A Heavy Heart

Okay, so it was another bad week for blogging. I am not sure why I haven't been keeping up with my posts, but I will try hard this week. I am going to the beach on Thursday, so, hopefully, I can get a few in before I leave. I want to add Part 2 to the "David and Rebekkah Story," and I want to write Carver's six month post (6 months has gone by at the speed of light). Before I write those, I want to share the heartbreaking story that we heard at church about orphans in Odessa, Ukraine.

At our evening service, Michelle Maly, a missionary to Ukraine spoke to us about her work in Odessa. In Odessa, she spends the school year working with the children of Internot Orphanage and showing them the love of Christ. She is not allowed to share the Gospel explicitly, but she forms relationships with them so that they may see Christ through her. During the summers, she travels around the U.S. telling these children's stories and promoting adoption. She began by telling us the story of Andrei, a 15 year-old-boy whose mother emotionally and physically abused him for 14 years of his life and then decided to give him to the orphanage. She ended by showing a video that left me burdened for these children.

All of the children where Michelle works are between the ages of 11-18. They are not given a good education, and they are not equipped for the work force. Essentially, they are fed and housed. The statistics are daunting: upon leaving, 10% of the orphans will commit suicide, 60% of females will be lured into prostitution (orphans are specifically targeted), 70% of males will lead a life of crime, and only 27% will find employment. How much difference a home full of love (specifically a love for Christ) could make for these children! She said that these children's dream is to be adopted one day.

My heart has been heavy for these orphans, and I hope that it stays that way so that I will continue to pray diligently for these children. David and I picked up two of their pictures and have committed to pray for them. Our "boys" are Vitya (13) and Shasha (9). Michelle has emailed us with specific information about how we can pray for these boys. The stories are so sad! After church on Sunday, I cried and cried thinking about how these children do not have a mother to hug them, sing to them, read a Bible story to them, or even to fix them supper at night. Every day of my life is spent thinking of ways that I can love my son, and these poor children do not have anything close to that. I cannot imagine a life without the love of a mother and father.

My initial reaction was to hop a plane to the Ukraine and bring home about 10 of these children, but that is obviously not possible. Upon further research, I have learned that couples wanting to adopt have to spend at least a month in the Ukraine and that the process is often up to the whims of government officials. Adoption is definitely a calling, and with a 6 month old, I don't think that we are called to adopt a child from the Ukraine right now; however, I do hope that if God would have us to adopt one day that we would be ready and willing to answer his call. I cannot imagine the joys that welcoming a child from this orphanage (or anywhere) would bring.

All we can do at this point is pray for these children, and I ask that if they come to your mind that you would say a prayer for them too. As much as the love of a mother and father would mean to these children, it is most important that they come to know the love of their Heavenly Father. If you are interested in praying for a specific child or in adopting, you can email Michelle at michellevonjoy@juno.com.