Happy Birthday Dad!

March 11, 2008,

 

Happy Birthday to you!

Happy Birthday to you!

Happy Birthday Dear Dad!!!!

Happy Birthday to you!!!!!

 

Dad,

Today I am thinking so much of you and of the way that you have affected and blessed my life. I am thankful for the way that you have given so much love to me personally and have supported me through the times that I am coming to believe are more formative than earliest years of our lives. Personalities may be formed early, but there is much carving to do on young hearts and your hand has been a sure part of the formation of my ideas and values to this day.

 

Thank you for the way that no matter what wild idea I have come to you with you have listened to me and heard me all the way out. Thank you for being one of few who even when I "defend" my idea before it is ever attacked, you just really hear me. I learned to really "make my case" early on. If I couldn't outthink all the possible arguments that would be tossed my way I might "loose" and then not be able to see my way to the things that I felt in my heart were most important. That comes from years with the old man. That is not all bad I know, he taught me to think things through, and to weigh out all the options and paths in front of me and to do so as quickly and decisively as possible. Some times this is a huge benefit. Sometimes however, it is deceptively wrong not to just go with what you are being lead to do, even when it doesn't make sense.

 

Coming to you and telling you that we wanted to adopt, not one, but five children, you were willing not only to hear me, (knowing we were crazy, and biting off way more than we can chew) but to get behind us in all ways and be our cheering section with Mom and so many others. I confess however it was your face I watched most closely for the approval I have needed over and over as a memory on this trip to keep me moving in the right direction. Somehow, when a daughter hears her DAD's voice say, "Ok girl we are behind you 100%" it has a way of erasing so many of the other voices that said so many negative things. I believed that if you believed then Mark and I could get over here and we could really get in this mix with these amazing and wounded people and we could all be a part of each other's healing, learning, growing, and living of the life we are called to as a family. Don't mistake me, Mom's encouragement is not to be shrugged off. She is after all, "The Motha" and therefore my need for her acceptance of our hearts call is imperative to me too… but your voice carries much weight in my life and today I want you to know how much I appreciate it. How much I appreciate you and the way you have come into my life when I was John's age and made all the difference in the world to my life.

 

Thanks for picking me. Thanks for loving me. Thanks for adopting me Dad. I love you always! Happy Birthday!

Love, Your Daughter… Forever ~ Jennifer Elizabeth.

 

Our Son is listening to praise music. He is laying on the couch and has his eyes closed and he has made out the word "Hallelujah."  10,000 praises to God. Of all the things that he could be howling, off pitch, at the top of his lungs, I am so thankful that that is the one expression he is using over and over.  He is learning the words of the psalmist that say, "I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever, surely His goodness and mercy will follow me all of he days of my life."

 

What could sound better to God than to hear someone calling out praise to Him? Max knows he is listening to Christian "Musis" and so he may not completely get what he is saying or even to Whom he is speaking at this point, but we told him it is praise to God and he thinks that is Kosher. I am so thankful that the kids are finding a desire to listen to the music that we have with us, they want some Ruskie discs too, which we will be finding for them with Lori's help later this week, but they are presently listening to and enjoying the Centrifuge CD from the year Amanda did camp in Panama City, and Share the Well by Caedmon's Call. This Mom is thrilled.  Papa is quite happy himself.

 

Anna is also still insisting on taking my bible and using it to copy "English" words out of. This has been really neat but the cooler thing is that Lori brought us a copy of the New Testament in parallel with Russian and so when we have had some family "er hum" meetings about behavior etc. we have been able to share that what God says is really what matters not just that Mama and Papa are saying it. Anna was watching me read a book that someone blessedly left in the apartment here that is in English. She wanted to read in Russian. Well, she saw the bible and knows that it is in both English and Russian. So, she started reading it. Are you smiling? Me too. She has memorized the Lord's prayer in Russian. Oh yes… yes she did, in one night at that.

 

Please do not mistake me, we are still having our family wars, and we know that full time with all four and not just being the "party pad" where you come to eat and play games will prove to have it's new challenges (Kevin is not much for the idea of participating in family clean up time, and Anna decided that she wanted to butt heads yesterday and then not apologize which landed her in her room until she was ready so to do), but we want to make sure that you see that your prayers for each of them are moving forward and not being unanswered. The more time we get with each of them, the more that we can help them to become a part of a family that works together in the good and the hard times.

 

I am really excited about this Sat. and the fact that the American College Students are going to be here. I absolutely can not wait to spend time with the kids in the morning DOING ministry together. Serving here at number 12 and having the kids see that this is what life is really all about. I mean if you are going to be here for stinkin ever then for Pete's Sake let us dig our teeth into the meat of it right? We don't get to leave here till 1:00 ish in the afternoon to go to see the boys so we have time to spend doing stuff here in the morning which would be awesome to fill by serving God and others right?

 

Max is now bellowing, but will be, in so doing, learning, "It's by grace I have been saved, through faith, not of myself, it's a gift of Almighty God, it's by grace I've been saved. I was dead in my transgressions, I was dead, in my sins, I was dead, until my God made me alive in Christ." If they are going to cut their teeth on English phrases I'm really ok with them learning these. Aren't you? I can't wait till they grasp what they are learning to say. I know it will take time, but what a neat way to start!

 

Yesterday in the grocery store I got the fool mess scared out of me when Lori came up behind me and said, "I don't know how we missed each other!?" First of all it was not exactly what I had expected to hear, someone speaking English to me, second, I was not really expecting someone to speak to me at all! As we picked up what I needed to make pork chops for the kids for lunch I asked her, will you grab me some sour cream (which is the ketchup of Ukraine) and Lori just offhandedly said, I already did, It is on your porch when you get home. And if one of the kids picks it up from 12 I'll get you some more."  I am here to tell you that just made me smile and I was like, wow, Lori is so cool. Huh! I had no idea just how cool she is! I got home to not only sour cream, but bread, fruit, "Kobasa," butter, all kinds of stuff. I was like WOW!!!! I said thank you but was just freaking out that she did that for us. She insisted it was nothing, but I said, "Girl, I've been buying groceries here for two months, I know it is not nothing." She kind of sheepishly smiled and I thanked her again. Here is the funny… Later, Anna opened the refrigerator "Paladenic" and saw the Kobasa and was like "Oh hooo Mama" like why are you holding out on us the good stuff. I was like, "Neyt Mama… Lori Coppet" Lori bought it. She was like, "Lori?" and I showed her all Lori got… and she says, "Oh hoooo Mama… Lori Hochest Voupin!" Lori wants a whoopin! She shouldn't have done that… I was cracking up! I was also thankful that she understood the goodness of our friend and what she had done for us.

 

If we looked at life in that regard, I know that we could say that of all of you. Yall have been so good to us, done so much for us, we know that you have done more than we could ask or think of at this point and we love you so much. Thank you for going over the top to serve us as we get this clan together and get them home. We are ready to give you all sugar and "voupins" when we get home!

 

Love,

The Smith Clan…

 

"Patome" ~ "Later"

 

March 11, 2008 9pm.

 

Not sure how to express how I feel about this afternoon. It was good let me start by saying that… but it has left me kind of shocky if that is an ok way to say it… Let me go back and bring you up to speed.

 

We left to go to 21 around 1:30 as normal. We took Marchutca 45 to the Mootroo stop. Got on the red line and road out to Nivky. The ride was not really remarkable except that at one point my eyes were closed (this is what you do when you want to pretend that the people who get on and covet the seat you are sitting in are not there) and when I opened them G was standing over Anna and I. Reckon he got on about Kreshatik and with my eyes closed I hadn't noticed him… He road the rest of the way with us and then we got on Marchutca 719 to go to 21.  G was sitting in front of me and Anna, Mark and Max and he was asking did I know where John used to live? I told him no I hadn't seen the apartments yet. He told me he would point them out.

 

He showed me the apartment complex it is marked #24. The neighborhood is not a bad one. Looks like a lot of the others. The thing about it is it is located about a 10 minute walk from a cemetery. That doesn't seem really remarkable either… cept it is for a 6 year old kid who is hungry. See John's Mom was single. There is no mention of his Dad. Not at all… not really in any way. His siblings were all in orphanages or already adopted when he was with his Mom and they were struggling to stay in their apartment. G said "While other children his age were having imaginations about being astronauts or fighting the fires, John was thinking he would be a homeless person on the street his whole life. He liked the summer time because the weather was pleasant and he could get a lot of food from the cemetery." I asked G, "What do you mean he could get food from the cemetery?" G. said, "Here on the anniversary of the dead, people will take cakes, or vodka, or something they liked and leave it for the spirits to come and eat it later on." I was sick. My son waited till it was warm weather especially to hang out all day long in a cemetery so that he could eat something for the day. He was six ya'll. His Mom was too drunk or otherwise occupied taking care of her own needs to really take care of him. I do not know her situation. Do not mistake me. I am not passing judgment on her, I am not fit to do so, but I am saying factually that this little boy was literally eating off the streets and out of the cemeteries. It is a small wonder that he is having a hard time trusting in us even though when asked this weekend, "Do you believe that I love you?" he answered yes, and when I asked him, "How do you know." He said "I can see it in your eyes." Ya'll please pray for him for his trust issues. Please pray that we would be successful in meeting his physical needs so that he can learn that we will be there for him always. He has been doing his own thing since he was SIX… I am still trying to let that sink in.

 

We got to the school and we went to wish Alla a happy birthday. It was yesterday but there was a holiday so she was not there. We were invited to Tea. We accepted. I think some of you can understand my feelings about that but I will not go there here. Suffice it to say our time was "short" with the boys. And only one boy at that… guess who got busted and could not come out with us today because he lied about washing his shirts? (or skirt as G. says, LOL) That would be John. Once again, our two hour only visit with him was null because he was in trouble. UGH… Kevin was good. He was funny with Max and Anna, spitting sunflower seeds all over and fussing with Max about a skateboard. We hung out and the visit was over all too quickly.

 

We did get to see Suzette and meet she and her daughter face to face for the first time (for me) and that was really neat! I was excited to see someone from "home" or there abouts, and get to talk for a minute. Michelle called during our time with the director and so I got in a short talk with her about her family and that was precious to us. Mark says hello and he loves you guys!

 

We are home now. I have so much more to say but it will have to wait for later so we can both get on and get stuff up and running.

 

We met Bogdon again tonight and had a good time with he and his friend Artum a graduate of 21 who is a helper in his program. What a wonderful young man and what a great guy he is to offer his help to me too when Mark leaves. I am so thankful to God for bringing people our way that love kids and want to make a difference in their lives.

 

Remind me to tell you about

20 UAH a day for orphans.

The 14 year old on the Mootroo and his liter.

The child who was denied a chance at life outside of UA because he had Downs, and his parents were American…

 

I love you guys…

Keep praying, wear out your jeans so you can be like the rest of us each with only one pair! That is another funny for later!

 

Mark and Jenn