I literally thought I was going to have to push him out of the way!!! I'm not sure if it's simply a culture thing that I'm not quite understanding, but when we are clearly standing in line at the bank to exchange money and this guy a little bigger than me picked up on the English Aimee & I were exchanging, he simply stepped right in front of us. Him & I exchanged that glance that all guys know...I turned sideways, said, "Eezvenetyeh, pazhalsta!!"-& I was reestablished. Even though I had to endure 10 more minutes of heavy sighs, death stares, etc., it was completely worth it. USA=1; Pushy Ukrainian=0. Jack-A...!
Yesterday we rode the metro for the 1st time. WOW! That was cool, especially the escalators that go at the speed of light Way, WAy, WAY down. At the bottom where the steps disappear there are still shreds of clothing and shopping bags where people had to decide to get off safely before it dragged them under or abandon certain items they could do without-it's a snap decision. When you're ready to exit the train you better be at the door because everyone else makes their way right up to it before it opens. Everyone seemed perfectly capable of standing solo with nothing to hang on to & not lose their balance. Aimee didn't realize how fast it took off the first time and did a brand new dance that involved a 1/2 bent over stance and a head long charge at the end of the train. Only my cat-like reflexes saved her from firmly implanting herself into the back side of the a car. Being an international hero is exhausting!
Our SDA appointment resembled a group-hug more than a life-changing meeting. Got the referral; found out the real story about the orphanage placement, time, timing, etc. It has become obvious that Oksana took very liberal editorial and artistic rights to tell her version-SHOCKING! OUTRAGEOUS! We were absolutely stunned that we didn't have accurate information from a 13 year old female orphan or the system in general. We spent 10's of seconds in shock. Leaving for Izmail tonight about 10PM.
We were told to be at the SDA to pick up our referral between 4PM & 5PM. We showed up at 435PM. After we walked out the door, paper work was a gathered up, put in a pile, carried out and the door was locked! Glad we didn't show up at 445PM. I had made a last-second decision to go straight to the SDA instead of heading back to the apartment to put away our lap-tops; it would have taken an extra 10-15 minutes. Hmmmm....thanks, God.
We also went to the CBN offices yesterday. That was not only fun, but good to see all the people doing all this work to advance God's agenda in many ways. I got asked to be the "voice-over" for a professionally produced production for a short documentary/ad for a group soliciting for workers as missionaries in Asia. Despite my best efforts, it took several takes, stops, do-overs, etc. Thank god they were patient. Karen Springs had to rush in to the sound booth during one part and yank the gun out of the sound directors hands as she aimed it at me through the window-thanks, Karen. There was another attempt on my life shortly after as I put on the headphones, got close to the microphone and belted out my rendition of, "We Are The World...". I do a great Michael Jackson/Stevie Wonder/Cher compilation, at least it sounds good in the cab of my UPS truck.
It has NOT stopped snowing here for three days. Nothing says, "Winter Storm Warning", like Ukrainian women in stiletto's RUNNING on ice-rink type sidewalks. Really, how do you do that?
Once again, last night, Oksana made it very clear that she refuses to be adopted. Then 30 minutes later sends Aimee/mom (depending on whether or not she's coming the the US), a text message to call her, which Aimee/mom does and has a very positive conversation with her. If you don't like the weather in Colorado; wait an hour. If you don't like the attitude of a teen-age girl; wait, well, 15 seconds.
We went to the Chernobyl Museum today. I left almost in tears, well, there were tears. What an absolute national disaster that clearly left its mark in too many ways to count. Some things just tear me up. Senseless loss or waste of life is one of them.
About 1/2 way through, "Red Letters", the book & almost positive I hate it, no, I do. Todays lesson: based on Jesus' example, we are NOT to conduct a, "cost/benefit analysis" to determine who we are to have compassion on...I really HATE that!
Without a doubt, the highlight of this entire trip so far as been successfully using a, "Buy One-Get One Free" coupon at a internet cafe-hold your applause and admiration. I'll be doing a coupon signing when I return!!!
In Aimee's previous post, there is a picture of all four of us. See that blue cup in my hand? If one could find a way to market, distribute & sell this simple item, one could become a millionaire almost overnight. This is a culture of, "NO, you may NOT have it to go!!!" Also, I'm sharing a stunning thumb-nail photo on the upper right, of probably the coolest item in Ukraine: a hot water heating pot. These are, without a doubt, the most useful items ever. Water heats up in about 2 minutes or less and burns the hell out of your mouth shortly thereafter because you're so excited it heated up so fast you fail to draw upon decades of experience concerning damage that excessive heat can cause or exercise any wisdom or discretion regarding putting scalding hot water into the hole on your face! Last night, I posted about the Lord intervening. It was one of my more eloquent posts, I know, save your admiration for an even more compelling episode later. By the way, is that really a church bell "gonging" for the 20th time in the last few minutes at 11PM? Be aware of what you pray for, request, or challenge God at doing; He may just do it! Last week the community of believers prayed for the Peck's and I KNOW God moved to change a government bureaucracy. This week, this same group left at God's feet, the more specific item of a lunatic, 13 year old girl's heart, which in my experience can have more red-tape than a bureaucracy. Last night I scoffed at and thumbed my nose at the Lord of the universe regarding an audible intervention. In hind-sight, I used reverse psychology on Him; God's all about reverse psychology. We know He can dish it out, but can He take it? I was sitting at a desk outside the director's office when my mind went blank, everything went completely quiet (for those of you have heard Ukrainians talking, that's amazing if that's all that happened), in a split second I heard myself say, "Thats it, I've had it. I'm not giving her a choice. I'm telling her she's coming to America, that's it. No more. I'm done" It was that easy. I looked at Aimee and said those very words. She also knew it & told me to do it. We walked to the same room we were in last night, sat down & less than a minute later, despite all the distractions, I engaged; eye-to-eye. I saw fear, I saw questions & a lack of faith-can't imagine why??? I saw her starting to shake. She knew it was time. She knew what she wanted and needed to say. Some may/will call it bullying, coercive, intimidating and that we'll pay for it later...I say shut the, you know what, up! I'd rather cross that bridge in the states than here. I'd also rather pay for it in the states than have some,"creeper" (to use the choice words of my lovely teen-age daughters back home) pay for her to do things here. That's the reality, people, read the stats! Who can say the methods that the Lord uses has to follow a pattern, or has to be under the threshold of a self-appointed threshold regulator? What is that threshold and how do you get the job of determining it? Can you imagine, in response to the question, "So, what do you do?", your response is, "Well, I'm the self-appointed, self-righteous, reasonable, responsible, spiritual, religious, threshold regulator analyst." Perhaps if most of us were familiar with our Bibles we would know He uses a gentle whisper as well as tornadoes. I would prefer my methods were more, "My Little Pony" or, "Care Bear" like, but we're not storming the beaches of "Barbie's Dream House", going to, "...infinity & beyond", with Buzz Light Year, or playing a DVD called, "Dances with Gilligan", we're battling an entity that wants to drag these kids and their souls to hell. God spoke through me to get her to say she would come. She spoke her heart & DOES want to come to America. It was a choice this girl was empowered to make and wanted to make. She wanted & needed to be able to say yes with certainty. The top left photo is the letter of consent. It's the real deal. It's not the final ticket, but it's way past yesterday. I believe there is spiritual warfare here in this country because Satan has had a death grip on it for centuries. Any time we get one more child out of here, he throws his little satan-hissy fit & loses, again. I fantasize about the Lord taking that cartoon character tail of his, yeah, the one with the heart that's upside down and rather large, and uses it as a stool for Satan to sit on at His feet right before he face plants him securely under His heel-remember that prophecy? Recall that scene in, "The Passion Of The Christ", where Jesus looks through the crowd and sees the face of that creepy, child-like Satan appear(could that face look any more like the face of the, "...mocker & fool..", described in Proverbs)? Last night when I felt we had lost the battle, there was a really eerie moment when I saw that look. It shot shivers up my spine. I felt the tingling of complete fear over the centuries find its way to the backs of my arms and on the back of my neck. There was a totally exposed from behind sensation I can't describe-it made me want to stand up and look behind me. I was in complete and utter horror for that moment. It's a look burned into my mind forever. The prayers offered on her behalf were heard. It compelled me to pursue with no fear, no regret and no doubt. I really cannot explain it. To be sure, we cannot pretend that Satan won't try again with this child over the next few days and what we can do is limited to what God's will is. To be sure, my focus is clear, my determination certain, my purpose defined and resolute. & for the love of God would everyone quit being so politically and adoption correct and stop being so sensitive and offended-it's a blog that contains thoughts, feelings & opinions. We're in a foreign country. I speak just enough Russian to start WWIII. We have a driver doing circles here in the city. My "Total Pillow" broke. I miss my other girls and new grandson. The cab driver that took us to the train station took a 200 grivna and drove away without giving me change-it was supposed to be 80 grivna!!!! It was hell just getting a spoon from the hotel kitchen. The liquid Coffee Mate is gone. We haven't been able to do laundry in a week and there are soldiers carrying rifles at the entrance to the supermarket...lighten up.
