Life is like a box of chocolates...

Sunday, Feb. 24, 2008

This morning was another early morning for me, as we had to leave to arrive at the orphanage by 10. I know, it doesn’t sound early, but if you add in little sleep, late night family bedtime, and our travel to the orphanage, trust me it was early. I am still feeling kind bad, due to a sinus infection/Ukrainian flu/whatever is making gallons of green snot in my nasal passages – sorry to the faint at heart, I am a missionary and we talk about these things openly. So, all that said, I did take time to read my devotion this morning, and there were some very relevant passages for the day. Beginning with Colossians 2:6-7 which says, “Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in Him, rooted and built up, established in the faith, just as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” So, I had to pray for a little change of attitude, not focusing on the walk or my state of health, but my gift to be able to walk in the Lord, Christ Jesus. He didn’t have to offer me the gift of my status, but He did out of love for me. This helped me ignore the sick feeling, aches and pains, and to reach for the goal of ministering to my kids today. I was also blessed with a wonderful companion, our fabulous translator in resident, Loritchka. We set out, still trying to wake up fully, and survive the metro and marchutka. We were successful at both and we arrived at the orphanage right on time.

At this point, things began to get a little interesting. You see, apparently, there was some question as to whether or not we would be able to go anywhere today. G had cleared it with Alla, and we were told we could do an off campus trip to Caravan. Well, we asked for John and Kevin, and no sign of them. In fact there were not many sign of anyone. The door was locked as each adult left or arrived, and it felt a little “prisonish” today. We knew they were still under quarantine, but we had permission to be there. So I finally called John when he was not there after about 10 minutes (last time they were waiting on us) and he explains to Lori that he is in trouble and not allowed to join us for the day. Apparently, John told his caregiver he had no towel to use which was true. He was cleaning and found a towel, and didn’t mention this to the caregiver. So, when asked later, if he had a towel, the answer was yes. But he had not reported that he found the one he did, so there needed to be punishment. I am not one to question the authority, if what he did was wrong, there should be some punishment. But in my head, I was remembering my second verse for the day, in Deut. 10:17-18 which said, “For the Lord your God is the God of gods and Lord of lords, the great mighty and awesome God, showing no partiality and taking no bribe. He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow and he loves the foreign resident, giving him food and clothing.” I knew I was covered under that, and so were my kids. God would bring us justice this day. How, I wasn’t exactly sure, maybe this was it and I didn’t know it yet. Either way, I was not giving up just yet. We told G what had happened, and he discussed with John, and later the director on duty, and the caregiver by phone. An appeal was made to allow John to be able to visit with us still, considering the short amount of visits we have had this last week, due to the quarantine, and also my just getting back from being gone just over 2 weeks. Consent was then given, and we were given permission to walk the grounds. It was not Caravan, but at least I was able to spend time with my boys.

So, my response, was overflowing thankfulness. I was so glad to spend some time with the boys with two capable translators. It was great. I had a chance to encourage one of our sons who is struggling with school right now, to hang in there, and do the best he can. We joked around while we walked the campus. G was able to give an update on papers and answer questions. He shared some news about the big boxing match and shared his jovial attitude, which opened up the boys and got things started off right. A soccer match began after the first hour, and I was nominated to play goalie on John and Kevin’s team. It included some other kids that have visited Birmingham in the last few summers, and ended up being an 8 on 7 team matchup. Did I mention it was unfortunate that my team had selected me as their goalie and we were the 7 player team? It was not a blow-out, as the score ended 10 – 8, but my team did lose. I had so wanted to be Superdad, but the fact is that my sick and tired body did pretty well against these super soldiers of soccer, and only 10 goals was pretty amazing. LOL. So, I was much glad when the game ended, and we could “just walk” some more. *** Side note to soccer match- it is difficult to play on a team when you do not speak the same language as everyone else, there is no encouragement, no calling out plays, and every time you mess up you mistake glares (or maybe not) as get the old guy off the field he is making us lose. It is also not the time for your son to text you, as he left the field in the 3rd quarter of the game, to let me know that his phone is working on the new sim card as a suggestion by G. Of course it was the very moment the entire field of players was heading towards my goal. -- end side note***

On our walk we talked more, wrestled, shot some video footage, and got John’s new life number working and now we can call for much cheaper to talk to them. John was himself today. Kevin, was a little distant, but still participated in the game and some photo taking. We ended up spending from about 11am until 2pm with the boys. It felt like a success. Lori and I talked about how it seemed good for all the boys to be out and able to play some soccer today. So, I feel like some real ministry happened, even though I could not speak about the love of Christ, I hope I was successful in demonstrating it.

Tomorrow, there will be no visit. Tuesday or Wednesday, the quarantine is supposed to be lifted, and visits should return to normal. I got home and crashed for a little bit, and then got Jenn’s call about her day. WOW! She learned a lot from her visit with Maxim and Anna’s older brother, sister, brother in law, and soon to be sister in law. It was overwhelming and we would ask you tp pray specifically for the eldest brother, Alosha. He is a good man and has carried a very difficult burden for his family. He feels like he has failed in many ways, and Jenn’s heart was broken for him. She will meet with them once more, next Sunday, as she will go to the house they all grew up in, the house where Anna and Maxim were born, and where Alosha lives now. I am hoping this will be less difficult a visit, with the weight of the content of the visit today, but I am sure there will be more heavy things discussed and emotions that will surface. Jenn is such a trooper. I hate that I am not there to carry this load with her, and for her. I know God is her strength. When we were in Albania and had ministered to the Kosavar refugees, we listened to story after story of the horror people experienced due to attempted genocide of their race. We discussed as we returned to our apartment one night with some good friends, that sometimes things are so heavy, and you feel so helpless. You connect and empathize with the hurt. When your heart is so depleted and spent, it’s like there is a light switch you just have to turn off to disconnect. Today, I felt for Jenn and wished to be able to turn that switch off for her, because I know that parts of this experience, at least the last week, has brought her to that place of spiritual, emotional, and physical exhaustion. And there is still far to go. I am grateful that Jesus says in Matt. 5, “Blessed are the poor in spirit because the kingdom of heaven is theirs. Blessed are those who mourn, because they will be comforted… blessed are you that are persecuted for my namesake… for great is your reward in heaven.”

Feel updated? I am only getting started. But it will leave you with just one more story.

A funny story. Tonight was my turn for some of Mama Olya’s medicine. I was awakened from a short rest, and talked with Jenn about the above update. Mama Olya came in and says Mark and a bunch of other stuff, which I could tell meant she was worried that I was sick. She asked me if I had done what she told me to do this morning, which I didn’t because I had no clue what she had said then, and no translation was available. So, Dennis comes in and says, take these pills. Ok, trusting that I know this woman wants me to feel better and would not harm me intentionally, I took the pills. Then, there was a spoonful of some liquid, that she counted 25 drops into a teaspoon. Dennis instructed me to hold it in my mouth for as long as I could stand it. I am thinking, again, what is it, but I was living in faith today. I did as I was asked, still no idea what it was. The liquid had basically no taste, but was warm and I swallowed it. Finally came the strangest command yet. It was the green liquid that I thought she was telling me to gargle with this morning, to help my throat. Except, that now it was being diluted in a small plastic cup with water, and Dennis translated I was to use it to wash my eyes. I was like really, because I had read on that bottle and in English it said mouthwash. I was very confused, and I asked for clarification again, “I am suppose to wash my eyes with this stuff?” Dennis says, yes. Ok, trusting again and preparing for my eyes to burn, I brace myself for the experience. Olya says, “Your eyes have the sick in them,” loosely translated by Dennis. Granted they were a little red, from having just woken up from a short nap, but my eyes seemed fine to me. But, Mama Olya knows best, and so I yielded to this final treatment. Yes, it burned a little but was not too bad. Now my eyes looked sick ...LOL and I thought I should have taken my visine in with me. Next time I will be more prepared. Since the treatment, I have been asked several times how I am feeling. I must say, I can breath through my nose, I am still coughing occasionally, and my eyes feel like I just came out of Mama Valerie’s swimming pool chasing my boy Maxim. I hope I make it until morning.

There were many other funny stories on the phone tonight with my wife. Maxim and his interesting word choices again, but I will let Jenn have the first crack at those. It was a rather “hole-y” story to tell. That was your hint.

This is Mark signing out for the night.
Blessings to you all. I pray you had a great day with Jesus, and worshiped Him in truth and in spirit.
Papa Mark
p.s. I did make it until morning to post.