About the Garrett family

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Longmont, Colorado, United States
Matt and Aimee have been married for 9 years now. We have 5 daughters between the two of us. Three who are still living at home. Jasmine is 17, in her junior year of high school. Haley is 14 in her freshman year of high school. Anya is 18 in her junior year of high school. Anya was adopted from Ukraine in 2008. Taylor 18 is a senior in high School living in Thornton, Heather 20 Married living with husband Chad and thier baby Ezrah, he was born in Feb 2011. We are in process of adopting siblings Oksana 13, and Vladik 10 whom we met on a hosting program this past summer.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Loud & Clear!

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.

5 comments:

  1. Aimee and Matt,
    We are so happy that Oksana changed her mind and agreed to come home to her family!
    Praying that everything goes well, Twyla and John

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  2. We can't wait to see you both and hug your necks, you are my Heros.

    We became grandparents 2/21/11 Amber had a precious little girl. Taya Alyssa Jeffres. She is an angel and we have been starry eyed ever since.

    I look forward to seeing you very soon!!!

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  3. 18 months ago I returned from Ukraine with my 13 year old daughter. Hosted her 10 days, 3 trips, 3.5 years later, 8 weeks in-country on the final leg. Her attitude matched her life. The fight with powers tha be, the oppression. I counted days like the guy in Bunyans Doubting Castle probably did. I stared at walls for hours each day. Bought crappy beer. Back to the dank soviet ghetto apartment and count another day. YOU are wise to recognize the spiritual battle and enemy territory. I was faithful to the nugget of hope God held out from the beginning - a small weak grasp on the assignment given to me. But little more. He was faithful of course, though my faith was small. I suggest this: Walk in victory. It is healthier, and why not, it's the truth..despite all 'evidence' to the contrary. And it's going to piss off satan...that a mere you is privy to his impotence in his own backyard.

    18 months ago...took a team of people to get her in the taxi to the train station. didn't say a word to me for the whole next week (they tell lies to the children).

    I coached her spring soccer practice today. Smiling happy girl High-fiving her dad. Learning how to learn. Learning how to love and be loved. Learning family. Starting to have dreams for herself.

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  4. All I can say is WOW! Way to go! You are her knight who is rescuing her from a villon she doesn't know exists. Satan messed with the wrong guy because you are empowered by our victorious Lord to rescue her and over come your enemy. -Monique
    ps. Tell Aimmee Hi and I'm praying for her too.

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  5. To all who commented, thank you for your support and prayers.

    Mark-very good perceptive, well written and wonderful insight and story.

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