Back in Paradise

A quick e-mail to let you all know that life is better after sleep and food. The circumstances haven't really changed too much, but the attitude is better. I am back in Berdyansk and the sun is shinning. It was in the low 40's, a heat wave compared to December and January. Everyone is doing a double take at me, they remember me but they aren't sure it is me without Rick at my side. We are staying at hotel Berdyansk on the 11th floor! For any of you that have been here, I think you understand, I love the view but the elevator ride is alittle hairy. How often does the elevators get inspected? We even have a bath tub! The toilet doesn't flush, but the bathtub has a hand shower that reaches the toilet so we can fill the tank with that water and flush the toilet. This is probably a God thing. I have Marina with me for the weekend and she thinks Mama can fix anything since she fixed the toilet.

I picked Marina up at 1:00 to spent the weekend with me. We will be together until Monday morning before school. This does make Berdyansk paradise to me. When I saw her yesterday, she was angry, full of hate and feeling rejected. This weekend is a ministry retreat. We are going to talk alot, pray alot, and build self-esteem. The last couple of days, Marina has been hit hard with feelings of rejection. Her younger sister by one year who has been adopted came to the orphanage. Her mama works there. She makes it very well known that she has her freedom. Today we ran into the guardian she had a few years ago, and this women is the reason Marina can't come home with me now. The guardian is a long story, but she never met up to her roll as a guardian. The director said everything bad to Marina that could be said in front of her yesterday. Marina was beside herself. Things are improving fast. She and I are laughing again.

Please pray that doors open for us. Thank you