheila while she spoke at a women's brunch and after the prayer Karina said, "Daddy, I do not know how to pray."

We talked for a little while about what prayer is, that God wants us to pray to him and that she can talk to him as her heavenly daddy.

She let out a big sigh and said, "It is so good to finally have a daddy."

"I pray that God will help me be a good earthly daddy to you."

"You are a good daddy" she whispered.

Dear Aly

2009-04-23T23:41:00.000-05:00

What a joy it was to be at your church last week and then to come over to your house and visit. Thank you for being so sweet and kind to us and especially to Karina. Thank you for the booklet, the pictures, the crafts, the welcome sign, the flowers, the food and the fun. Thank you for welcoming our whole family and for showing love toward Karina. God has blessed you with a great gift of hospitality and making people feel welcome and comfortable. May God continue to use you to reach out to people and minister to them.

You ministered to Karina by showing so much interest in her life. After spending the day with your parents, we know where your gift comes from. Thank you, Aly (and the rest of the family), for being so warm toward us on our short visit to Alabama. May God bless you.

Traveling in the van - Storey Grace in her spy glasses.

Karina has been a real trooper. In the two and a half months that we have been home, she has traveled with us to nine different churches to share our mission and give the vision to others for our work with Christian Missionary Society, Peru Mission and Orphan Ministry in both Peru and Ukraine.

Karina has met many people that have been praying for her - how encouraging it has been for us to hear that so many people care about her and have lifted her up in prayer.

It is also interesting to see the different responses churches have toward "missionaries" coming to speak... one day I may blog about those responses.

God used nine year old Aly... a girl that we met when we spoke at a church in Alabama... to teach me a few things about hospitality. She was so thoughtful and caring and loving and open and encouraging to us (her parents were the same way) that it really made me examine the way I treat others... especially those I have never met.

Thanks, Aly, for helping me understand, a little better, how God wants us to reach out to others.

We had a great time in AL and stayed with a wonderful family... thanks Scott and Jan!! Thanks for sheltering us and feeding us and talking with us and loving us and hiking with us! You are such a blessing to us. Nathan - thanks for the delicious breakfasts!

Karina went on her first hiking trip in the States. We hiked for about four miles, climbed over,

under, around and in rocks, forded a river, climbed in small caves, stood under behind and above waterfalls and learned about a few plants...

including poison ivy. After learning about poison ivy Karina wanted to know if she was allergic to it so she proceeded to wipe the back of her right hand all in poison ivy... she just had to know... and a week later... nothing. She told me, "Daddy, I not allergic! I so glad."

Me too, Karina.

Isaac, on the other hand, is very allergic. He stayed as far away as he could from any visible poison ivy... and still got it. He asked me why God made poison ivy.

We are grateful for these times as a family that we are able to travel together, spend time with other believers and share with them the ministry God allows us to be involved with. God has led us to places spiritually that we never imagined going. He is molding us and stretching us and teaching us. He is weaning us off of this world and preparing us for the one to come... at times it is scary... but it is also very exciting.

We are learning a lot. Karina is learning a lot. She is becoming more concerned with other orphans... it saddens her to think of those still in the orphanage that she came from... those that do not have parents coming for them... she prays for them... she asks others to pray for them... she thinks of them often... she sees what she has been given... and what they are without... and over the past several weeks, through all the churches we have visited, she has seen thousands of Christians... and the questions are brought up... these Christians... God adopted them... will they do the same for others....?

Please Pray for Grandma Lela

2009-04-23T09:11:00.000-05:00

Grandma Lela is in her 80's and spends her days showing love to orphans. When many people her age just want to relax, Lela moved to Ukraine and pours herself out for those in need of mercy. She is such a blessing to the children.

Last week she fell and broke her hip. Karina loves her and is so thankful for her. When Karina found out what happened to Lela she began weeping. Karina has said about Lela, "The orphans need someone like Lela. For some orphans Lela is the only one that has ever told them 'I love you!'"

Please pray for her.

Here are the latest two updates on her situation:

Our wonderful Bahbushka Lela fell in her house of Friday (April 17) evening and is in the hospital in Odessa. She broke her left hip and is required to have a surgery. We have contacted her family in the US right away and they arranged the aircraft. We are expecting the Air Ambulance to come tomorrow and take her on Thursday early morning to America for the surgery.
PLease, PLease, Please, keep Lela in your hourly prayers for she is in a very bad and painful condition. The pain killer medicine seems to be not helpful to her anymore since she has been taking them for 5 days already and she is in a very bad pain now. She is well taken care but ...in much pain.

Let's all join in prayer for our Bahbushka Lela right now and the days ahead!!!!!

Dear Folks and faithful prayer partners!

Bahbushka Lela got on a special Air craft Ambulance this early morning by Odessa time. Praise the Lord her son Ron was with her. It was a great support for her. The doctor on the aircraft spoke perfect Russian which was a great help in many medical issues. His nurse was the kindest person that was very gentle with Lela. Praise the Lord Lela wasn't in much pain when she was leaving. She was smiling very big as usually and that was the greatest incouragement to us.
Please, continue to keep our Lelchik in your hourly prayers that the surgery on Friday would go very well and she would be able to walk as soon as possible.

Many thanks to all that are lifting up our Lelchik to the Lord and He is very quick to answer!

April Newsletter

2009-04-20T20:22:00.000-05:00

Click on Picture for a Larger Version

2009-04-20T20:20:00.000-05:00

Join Us For A Short Term Trip to Peru!

2009-04-15T15:09:00.000-05:00

We are currently taking applications from anyone that would like to join us for a short term mission trip to Peru January 1-9, 2010. We will be running two summer day camps for children in Trujillo and Cajamarca.

If interested in applying, please send me an email: Matthew@twinlakescamp.org.

For more details, please see older posts where I described the camp.

Come join us!! It will be an unforgettable time and you will be a blessing to many people both from the churches we work with in Peru and to the orphans that come to camp.

A Big Easter Weekend

2009-04-12T21:15:00.000-05:00

Two girls grew up 20 minutes from each other on either side of the Mississippi/Louisiana State line.

Two orphan girls became best friends in an orphanage on the other side of the world.

About a year and four months ago, one of the best friends was adopted by the girl that grew up on the LA side.

A year later, the other one was adopted by the girl that grew up on the MS side.

This Easter weekend, the girls were reunited, the two families that adopted them met for the first time, and the two best friends/former orphans sat side by side in worship on this day that we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus.

Only God can work out the details to make that happen. We rejoice as we continually see God's mighty and glorious hand at work.

This was also a weekend of firsts:

Karina's first bike ride.

Karina's first injury in the States.

Yes, the first bike ride and the first injury do go together.

First Easter with her new family and with Granny and Papa.

First time to celebrate a birthday of one of her new siblings.

It was a big weekend. Karina and Storey Grace slept on the way back home.

Daddy, Help Me Study the Bible

2009-04-09T13:46:00.000-05:00

Karina has enjoyed making new friends and she has been thankful for those who have reached out to her in love (and her parents are thankful too!).

Thank you to the girls at Trinity that spent time with her while we were at the missions conference. Karina really enjoyed going out with you.

Wednesday night, after the service, a group of girls came up to me and asked if Karina could go with them for some ice cream.

This had never happened to Sheila and I before... our younger children do not have friends ask if they can go out...

I quickly looked over the group... yes, there was some older, responsible people here that I trust... and I handed over a cell phone and twenty dollars... and prayed.

After a while, Karina returned, handed me the phone and the twenty dollars.

Wow! I was not expecting to get the money back... or at least not all of it.

The ice cream shop was closed so they went to a coffee shop.

"Karina, you did not want to get anything?"

"No, daddy. It is too late to get coffee. I want to go to sleep."

I thought to myself, "Now that is a great girl."

Friday evening we spent time with a wonderful family that has shown much love toward Karina. Karina has enjoyed getting to know Parker and of course the boys love playing with Jeffrey.

Sunday we spoke in Sunday School for Trinity's Missions Conference - it was so wonderful and a blessing to be with these people for a week. This is the church Sheila and I were married in, where I served as an officer and as an intern while in seminary. It was a joy to be back.

Sunday night, Karina was baptized at our church. She was so nervous leading up to the service. I must share a story with you about how our pastor's daughter showed love to Karina. I am the son of a pastor (a PK) and now my children are missionary kids (MK's) and I understand how sometimes these children (and their parents) can be ruthlessly examined, criticized and "talked" about by the Christian community. So here is a story of how a pastor's child took the lead in reaching out and showing selfless love toward a former orphan:

Before the service, all the new members (including Karina) met at the church for pictures and then went to a chapel to be examined by the elders and answer the five questions of church membership that our denomination asks.

Karina was told to sit in one of the chairs up front that was facing the pews (which were packed with parents and elders). She was the first young person to sit in the stage area (all the adults were sitting in chairs on the floor). Karina sat on the front row by herself.

The other young girls began coming in and, one by one, walked past Karina to sit on another row of chairs. As each one passed by Karina, her face became more and more red. She felt embarrassed and felt like no one wanted to be near her.

And then in walked the pastor's daughter who is about Karina's age. She walked up to the chairs and glanced at Karina, then to her friends in the back, then back to Karina. She went to the back for a moment, and then walked back up and sat beside Karina. Once the other girls saw her beside Karina, others joined her in sitting beside Karina.

The redness left Karina’s cheeks and a smile began to appear on her face as she talked with these girls.

It brought tears to my eyes to see how our pastor's daughter took the lead in ministry to my daughter by the simple action of sitting beside her in a room full of strangers.

I am sure it was a big deal for her to not sit beside her friends and sit beside a girl she does not know and who is still learning English but it meant so much to Karina and it meant a lot to me. Karina and I are very thankful for her.

I thank my pastor for raising children that care for others and think about what others need and I thank him for being a great example to us and to his congregation.

It was beautiful to see Karina make a public profession of faith in Jesus and then to be baptized by one of our pastor's that has made a point to talk with Karina and reach out to her when he sees her around the church.

After the service, Karina was excited and ready to talk. We live at least 30 minutes from our church and she talked the entire way home.

She talked about how much God has done for her and how he orchestrated the events of her life to bring her to us.

She told about the day she signed papers saying that she wanted to be adopted. It was just after her eleventh birthday when her biological mom and dad came to visit her in the orphanage. Her dad came and told her that he did not want Karina to be his daughter. Her mom told her that she wanted to start visiting her and that she would come back tomorrow. Tomorrow came but her mom never did. Karina waited and waited... but she never came back. So, Karina finally lost hope of her biological parents bringing her back home. She asked if she could fill out papers for another family to adopt her and then began her wait for us.

She told of the year she lived outside.

I asked, "Outside? Like in the grass?"

"Yes, daddy. Before I go to orphanage my mom disappear and I live outside with my grandmother."

"Wasn't it cold?"

"Yes... but sometimes we find building to sleep in."

"A building? A house?"

"No. An old building... you know... not fixed but..."

"Broken?"

"Yes. Broken. We get in through broken window and sleep on floor."

"How did you eat?"

"We ate whatever we find. Sometimes grandmother have money and we buy food."

"How long did you do this?"

"I think one year... and then my mom came back and I lived with her... for a little while... until I ran away to be safe at the orphanage."

See how far God brings his children...

From living and eating on the streets...

From abuse at the hands of those who are supposed to love...

From broken promises and rejection...

To a family that loves her...

To a church family that loves her...

To God's family...

The other night she said, "Daddy, help me study the Bible."

It would bring me such joy, Karina, to help you study God's Word.

Two Months: More Laughs, More Tears and a Baptism

2009-03-30T20:13:00.000-05:00

Today marks two months since Karina landed with us in Jackson, MS.

This journey continues to be full of laughs and tears. It is one of the most joyous and one of the toughest things we have ever done.

Everyday Karina learns about living with her new family...

and about living with silly boys that like to pretend that they are the green Incredible Hulk...

And like to get real muddy.

Everyday there is something we just do not understand...

Her English comprehension continues to improve with each passing day but there are still plenty of times when we do not know what the other is saying.

A few days ago Karina was told not to do something... but she did it anyway... there was a confrontation... there was confusion... there was frustration... there was tears...

"Mamma... I not understand what you say. I not want to disobey... sometimes I not understand what you say... I sorry mamma."

"I'm sorry too, Karina. Sometimes I do not understand what you are saying either."

I pulled out the Russian/English dictionary and we learned the word patience... much about this journey involves patience with one another.

Everyday there is something new to do...

Storey Grace needed a bath... she really needed a bath. I turned the water on, she got in the tub and in walked Karina. I turned to Karina and said,

"Oh, thank you Karina for bathing Storey Grace for me. Thank you so much!"

"Daddy", replied Karina, "I cannot bathe her. I never do that... I do not know how to do that... I have never done that."

"Do you bathe yourself?" I asked.

"Yes."

"Then you know how to bathe your sister."

She looked at Storey Grace, who was so excited that her sister was going to bathe her, and started the process of cleaning a very dirty little sister.

The two had a great time... Karina helping and caring for her little sister... and Storey Grace looking up to her big sister.

There was lots of bubbles and giggles and splashing.

After the bath, Storey Grace looked up and said,

"See Karina, you can do it!"

Everyday we learn more about life in the orphanage...

"In orphanage, they use us to learn how to do things."

"They practice on you?"

"Yes."

"What do they do?"

"Well, people that want to cut hair will come to orphanage and practice on the orphans."

"Did you like that?"

"No, daddy! They always mess our hair up!"

Everyday people embrace Karina...

We continue to be humbled and amazed at how so many people have reached out to welcome Karina. Thank you for your emails and notes and gifts and food and clothes and parties! Karina is out right now with her mom getting some much needed items with those gift cards.

One thing Karina misses is her friends from Ukraine. Thank you for embracing her in friendship.

Parker, thanks for wanting to be a friend to Karina.

SaraCaroline, thanks for the emails... she will write you soon... she can speak easier than she can write.

Everyday we grow in grace...

Karina loves Jesus and it becomes more evident to us every day that she is growing in God's grace. She was interviewed last week by an elder and pastor of our church and shared her testimony of faith in Jesus and her desire to join the church.

This Sunday, April 5, at the 5:50PM service at First Presbyterian Church of Jackson, Karina will make a public profession of faith and be baptized! We welcome anyone that wants to witness her baptism to join us at First Pres. Sunday night.

We Will Not Forget Them

2009-03-21T13:30:00.000-05:00

Please...

do not forget us!

If you were following our blog while we were in Ukraine, you may remember the cry of the orphans that did not have families adopting them... "Please do not forget me!"

They said this over and over.

We cannot forget these precious children and God has provided a way for us and you to continue ministering to the orphans.

While in Ukraine, we prayed that God would open up doors of ministry and he has. We are thankful for what he has provided.

Christian Missionary Society is the mission organization that Sheila and I serve with. CMS was founded by men who wanted to facilitate bringing the Gospel of Christ to foreign soil. The hope of CMS is to have numerous missions throughout the globe that are reaching people for Christ by building a relational and diaconal ministry backed with solid doctrinal teaching (www.ChristianMissionarySociety.org).

Most of the work done by CMS missionaries has been in Peru with Peru Mission (PeruMission.org). Peru Mission proclaims the gospel of Jesus Christ and reaches out in mercy.

We have now expanded to Ukraine with our Ukraine Mission. The goal is the same: proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ and reach out in mercy.

We have begun in the city Karina grew up in: Odessa, Ukraine.

God has blessed Odessa with some good churches that are proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ and some of these churches have asked us to come alongside them and help them reach out in mercy... so we are starting with orphan ministry and camp ministry.

The first thing I want to do is tell why all of us should be involved in orphan ministry. In another post I will describe what the orphan ministry in Ukraine looks like and how you can be involved. Then, at some later point, I will describe the camp ministry.

Why should all of us be involved in orphan ministry?

What God expects from his people regarding orphans.

Job 1: 1 There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil.

Job 1:8 And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?”

Job 31:16-23 “If I have withheld anything that the poor desired, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail, or have eaten my morsel alone, and the fatherless has not eaten of it (for from my youth the fatherless grew up with me as with a father, and from my mother's womb I guided the widow), if I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing, or the needy without covering, if his body has not blessed me, and if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep, if I have raised my hand against the fatherless, because I saw my help in the gate, then let my shoulder blade fall from my shoulder, and let my arm be broken from its socket. For I was in terror of calamity from God, and I could not have faced his majesty.”

Study notes on the above section of Scripture from the ESV Study Bible read:

“Care for the poor, widow (v. 16), fatherless (v. 17), needy (v. 19), and sojourner (see vv. 31–32) is prescribed in the Pentateuch (see Ex. 22:21–27; Lev. 19:33; Deut. 24:17–18). Such action shows that someone understands that he or she lives with others before God and is called to fear him alone (Job 31:23). Job lived this way because he believed God weighed his actions, and he understood that calamity was the consequence for the unrighteous (see vv. 2–4).”

Job, a man considered by God to be blameless and upright, cared for orphans. He fed them, clothed them and was as a father to them.

The Commands and Warnings of God to His People

Exodus 22:22-24 You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child. If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to me, I will surely hear their cry, and my wrath will burn, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless.

Study notes on the above section of Scripture from the ESV Study Bible read:

Ex. 22:22 Through his prophets, the Lord will repeatedly denounce the mistreatment of the widow and the fatherless child in Israel and Judah (e.g., Isa. 1:1 7, 23; Jer. 5:28; 7:5–7; 22:3; Zech. 7:10).

Deuteronomy 24:17-22 “You shall not pervert the justice due to the sojourner or to the fatherless, or take a widow's garment in pledge, but you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you from there; therefore I command you to do this.

“When you reap your harvest in your field and forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it. It shall be for the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. When you beat your olive trees, you shall not go over them again. It shall be for the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow. When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, you shall not strip it afterward. It shall be for the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow. You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt; therefore I command you to do this.”

Study notes on the above section of Scripture from the ESV Study Bible read:

Deut. 24:17–18 sojourner . . . fatherless . . . widow's garment. These three groups, as landless people, represented the most vulnerable in the land (see 10:18–19 and note). Israel's own time spent in Egypt as slaves was to motivate their proper treatment of landless people. See also v. 22.

When God brought his people out of slavery and gave them a land of their own, he commanded them to care for the orphan and gave them warnings if they did not care for the orphan. When God pronounces judgment on his people, some of the reasons for judgment are because, [Jeremiah 5:28] “…they judge not with justice the cause of the fatherless, to make it prosper, and they do not defend the cause of the needy” and, Ezekial 22:7 lists as one of Israel’s abominations, “…the fatherless and widow are wronged in you.”

James 1:27

James 1:27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

Study notes on the above section of Scripture from the ESV Study Bible read:

James 1:26–27 True, Practical Religion. This section on obedience (vv. 19–27) concludes with three characteristics of the one whose religion is pure and undefiled, that is, one who “does” the word. First, he refuses self-deception and bridles his tongue, which means he keeps a tight rein on his speech like a bridle controlling a horse. Second, he shows mercy and love to the oppressed. Orphans and widows were frequent OT examples of this (see Deut. 10:18; Isa. 1:17; Jer. 7:5–7) because of their particularly helpless state (on widows in NT times, see note on 1 Tim. 5:3–16). Third, he remains unstained from the world; James uses the sacrificial language of “the lamb without blemish” (Ex. 12:5; 1 Pet. 1:19) to describe the pure religious person.

The notes in the Reformation Study Bible state that “James stresses concern for widows and orphans as a true measure of obedience that is pleasing to God. It reflects the concerns of God Himself. Israel was given this responsibility in the Old Testament.”

The example given to us by Job, a man God calls blameless and upright, the commands and warnings God gives his people and James 1:27 all point to the fact that God calls his people to care for those in need: in particular, orphans and widows.

One of Life's Greatest Journeys

2009-03-19T17:12:00.000-05:00

What if the only family you knew… abused you?

What if the only time an adult talked to you was to discipline you?

What if no one had ever told you that you were important?

What if no one ever said, “I love you”?

What if the only interaction you had was with peers?

What if there was no one to teach you how to live… how to love… how to talk… how to handle life?

What if you were never taught how to handle your emotions and feelings?

What if you had nightmares every night?

What if you were afraid every time you lay down to sleep?

What if every gift you were given was stolen?

What if there was nothing that was yours?

What if you had to fight every day to defend the weak?

What if you were hated by those you lived with because you would not go along with their plans?

What if one day you were taken from everything you knew and understood?

What if one day you were taken to a different country to live?

What if everyone around you spoke another language?

What if you now had to live completely different than you have ever lived?

How would you respond?

How would you do it?

How would you handle it?

“It is hard.” Karina has told us this several times.

“I love you. I love my brothers and sister. I love living in America. I am thankful for all that God has done for me. I am thankful for all that you are doing for me. But it is hard. Be patient with me, I am learning how to be a daughter. I would not change anything… I just need your prayers… and love.”

We know many orphans.

What do they need? They need Jesus. They need people to minister to them in the orphanages. They need parents.

We have many friends that are adopting or have adopted.

What do they need? They need prayers as they adjust… as the children adjust to everything new and the parents need prayer as they learn to love a child that has been neglected their entire life.

It is a great journey… I imagine it is one of the greatest journeys life on this earth can hold for us… because it is exactly what God has done for us… adopted us.

A Word from the Mamma.

2009-03-13T20:37:00.000-05:00

I haven't blogged since our return over a month ago. Sorry for that. I am thankful that my husband has kept you updated on our silly family.

The time since our return has flown. I can't believe that we have been home over a month, but then again it seems like we have had Karina forever. She has meshed so well into our family. That is not to say that we have not had bumps in the road, but they have been small and we both have learned so much from them.

For example, one day we were both in the kitchen and I had been showing Karina how to cook. I was busy running around and she was asking questions every few minutes "Mommy, how do you do this?", "Mommy, how do you do that?". I answered them and kept on moving around doing my tasks. Then she said, " I am asking because you know, I have never had a mommy before." I quickly stopped what I was doing and said "Yes, I know." Yes, she did have a mother, but she did not have a mommy. A woman to teach her, rebuke her, love her, hold her, inquire about her, etc. That one statement gave me a perspective check. Am I more worried about my agenda, or am I concerned with what God would have me be concerned about...my relationship with my daughter and the rest of my family. This adoption journey does change the child, but it also changes the parent. I am so thankful to be on this journey. Thankful that God is still seeking to sanctify this wretched sinner into His image. Thankful that He is using my 13 year old daughter to do it. What a blessing...it is so much more than I deserve.

Friday, the Federal Building & Our Great Big Adopted Family

2009-03-13T19:52:00.000-05:00

After our fourth visit to the federal building, Karina has her "second name" as she calls it. She kept asking why she needed a SS # and what it was for and after the explanation she began calling it her second name.

Why four visits? Because we did not know everything we needed... and no employee at the federal building could tell us what we needed... they just knew that what we had was not enough and they were not sure how we could get what we really needed unless we paid them lots of money.

So, we asked our great big adopted family out there - those of you reading this blog who have adopted or are adopting - and you came through for us. We received comments and emails outlining everything we needed. Thanks so much for all the help.

This is what happened on Friday at the Federal Building:

Sheila said it was my turn to go so Karina and I took off for downtown and entered the parking garage at 1:14PM, walked down stairs, crossed street, entered building....

Karina sets off metal detector - it was her belt.

Went up to the second floor and...

there was hardly any one in the room!

If you need to go work with the government, go on a Friday afternoon, just before Spring break, when it is pouring down rain outside.

We took a number and sat down in the empty room for...

less than one minute!

We were called to window A and I handed the lady these items:

1. Karina's birth certificate

2. Adoption court decree

3. Karina's passport with visa and stamp from Homeland Security

4. Certificate of Citizenship

5. Letter of school enrollment from our home school

6. SS # Application

7. My driver's license

Within just a few minutes she said, "Sign this."

We were done... so we walked out of the room, out of the building, crossed the street and exited the parking garage about 30 minutes after we had arrived.

Sheila tells me, because of her experience earlier this week, that she is more sanctified than I am because of what she had to go through.

So, thanks to all of you who have done this before, for those of you that will need a SS# in the future, the above list is what you need. Your local SS office may or may not know what you need, as in our case.

On another note, today, as I was going through some of the paperwork from the adoption I came across some papers that I could not recognize. I handed them to Karina and asked what they were. Her eyes got real big...

"This is my biological mom and dad's birth certificate... my dad born in Russia... I know that... but my mom... I never know this... she born in Russia too! And my dad has no citizenship record."

There were some other things she learned about them and she told me,

"My mom did not tell me this... my life has been crazy... my name is Greek, my parents are Russian, I was born in Ukraine and now I live in America!"

I could tell that she was disturbed by some of the things she learned and she was quiet for a while...

she seemed to be processing a lot after looking at this paperwork...

this evening she still seemed to be thinking through all this and I asked her if she was ok.

She said she was, gave us a kiss and told us, "I love you."

Five Kids in the Federal Building

2009-03-09T22:08:00.000-05:00

Too much fun to keep to ourselves... a story about Sheila's day.

It all began when I (Matthew) asked,

"Would you like me to go back to the Social Security office or do you want to go?"

Sheila responds with something like,

"You have already been twice... with no results... I will go... you just stay at work and I will take the kids and get this taken care of!"

OK... go ahead and start laughing... one woman... five kids... one of those from Ukraine... heading to deal with the federal government...

2PM

"How do you get into this parking garage?"

Circled federal building twice.

Finally get into parking garage... circling around and around to the fifth level.

Remember folks... we are from the country... all these one way streets, tall buildings and parking garages can seem a little foreign. We are used to dirt roads that you can drive any thing on in any direction you want... you park in the grass... or in the middle of the road because no one else is going to drive past for the next hour and if they do, they know to go around, honk their horn and say, "How ya'll doin' tonight?"

Park the van.

Unload six people and it begins:

"Let's take the stairs!"

"NO! Let's take the elevator!"

"Stairs!"

"Elevator!"

Sheila: "This is not a democracy. We are taking the elevator."

Get almost to elevator and realize.... we have no papers.

Go back to van.

Get papers.

Go back to elevator.

Go down five floors.

Cross road and prepare to enter federal building.

"Let's go in revolving door!"

"No! Let's go in regular door!"

"No! Let's go in revolving door!"

Sheila: "We are going through the regular door so no one gets stuck in the revolving door."

Walk up to metal detector.

Storey Grace is clear.

Harrison is clear.

Isaac is clear.

Noah is clear.

Karina is clear.

Security guard then asks Sheila,

"So, are you babysitting today... or are they...."

"Yes. They are all mine." Sheila says with a grin...

as she sets off the alarm... not cleared....

now Sheila is clear.

Ask security guard what floor Social Security office is on.

Second floor.

Walk in office... now... which of the two lines to get in?

Karina has done this before so she points to the long line... and the people already sitting have nothing to do but sit and so they begin staring at the woman with five kids in the long line.

Finally, arriving at the counter Sheila says,

"I need to get a social security number for an adopted child."

"For all these kids?" comes the response.

"No. Just one."

"Oh... take this number and have a seat."

The number is E75.

Sit down.

The next number called is E64.

Not too bad... only 11 people are in front of us.

Hahaha... just kidding... not only are there numbers with an E in front of them but there are also numbers with a S in front of them that are called periodically... and then there are names that are called with no numbers associated with them... and then there are... well, you get the picture.

It is immediately apparent that the choice of location of seating was bad... for the people directly behind the Nasekos crew were having a fight... and using every profane word imaginable... Sheila is praying that the children's vocabulary is not expanded on this trip to the federal building.

2:45PM

Storey Grace: "Mommy... I need to go to the bathroom."

Another child: "Me too!"

OK... just hold it for a few minutes... they will call us soon... don't see a bathroom in this office.

"I have to go, too!"

Everyone has to go.

3PM

"E75 come to window 23."

Six people come sit in front of a woman sitting at a computer.

"Hi... hello... oh hi... how many are out there?"

Sheila tells her what she needs and hands over paperwork.

Overwhelmed look is returned... "I am a trainee. I am not trained to handle this. They sent you to the wrong window but we will help you today. Let me go talk to someone and I will be right back."

"E75 go to window 17."

Ummm... should we go to window 17 or do we stay here at window 23 where all our paperwork is?

Sheila leans over to security guard about 10 feet away,

"All of our paperwork is right here... do I really leave it and go to window 17?"

"No... you stay here and send one of your kids to tell window 17 that mommy is already at a window."

Harrison volunteers for the job and the security guard puts him on the security monitor to make sure he gets from 23 to 17 and back to 23 without any problems... remember the people fighting and cursing?

Harrison, on camera, makes it there and back again.

All settle down in corner cubicle waiting... Sheila passes out bank suckers and gum to entertain the kids.

Lady returns to window, returns paperwork and sends them back to the lobby...

"Wait for your name to be called."

Find place in lobby with no one else around fighting or cursing.

"Mommy... I need to go to the bathroom."

"OK, honey... just a few more minutes."

Man across room begins causing a scene...

the lobby is getting loud...

people are getting concerned...

security guard comes in...

man escorted out of lobby...

kids exclaim how cool it is that the security guard with a gun just took out the man causing a scene.

Security guard returns and closes doors to lobby... no one is coming in or going out... no chance of going to the bathroom now.

3:45PM

"Sheila Nasekos, please come to window A."

Paperwork handed over... situation explained... man at computer begins typing.

Ten minutes later man says,

"I think we have a problem... in order to get social security number she needs proof of citizenship."

"What about this stamped document from the Department of Homeland Security with her photo ID and this permanent residence immigrant visa?"

"Well, the problem is that in our system she is listed not as a permanent resident but as a US citizen."

"So... she is listed in the Social Security System as a US citizen?"

"Yes."

"And because of that she cannot get a social security number?"

"Correct. If she was listed as just a resident, I could issue the number but since she is listed as a citizen I have to have proof that she is a citizen in order to issue the number."

"Oh... so you have her listed in the social security administration system as a US citizen but you need proof that she is a US citizen?"

"Exactly.... you need a passport to prove she is a citizen of the US."

Very confused look comes across Sheila's face... you cannot get a passport without a social security number.

Storey Grace has to go to the bathroom... right this second... Karina takes Storey Grace out the door while Sheila wraps the conversation up at window A.

"You can go to the USCIS website for more info."

Yep... that is the website we went to before the first trip to this office.

Sheila and boys leave office and go down to the first floor. The boys go into the men's room and Sheila goes into the ladies room... but Karina and Storey Grace are no where to be seen.

Sheila begins to panic... her four year old and her Ukrainian daughter are somewhere in the federal building... but no one knows where.

In the meantime, Karina and Storey Grace somehow got on an elevator that did not go down but only up. They made it to the fifth floor where a nice woman got them to a bathroom. Then they got on an elevator that went down and arrived at the second floor but... no mamma... and no brothers...

Sheila gets back on the elevator... finds her girls anxiously waiting for her...

Harrison, in the meantime, has come out of the bathroom to find no mom or sisters...

but he is cool with that because he finds the FBI's Most Wanted List hanging on a wall.

He begins to study it and realizes that he knows one of the guys on the list. He thinks the guy lives near his grandparents... at least the guy "looks just like the guy on the FBI list".

In a few moments, all are reunited and they head back to the van. Leaving the garage, Sheila hands the ticket to the parking attendant and realizes she has been here for over 2.5 hours.

"That will be $5."

Sheila has $3.

Sheila writes a check to get out of parking garage...

heads over to the Rankin County Enrollment Office to fill out some paperwork for home schooling...

goes to Wal Mart to pick up food for her family...

comes home and prepares supper...

and then says, "I need to go to bed... my throat hurts... I think I may be coming down with something... Matthew remember at the missions conference this weekend when Elliott said that missional people do not mind inconvenience?"

"Yes."

"I think we got to practice that today."

"Thanks, Sheila, for going today...

I'll go tomorrow."

Need Help From You Who Have Adopted

2009-03-09T20:39:00.000-05:00

OK.

We need help from those of you who have adopted in the past.

We are trying to get a social security number for Karina. We need this number to be able to do our taxes... get her a passport... well, for just about everything.

We checked the social security administration website regarding the required documents needed to apply for a social security number for an adopted child and we brought all of those documents.

We went to the SS office in downtown Jackson with the documents listed on the website and they told us we needed something else...

So two days later we returned with that document and they told us we needed something else...

So two days later we returned with that document and now they tell us that we have to have proof of US citizenship (they said the immigrant visa with the Department of Homeland Security stamp on it, her Ukrainian passport, birth certificate with us as the parents, adoption court decree and school enrollment decree were not enough)...

We can use a US passport to prove citizenship...

The only way to get a US passport is to have a social security number...

We found that we could apply for a proof of citizenship certificate for $420...

is this there any other way to get a SS number or do we have to pay this $420 for a proof of citizenship certificate?

Does anyone have any advice or help?

Thanks. You can email me directly at Matthew@twinlakescamp.org or post in the comments section.

One Month and One Week

2009-03-09T17:16:00.000-05:00

Karina has lived with us in the States for one month and one week and both Sheila and I are still overwhelmed at how blessed we are to have Karina as part of our family. We are so thankful for her.

So many of you have been so kind and giving since we returned. Thanks for the clothes, the purse, the money, the Target gift card, the parties... thanks for all you have done to welcome Karina and to help provide for her. We are grateful for you and Karina is so thankful for every thing she is given.

As a family we have been doing some traveling and a lot of speaking regarding our ministry and Karina has been a huge help with this and an encouragement to us. She wants to serve and minister to others and we thank God for her servant's heart.

Many of you prayed for us while in Peru - in between two Ukraine trips. Thanks for those prayers. Last week our Peru Mission Team published the following and I just wanted to share it with you. Karina is excited about helping with these camps:

Twin Lakes Camp Reaches Children, Reaches Families

Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 19:14

For the second year in a row, a very talented and enthusiastic group from Twin Lakes Camp came to Trujillo to provide a summer camp for the youth in our churches and community. Twin Lakes, which is a ministry of First Presbyterian Church, Jackson, Mississippi, brought twenty-six team members from the states who worked alongside dozens of Peruvian volunteers to host 165 kids for the week-long camp.

The kids were surrounded by camp leaders who were able to share the love of Christ with them as they sang songs, played games, and learned biblical stories. For these kids this week is a very special time. For some it is the reward for faithful church attendance and participation throughout the year; for others it may be their first encounter with a body of believers.

The purpose of the Twin Lakes camp goes well beyond the fun and games. As missionary Allen Smith explains, “God uses this camp to reach children and families with the Gospel. In a week full of fun and worship, many children for the first time hear the gospel proclaimed and see the gospel portrayed through the godly character of the counselors. One pastor told me that several of the children who went to camp last year are now members of the church along with their families.”

The church in Peru not only realizes the importance of this camp in the lives of the youth, but also its importance in the life of the church. The camp has been invited to return to Trujillo and has also been asked to start a summer camp in Cajamarca. The summer camp that Twin Lakes provides helps to better integrate these young students into the churches they attend, and we pray that God develops these children into a new generation of leaders in the Peruvian church.

In His Grace,

The Peru Mission Team

I'm Thankful For My Family

2009-03-03T20:29:00.000-06:00

Karina has now been home for one month.

WOW!!!

The time has flown.

Tonight after supper we had our family devotions and then I asked everyone to say what they are thankful for.

Storey Grace: "That we can go to the beach."

Noah: "Karina."

Isaac: "Thanksgiving."

Harrison: "Karina."

Karina: "I'm thankful for my family!"

I Never Had a Daddy Before

2009-02-24T23:08:00.000-06:00

This morning Karina went to the doctor.

Before leaving she told us that she did not like doctors but we told her that she would like her new doctor. He is not just a great doctor... he is a good friend.

When she returned she said,

"I like doctor! He's nice... he's silly... just like you!"

Pediatrician done... coming up she has to visit the eye doctor and the dentist.

This afternoon we were blessed to spend some time with the Fumia family. They are adopting a boy from Karina's class. He is a great boy that we grew to love while we were in Odessa. You can follow their story at fumia.blogspot.com. Please pray for them as they prepare to get their son and still need about $15,000. Please pray that God will provide the money they need.

This morning Karina spent several hours with Sheila talking about many things. During the conversation she said something that brought tears to my eyes when Sheila shared it with me...

"I want the man I marry to be just like my daddy."

This evening she wanted to talk to me about boys. She asked several questions...

"Will you pick out boy for me to marry one day?"

"If I like boy, will you like him, too?"

"If boy wants to like me, what will you do?"

Later on she asked many more questions regarding what I think is good or bad... what I will let her do or not do... what I like to do and do not like to do... how I want her to act in certain situations... the subjects ranged from eating... to exercise... to music... back to boys... to God... and church... and how God wants us to live... the Bible...

She was so eager and enthusiastic to understand what I wanted for her, what I expect of her, what I hope for her... what I pray for her.

When we were done she smiled and said...

"This is good...

You know...

I never had a daddy before."