It's Spring Here

Well we went from snow in syracuse to 70 degrees in Ukraine. The weather is wonderful. It was a little windy today, but we really didn't even need jackets today.
Our water was shut off early this am and it just went back on about 8:30pm. I thought since it was not on by 7pm, that we would not have water until tomorrow.
Our court date is in a few days, and we are asking everyone to be in agreement in prayer with us for 'immediate execution' of the adoption order. It seems weird the 'immediate execution' thing being that we are in a former soviet region....I'm sure those words meant other things in times past.
Our facilitator has spoken a little about growing up in the Soviet Union. He was in college by the time the red curtain fell, so I'm sure he has a lot of memories of what it was like. I hope to be able to get some insight before we leave. I do know that until 1989 or 1990, Sunday worship services were non existent. I think all christian worship services under the Soviet Union had to be underground...they were simply not allowed to be practicing christians. Even now, I think the majority of christians are strict orthodox. I think being a born-again christian is still a very radical thing to be. O has been ill as of late, but she also has been reading The Authority of the Believer. I hope she applies what she is reading. I will be seeing her tomorrow. She has expressed an interest in the teaching CD's I brought with me. I will leave them with her. There is a lot for their church to do here. (the harvest here truly is ripe)so they need to understand and learn to exercise their authority.
With all the poverty around, we are noticing progress. There are some buildings being renovated, and some storefronts being remodeled. The infastructure is going to be a huge problem, but we do see some signs of improvement and can only hope, for those people living her, that the future is brighter, and improvements continue. Now that it is spring, it is easy to see that while they do not have much, they do try to take care of what they have. there are flowers coming up everywhere, and spring clean up is taking place everywhere we look. they even have crews that shovel the mud that accumulates along the curbs, and clean the streets by hand. Big piles of raked leaves are everywhere...i wonder if a big truck will come by and pick them up.
Big K had an adoption for another couple not go through. They had traveled "blind" for a young child, and received a referral for a 2-1/2 year old girl. they went to see her, but did not pursue adopting her due to the girl's medical needs. Seems she was born with club feet, and the couple did not believe they could handle her needs. K seemed very disappointed, because she needs surgery on her feet within the next 6 months, or she will be like that for the rest of her life and not be able to walk. Because she is in a orphanage, they will not spend the money needed to give her the surgery here. They will wait for a family to adopt her and assume the responsibility, or allow her to remain like that. Please pray for her...P.
Well, thats all for now. I will try to add more pictures soon.