1st Day at School

January 28th, a day that Yana will never forget, the first day of school in America. She is enrolled in Lafayettel High School in Williamsburg. This is Yana's pick of schools. We visited 4 school, one ended up not in our district. She had a choice between private or public. Yana being 15 years old and so far a very level headed child that has shown good discernment, we wanted her to have say in the school. She really wanted this big (huge in my eyes) with lots of students to be her school. As you can see she looks like a cute American teenager. Sunday evening Yana was all silly, full of nervous laughing. She ended the evening curled up by my side, waiting for mama and papa to pray for her and her first day at school. The next morning fear was written all over her, but she was strong and couragious as we ventured out. We got to the school driveway and all she could say is "Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh" The next sentence, "Mama, no school, please no school". We walked into the school with the same courage that she had left the security of her own home. I was so proud of her and so scared for her. The first thing she said when she got into the car after school, "No school tomorrow, mama".

Marina is being tutored in English, and doing very well. She will have less trauma then Yana has had. I wish I had known about my angels in Berdyansk before we arrived for Yana. It would have really helped her. There is no new news with Marina, but please don't stop praying for a miracle. We have gone through every emotion possible, but in the end we are asking God to give us peace about His will, there is no peace. We are struggling, we really want harmony with His will and His peace. The peace has not come. We are believing for a miracle until that peace comes in whatever why He wants to deliver it. In the mean time the family that is together is blending well and longs for the other member to join us. Yana can't wait till Marina comes. In our eyes it seems like the perfect time to go get her!

Blessings to all,

Fran

A Little Rest-Then Move Forward

So what happen to the Rahns? We are home, save and full of new hope. To step back from everything and renew our strength ( especially our spiritual) has done us good. We are just loving having Yana in our home. She is getting ajusted and seems very happy. Our bond is growing daily and our love for each other is increasing. I am so impressed how God has taken strangers and knit their hearts together to be a family. Yana has had some opportunity to express fears, and the biggest is school. Today we start the journey of finding the right school. I keep reassuring her that it is not going to be that bad. We will introduce her to American schools very easily. Yana is very strong emotionally and physically. She will do very well. We have had lots of great company since we have been back. That has been a blessing for all of us. The more company we have the more I can prograstinate putting things back in order. I am normally a very ordered type of person, but right now I really don't want to get comfortable until we have Marina at home.

Marina--she is not left behind for long. When we got on the plane in Kyiv, it was looked at as a time to regroup and get alittle rest. We had a lot of hope, feeling of joy, and a sense of renewed strength. Was there weeping, yes. We refuse to weep in front of Yana, this was our rejoicing time with her. We had time to draw closer to Yana, that was a good thing. If we became overwhelmed about Marina, we would find a quite spot to weep and pray and renew our emotions. That has not ended. We both have our moments. When I was in church on Sunday, I could feel Marina's hug, smell her scent, and see her face. I saw a rerun of our good-bye at the orphanage, it played over and over and over. I wept most of the time I was at church. That was a good thing, because in my weekness, Christ renewed my strength. I still don't know the whole picture and how it is going to turn out, He does. Remember this is God's journey, He wrote the script. This very morning we woke up to an e-mail from Marina. It said, "Urgent, please get a hold of Galina, she has some new information that is good". Marina's e-mail was a good sign that she has renewed hope.

I can not go into all the details, and I know this sound vague, sorry. We are expecting to bring Marina home in 5 to 6 weeks. Please pray that the doors will all open. We have a plan and God may have a different one, but we are praying that all plans lead to Marina coming home soon. Rick and I have lived almost 25 years as a married couple, no children. There has always been peace about that. All of a sudden, we are missing one of our children and the family feel incomplete. How does that happen. We serve a great God. Two years ago we asked Him, what our purpose was and why would He draw us together. We prayed for Him to reveal this to us. The battle we have fought for with Marina, I could not have done alone, either could Rick. We are a team. He gave each of us a strength that was necessary just at the right time and He made us week at the right time too. Many times during this journey Rick would speak with such discernment that I would be stunned. Many times God gave me information that would open new ideas and doors. We asked for a God journey that would draw us close to Him and He gave it to us. With all the heart breaks and tears, would I ask Him to do this to me again. Yes! There is nothing greater in life then to let God work through you and to be so week that He can work through you.

Please, pray for Marina and her home coming. Pray for Yana and her settling into a new life.
We appreciate you all for following the journey, remember it is not over, we are praying for a miracle.
Fran

We are on Our Way Home

Thank you all for your prayers. We visited the director of the SDA office today with a lawyer. We spent 2 hours pleading our case. The paper trail for Marina was all revealed, mistakes were made and the door is shut.

We are trying to book tickets home. Marina stays.

We praise the Lord of using us as her instrument to get her papers right. We are exhausted and sad, excited and joyful. Yana is sad today too. She was hoping on behave of Marina.

Please continue to pray for Marina, we are hopeful that some laws will change soon to allow us to take her home.

Thank you all again, I am writting from the U.S. embassy and don't want to stay on the computer for long.
Fran

Preparing to Leave

We have had a great weekend together as our 2 daughters have been with us since Friday. Rick is already talking about when the girls grow up and leave home and how aweful it will be to be an empty nester. I have to keep reminding him that for the last 25 (almost) years we have been empty nesters, it will be how we have known it. He has decided to put a fence around the property so the boys won't see his girls.

I must share with you that God has been really good through all this. Our time at the Berdyansk Oraphanage has been sweet. We are there so much that even the teachers are hunging us. The orphanage goes the extra mile to make the children feel special and build self-esteem. Yana and Marina tell me that they have teachers they love. I am so grateful for that. I see my 2 girls and how well behaved they are. They have good manors and are sweet. We went over to Ernie and Anna's house for dinner yesterday. The girls just melted them. They both wanted to help Anna with dinner and with the clean up. Of course, Ernie and Anna are wonderful people that melt hearts too. They had the girls laughing and having so much fun with in minutes of walking in the door. What a great time. When we got home 5 of the kids from the neighborhood came over. They watched movies, played Uno, laughed and sang to the music. Yana was in her glories. She has grown close to these children. In the mean time Marina gets to spend quality time with Mama and Papa. She needs alot of attention and assurance right now. While we were in church sunday ( the sermon is in Russian) our souls were being touched. Rick was all teary eyed from how God was moving in his heart and God gave me a peak at Marina's past life. We sat down with Marina and talked to her about the knowledge I gained in church. God gave me a pretty clear picture of Marina's upbring and what happen to her family. It is very touching. Since we didn't have a translator in church we didn't know what was said. Today, monday, I found out it was a sermon about the woman that Jesus met at the well. Jesus said to her, I know all about you and your past too. The pastor took it to Jesus feeds our soul, He speaks to us. Isn't that just like our God.

That is going to take me to this statement. Rick and I are on a journey that was brought on by God. We were not out to adopt 2 children. The journey has had highs and lows that have brought both of us to the darkest moments of our lives, not exaggerating. I have never in my life been to this horrible dark place. We were able to hang in there because we would force ourselves to review the character of our God, and all of you reading our journey continually remind us of scripture and verses that reveal the character of God. We have not come in with any false hope or thoughts that our God is up there to make us happy. His joy is there in the good and bad times even the unhapppy times. There were days that we couldn't feel His joy, but we knew that He would reveal it to us, we just had to be open to it. Before I left Williamsburg, in writting, I asked God to give me a journey that would draw me closer to Him. He has answered my prayers. Today we are in His joy. Tonight we say good bye to Marina, for now. I packed a bag for her with the pajamas, the night bag with her personal care products, things that she wants to bring her cousin in Florida, Dakota, and the radio that we bought that gave us pleasure of having music. This bag is not to be used until we get back and bring her home. She is to hide it for that moment in time. We will cry, but we are leaving with her knowing that we adore her and love her and that she is our daughter as much as Yana is.

We will be on the train, we hope by Tuesday evening and in Kyiv Wednesday morning. I am not sure when we will be home, it will be soon. This is not the end of our journey, and we can't give the date it will end. We are still believing in a miracle.

Your continued prayers are appreciated. If I could have a big party when this was over and all of you come, that would be day of rejoicing. Many of the bloggers are strangers in the world, but not in Christ. You are all special to us.
Fran

Yana Pam Rahn

As of Friday, January 11th Yana left the orphage the last time as an orphan. It was difficult for her friends, but Yana is such a strong person. With a great deal of resolve she hugged and kissed everyone and walked out. Lots of emotions, but she is filled with joy. We walked to the apartment hand in hand. Papa walked with Marina with her chin hanging on the ground and her tears freezing to her face. It is so difficult to see the system work against her. We have her for the weekend and we are having a good time. We are all trying not to think about Tuesday when we leave with out her. The last time we see Marina is Monday night.

It is unbelievable that we are at peace. We still are praying for a miracle, and there are miracles in the works. Please continue to pray for miracles to continue.

Today Yana and I went shopping. We went to the mall---the outdoor market. It was freezing outside and I thought my hands would fall off. The best jeans are at the market. To try on clothes you go behind a sheet and drop your pants. Bare skin at zero degree weather. My daughter did it as if it was 80 degrees outside. I could hardly pay for the pants my hands were soooooo cold. I let her buy jeans I would have never let her spend the money on just to get inside a warm building. There were a few other things to get as well. I thought she would like to go to an indoor shopping area, she says no mama they have them here as she marches me off to another part of the market. This market has dogs and cats wondering in and out of the area you shop. It breaks my heart to see the animals in this cold weather. If you know me you know that I have a soft spot for animals. I am feeding the animals all over the place. I even carry cheese in my pocket and toss it to them. It is so cold for these poor animals to be living on the streets. The dogs that guard the Church eat pretty good off the Rahn family. We are all feeding them.

We will be leaving Berdyansk on Tuesday evening via the train. We don't have our tickets home yet, but will know by thursday the day we will leave. Please don't stop praying for a miracle.
Farewell for today,
Fran

The last two days have been busy getting Yana ready to come home. We had to drive 2.5 hours to go to get a paper that gave permission for the birth certificate to be changed then 2.5 hours home. We didn't do the driving Sveda did. Today Sveda picks us up at 7:00 a.m. to drive to Tomeka, Yana's birth place and get the birth certificate changed. Then it is an 1.5 hours back to Berdyansk to do more stuff, pick up Yana and back to the same place we were the day before. Ride, hurry, wait, ride, hurry, wait. That is what our life style is right now. With Yana in the car we pass where she was raised, grandma's house. She points to the villiage and then to the house. Tears roll down her face as she stares at the place. On the way home, it is dark, but she scrapes the frost off the window and places her hand against the glass and stares at her place of memories. I am not even sure what the memories are. I think her and grandma were close. She places her hands on her lap and sits quiet for a few minutes. Then she moved on to listening to her music. She is a strong young lady. Mama has to turn away because she is crying. I pray that Yana's life will be successful and she will be blessed with lots of happy memories.

Then there is Marina, mama is always crying because of Marina. Time is running out. We got word today that she is still not registered. No one in the Ukraine cares, except for Rick, Marina, and myself. It is starting to take a toll. We are in the mist of possibly hiring a lawyer, she is looking at the case. We are going to start looking for flights home, so the end is coming. I have to say that we are weak in pain. We love Marina so much. Our daughter once lived in an orphanage, but now it is a prison. The door is not opening.

Thank you all for your prayers, but I would like to ask a favor. Pray that we hold it together right now. Thank you,
Fran

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 2008

Today is the day after Christmas and finally all the Government offices are open! Today we may have information on when we can come home. We would told we were going to be real busy today, so we got up early, said good-bye to Jenny who is leaving for home today and walked the girls to the orphanage. We hurry, hurry, hurry and then we wait. That is what we are doing now is waiting.

This is a good time to fill you in on our holidays. The eve before our 2008 Christmas was cold but sunny. We called our driver Sveda and asked her to take us for a ride to the end of the pennisula. The pennisula is a resort area. In the past couple of years some beautiful resorts have been built out there. There is a water park with some slides, and lots of old homes as well. At the end is an old fishing village, with a lighthouse. Sveda kept driving, even when the road ended and there was only a dirt path, through wheat fields. Rick thought Sveda misunderstood him and was trying to tell her to turn around, but she just kept driving until we came to the end of the pennisula and could see Berdyansk. It was a sight to see. The water was frozen, like my hands are right now. If I come back to Berdyansk any time soon, I would like to stay there and have it be a hot summer day. If there is one thing I miss is time outside and not being cold.

Christmas day was also my birthday. My two girls got up early with the assistance of their papa and surprised me while I was still in bed. They brought me little presents and lots of hugs and kisses. They quickly went back to bed for a brief snooze before the day started. Christmas service at the church was a series of plays and skits, fun but alittle long, especially the church was sooo cold. After we had a lunch and went up to our apartment. A group of children and some of the young adults followed us up there. They watched videos all afternoon, except for Marina, who really doesn't like to watch one video after another. In the evening we had dinner and sat around and talked. That was the turning point of the day....

The last part of our day was a blow out. Yana basically told Marina that she hated her and didn't want any part of her. We have had several blow outs but this was bad. We spent the next couple hours dealing with this and got things resolved. There was nothing that led up to this. It crushed Marina. She was once again rejected and then the whole thing with the paper work came up. It was a ugly evenikng, but I am sure that it will show it's face again. I didn't expect this until I got home. Rick and I had to review all that we are doing and pray for discernment. I think we handled it well and by the end of the evening Yana was again friendly to Marina. Fortunately, Enna was there to interpret everything. That was a Christmas/birthday present I could have done without. The papa handled it very well and was very firm.

This morning is another day and everyone is smiling. Marina was quit on the way to the orphanage, she knows that we sign Yana's birth certificate today. Oh Lord, what are you doing, I know your path is the right one. If only our miracle would happen, life would be so much easier. He is on the Throne and we praise Him who is faithful.
Fran

Pretty Ladies and Raw Fish

Merry Christmas 2008 from the Ukraine. We are very busy with company and preparing for the celebration that accompanies Christmas. It is such a blessing how we have integrated into the lives of the church family here. Tomorrow morning the girls will sleep in and I will go help prepare the food for the dinner that the church will have. We are expecting 150 people to show from this church and 2 sister churches. The girls have met some of the teenagers from the church so it will be fun for them as well. Later in the day we will give them presents. Presents is not the big part of Christmas here. I am trying to buy things that they can come home in. So far I am pretty lucky they seem to love what I pick out. I am sure that won't last, but it is a good thing for now.

Now the fish story----The fish that the girls bought the other day was nothing compared to the dry fish and raw fish they bought last night. They are so sad when we don't like their foods. I tried a piece of the raw fish just to be nice, I can't do it. I think about my favorite food and sharing it with the girls and them saying no thank you I don't like it. Oh no!! It is going to happen. I have to say our girls have a high protein diet. After we eat they have so much energy. They are both supper strong. We call Marina, Bam Bam. She carries me around.

May you all enjoy your day today, we are celebrating the birth of Our King, Jesus.
Fran

Getting Ready for Christmas 2008

While everyone in the states is preparing for the year and settling into their normal routines, the church is preparing for the birth of Jesus. We will be celebrating Christmas 2008 on January 7th. We picked up Yana on thursday to keep until Christmas night. She will go back to the orphanage one more time and then stay with us, I hope. Since there is no school until January 14th, I am sure that she will be with us. Maria is in the orphanage hospital with a sore throat. When she was told she could not go with us she cried. We promised to come and get her on Friday. Today is Friday, she was not allowed to come with us yet. The director of the orphanage is really wonderful to us. She has let us have as much time with Marina as Yana and felt very bad about her having to tell Marina, no not today. But Maybe! tomorrow. Again. Marina cried. We went back to the orphanage hospital and got her laughing again. She has had 5 shots in the hind end and has one more to go tonight. I would never tell anyone that I had a sore throat if I knew that I had to get 6 shots! Hopefully Saturday we can get her until Christmas also.

The weather is brutal. I thought I was well prepared for cold weather. I thought being raised south of Buffalo, N.Y. I qualified as being tough as far as weather goes. There is no comparison to what cold is out here. Those fur hats that we often think of when we think of Russia are not a fashion statement, they are necessity. We try to walk but it is getting too intense for me. Every day I hope for some relief and everyday is getting colder. In spite of the cold, I had an awesome day. Yana and Papa let me go on a short term mission trip. There is a young missionary named Jennie, from Chicago, here for the week. She is teaching Yana English. Wonderful person, Yana just loves her. She is a teacher. Her school sent cards and beannie babies to the orphan children. Ernie and Anna's, as part of their outreach for the city, have helped to get this little orphanage going for children that normally would be on the streets. The parents can drop them off there if they can't raise them, or if the children are taken from the parents. This is a holding orphanage until more permanent things happen, like return to family or the child goes into a more permanent orphanage. Sad? yes! I was asked to go with them to bring presents from the church and to give out the beannie babies. The children would melt your hearts just like they did mine. We walked in and the little ones just surrounded us. I know little Russian, but I was able to ask their names and how old they were. That just drew them closer. There were 2 teenage girls that looked pretty tough. They were covering their hurt, I am sure. At the end I decided to give them a hug and a kiss. Those 2 girls turned into babies. It is such a pleasure when the Lord allows you to be the Jesus in the flesh and give love to those that need it the most. As I looked into the eyes of those children, I asked myself what that kind of experience and rejection must feel like. I had to just pray for God to comfort them and bless their earthly journey. Ernie and Anna are doing great work here in the Ukraine. The stories they share make me realize the sacrifice it has taken them to change the lives of so many others. After the orphanage we went to a warehouse to pick up candy, cookies and other things for the Christmas celebration at the church. After returning home (it is that comfortable to be called home) Rick and I went to see Marina and Yanna had lessons with Genny. I forgot to mention, Thursday night we had our first dinner party at our home. We all had a great time and.....Yana jumped up and insisted on doing all the dishes. Will this last? Yana does like being an only child, she is very comfortable with us. Now for the down side of adoption of teenagers in the Ukraine. My sweet beautiful daughter was at the grocery store with papa and he let her pick out food she likes. She picked out a package of tiny fish (smelt) that are to be salted and dried and eaten like beef jerky. What am I going to do with this? Jennie had lunch with us today, she made me promise not to invite her when we were going to eat the fish, thanks Jennie.
Thank you all as always for lifting us up. New names show up and we get excited, the old names that have been so faithful show up and we are blessed beyond what I could ever imagine. You are all so precious in our sight, can't even imagine what you look like in God's sight.
Pray for a miracle,
Fran

We are Living in Paradise!!!

Today is the end of our 20 day stay at the Hotel Berdyansk. The 4 walls were closing in. The girls love to come over, but the room just seemed to get smaller every time they came. Today we moved. We are living in an apartment in a church that was founded by Ernie and Anna Smith. We have a living room, bedroom, kitchen, bathroom that has a washer in it, a real long wide hall way, and a storage room (big enough to be another bedroom). We are living 1st class and I am loving it. Today we used the day to move and get settled in. We had lunch with our friends which included workers from the church. It was awesome, half spoke English, half spoke Russian and there was no one who spoke both to interpret. We all seemed to understand each other and we were all laughing. I can't wait to bring the girls over on Thursday. We can now cook and have projects to do instead of watching DVD. There is also space outside, we are in the outskirts of the city. Paradise!!!

We had a real encouraging phone conversation with the embassy today. The man who is on our case was willing to work with us and see where we can go with our case. He spoke real clear English which was helpful. Up to this point the people that we have spoken to have been Ukrainian and have the mindset of their country. This man is American and has our mindset. There can be grace in the Law. If there is one thing that I pray for this culture, is not to fear the law, but use the law as a tool and not a weapon. The embassy was also encouraging about the change in government. It is a younger administration, we are all hoping it will benefit orphans and the adoption process.

Once again I thank you all for your prayer, comments and support of our journey. We are so blessed to have such good partners in our journey. We know that there is prayers out there for us, because we see, feel, and are comforted by them. Continue to pray for our Marina to come home with us, both of the children are miracles to us.

You are probably all settling in after the New Year getting back to old routines. I just offered to help out with the Christmas get together at the church. We are right in the middle of holiday season out here. One part of me says it over and the other part says, there is more to come. Interesting concept.

Remember to pray for a miracle, thanks,
Fran

Up His alley- Papa's view

WARNING!
BLOG CONTAINS ADULT SPIRITUAL CONTENT. SPIRITUAL NUDITY AND LANGUAGE INVOLVED. PARENTAL CONSENT STRONGLY ADVISED...
Saturday, 29th of dec. 2007. We pick up the kids today @ 12:00 and keep them till 6:30. We walk the whole day. We start by leaving the orphanage the "back way". They're full of giddiness and are as friskie as kids can be w/excitement. This is the kickoff of the holiday's, and they're sharing this one w/their parents.
As they bundle up and head out the double steel doors of this place, Marina clings to mom and Yana reaches for my hand. My memory suddenly recalls- "If you only knew girls, that just a short while ago Fran and I had no idea you existed, and we were in the process of exercising a 12 year "exit" stategy".
They guide us out of the orphanage grounds and we pass between 2 small steel building containers. So narrow is the gap that I turn sideways to avoid rubbing against the rust. I'm reminded about my summer, and how dirty those jobs were. I also remember how determined I was to earn this trip/expense on my own so as not to interupt our financial plans. How odd were all the events causing failure- the breakdowns, back-ups and loss.
No sooner do we clear the steel buildings when Yana reaches for me again. Our pace picks up w/excitement only a teenage girl can explain as we pass a small apple tree grove in it's winter dormancy. We're on our way to town, the way orphans know.
It was the end of august when I faced the unthinkable- I can not do this in my own strength. This isn't going to work, not going to happen. I'm WAY too far behind, and though I've had my "spiritual ear " to the ground the whole time, based upon current events I can't see this working.
All 4 of us are now hand in hand skirting the bluff of burdyansk. Fran asks where the light house is, because from our vantage point of the town below we should be able to see it. "The hurricane took it", she replys. Then she goes on to describe how the kids stood in front of their windows holding them out so they wouldn't blow in. (A few did)
At one jobsite I am near filled w/despair- I'm cornered, can't see a dignified way of orchestrating this thru- how are we going to do what has to be done- a mountain of preparation and and effort is still needed and I'm exhausted...
It's then I am struck w/a declaration - "This is not Rick's story, it's HIS story! He's the one who put these two specific kids on our hearts, and He's the one who will provide the means to do it-" All year long I've been trying to do this on my own strength, but this is HIS story and he get's all the credit, not me. "Relax Rick, and put on my yoke- you'll find my burden light."
This is all I needed. I lift my "spiritual ear" from the ground and stand. "He's here," my soul testify's, and He's been here the whole time.
We turn now down a steep rutted out foot path that's froze solid. Slippin' and sliding w/squeals of adolescent delight the 4 of us cascade down it's length to the base. These kids amaze me, they truly enjoy us being w/them. I look hard @ Marina, who can't stand still. "By law your a orphan." "But by love you're our daughter."
Yanna reaches out for me, we're about to cross the main arterial that feeds traffic to downtown. A traffic cop is positioned there as we pass within a few feet of him. He eyes us and seems to be curious why 2 brightly colored adults would be hangin' out w/2 orphans scurrying through traffic. Only locals and orphans cross the street here. But before he can complete the thought process of demanding us to halt and show him our passports and perhaps $$$, the girls are true to orphan reputation and have slipped thru traffic w/us and are fast dissappearing into the grayness of concrete and overcast winter cloudiness. We'll take a taxi back.
It's november and we're leaving in 4 weeks to Ukraine. I've got 6 weeks of contracts to fill. Plus we haven't finished remodeling our house to accomodate these 2. "This is not my story, but HIStory." There is peace, and I thank Him for it. The anxiety is gone. There are bumps, glitches and blips along this adoption road, but in the end I find myself standing and operational. "Thank you LORD for the peace."
We stop @ a cafeteria, a store, then it's off to our room. During the whole time they never let us go. We are a family of four. And I can't imagine coming this far to start thinking less.
Jesus's own family @ one point called him "nuts". So adopting 2 teenage girls that are 5,000 miles away, don't know our language, and cost us everything would be something, "right up HIS alley." And those circumstances preventing Marina from us taking her home has also caused our OWN allies to"shrug" their shoulders and accept the enemies lies.
We know who sits on the throne. We recognize his voice. He knows ours. And all who are reading this blog- Jesus knows your voice.
When Fran and I cry out to HIM who knows us, He responds. How fitting it is that this spiritual struggle for a tangable result would come @ Christmas, a time when heaven bankrupted itself and gave all it had to us in the form of a baby. Jesus's birth is celebrated here in Ukraine jan. 7th.
Could it be, is it possible, that somehow, somewhere, someone becomes the conduit for another miracle from above and our Christmas gift from Ukraine will be in the form of Marina? That also would be right up HIS alley.
Time has a wonderful way of wrapping things up, and soon we'll be leaving Ukraine. Here's what I "see":
On one side I see an assembly of faithful believers- a people who are righteous and blameless in HIS sight. They are covered in the blood, praying to the FATHER through JESUS the Christ. They are praying on our behalf for Marina's rescue from bureaucratic red tape. They are praying w/power. They are praying in the HOLY SPIRIT.
I see people in place to recieve this miracle. Fran and I are still here. Our facilitators are here. Ukrainian offoicals know us and our case. Paper work is in motion. We are waiting. We're in the right place @ the right time for the right reason.
As I look @ the other side, where are THEIR faithful believers? What do they even believe in, the "old" way? Exactly what is their motive for keeping Marina deadlocked, and who will join them for help in keeping her from us?
Yes there are discouraging moments, and yes it get's tiring. But after tallying it all up, I still believe in the ONE who IS. This is something, "right up his alley."

Happy New Year!
Rick