Chapter Six - It's A Test....Only A Test...

This post may not be the most exciting but it was the most challenging, thus far. The Lord is really stretching us and taking us out of our comfort zones and into completely trusting in Him to take care of all our needs and protection. We were at the point that if two plane tickets back to the USA were here, our flesh would have been on it in a heartbeat. We know that there is a greater purpose and we are on a mission and we are not quiters!

What was once strange and unfamiliar to us in Kiev when we first arrived, had become a source of comfort in just a few short days. Five hours out of Kiev and we are surrounded by strange and unfamiliar again. This time far more unsettling then we would have ever thought. We are finding ourselves not knowing what to do. But clinge to God and each other. At least in Kiev we could communicate with the local people at the stores and in the city. Here in a small town close to Lutsk, not one person that we met today speaks English. Our administator leaves on Friday for the weekend and will not return until the next week. As great as our administator is, he is here to make money and sometimes on the pushy side. We were unaware that his hotel bill would be out of our pocket. We were never told this before leaving the USA. So it came as a shock, I believe we have it covered, if not God will provide or we will eat less.  Mickey explained to him that we had no idea that his room was on our bill, however we would if we had too.  Sasha turned the page and confirmed with Mickey that he would pay for his hotel stay.  Whew, THANKFUL to say the Least!!!
Ok, now that I was able to vent a little and get that out of my system, Mickey will update how we got to this point on Wednesday Night.

Please give Rachelle a little bit of a break for the MINOR (MAJOR) Freak Out BOTH of us have had the past couple of hours...we have only been up since 3:00 am.
We left the apartment in Kiev this morning a little after 6:15 am.  We started heading West and the entire time I could've sworn we were going East, Good Thing I wasn't driving!  They drive like Crazy here in Ukraine.  If someone is in front of you, you pass as long as you can make it around them.  There were a couple of times I was looking for a brake pedal on my side of the car! 

After we drove for close to two hours, we stopped at a small farming community where Sasha grew up.  His parents, sister, niece and niece's two year old were waiting on us for breakfast.  The table was covered with food; tomatoes, potatoes, cabbage, meat balls, a few more items that I can't remember.  Yesterday was his Dad's Birthday.  They brought a plate of cold beef, that consisted of a roast that was boiled and then cooled to a jello with all of the juices that cooked out of the meat while boiling.  Yes I tried a bite, but couldn't eat more than that.  Thankful for Strainers!

After a period of close to an hour, we headed back West on towards Luts'k, yes I spelled it right this time.  We were about 10 Kilometers East of Luts'k when Sasha started heading North.  The Orphanage is actually located in a small community.  We stopped at the Orphanage first, meeting the Director and she was so thrilled that we were interested in adopting, her "Super Boy".  She informed us that he was not at the Orphanage, that the Doctor had sent him to a three week Camp that treats children with Special Needs, providing some Therapy.  Good News is that the Camp is between the Orphanage and the Municipal Building, just off the Highway.  We left after about 15 minutes and went on to the Administration Office.

We went in and met with the Administrator and she asked what we did for a living and how many other children we had as well as some other questions that I can't remember at this time.  Rachelle showed her a picture of Andrew as we were beginning to leave and she smiled as big as she could.  She went down the hall and got the Inspector on Board to go and observe us at the Camp.  The four of us loaded up in the car and off to the Camp we went.

The Camp is located in a really nice setting, especially considering the condition of the Community and the Orphanage.  We walked into the Building and after a few minutes we walked up to the 4th floor, then back down to the 3rd floor where he had just finished a Therapy session. 

WE FINALLY GOT TO MEET HIM!!!

He sat down at a table with a toy that the hammer pegs that were shaped like carrots through another piece of wood until they would fall out of the bottom.  He has some of the same serious mannerisms another little boy we are very fond of has.  He seemed to have really good motor skills regardless if he had the hammer in the left or the right hand.  We were only able to visit him for about 15 minutes until he needed to go eat lunch.  I think this was a perfect amount of time for the first meeting.  As the lady who was carrying him to the dining room, she turned around and told him to say "By Papa", that was really cool when he did and waved at the same time!

We then left to go meet with the Orphanage Director and the Doctor so that they could tell us of any and all known Medical Conditions.  His mother experienced enemia during pregnany, any other information on her was not released.  He was diagnosised with a Heart Murmur when he was born, but does not suffer from this condition because just like so many other children, the hole closed on its own.  Praise God!  She said that he is a little small (about the same height as Andrew, but skinny like Dylan) however she never met the parents so she has nothing to judge that by.  He arrived at this Orphanage after the age of two.  Around 3-1/2 he tried to talk.  He has been hospitalized twice a year since just for normal check-ups and therapy.  She told us that he has flat feet and ankle issues, similar as to what we are already used to with his Brother back in Edmond.  He doesn't get sick, he does really well compared to some of the other kids there in the Orphanage and he enjoys being with other kids.  She was very apologetic that he was at Camp, but we told Sasha to translate that it is no problem.
We left the Orphanage, took the Inspector back to her office and then made it to the Hotel.  We went upstairs to find our rooms and as previous stated, I was able to express to Sasha that we were not told that we would be covering his living expenses.  He seemed genuine when he told me not to worry about it and that he would pick up his own room expenses.  Thankful for that!!! 

We decided it was time to eat since it was close to 4:00 pm and we hadn't really eaten anything since around 9:00 am.  There is a restuarant just down the hall.  It is eligant and looks like it is set up for wedding receptions.  The menu is writen in Ukrainian, no English.  When we were in Kiev, there was ALWAYS English under their headings.  We told Sasha that we wanted a Pizza that had Cheese and Meat only.  We sat there and reviewed the days events.  Out come the pizzas and there is onions, tomatoes and mushrooms, not what we ordered.  I asked Sasha did he tell the waitress that we wanted Cheese and Meat, ONLY?  He thought that is what we wanted as the main portion of the pizza and that in Ukraine all of the other items are standard.   I explained to him that is not what we wanted and he then corrected our order.  When the correct pizza finally showed up, it was really good.  Rachelle and I are getting uncomfortable knowing that we are going to be here atleast a week trying to communicate with the locals who don't speak English, order food to eat that we can't read the menu's and order transportation from taxi's that we have no way of communicating.  Really could use the sound of a familiar voice from home, or atleast text or email; but that story is better detailed below.

The Hotel Room that we have is HUGE, and it's very cheap, less than $40.00 USD a night.  One issue, no Internet or Wireless, or is there???  You have to buy a card and use the login information on it.  After fiddling with it for close to an hour we were finally able to hook Rachelle's computer up.  However can't get the Magic Jack that my brother Blake bought us prior to our trip.  Both of the cell phones won't connect.  I know this sounds trivial, however it feel we have been dropped in the middle of a civilization that no one understands us, and vice versa.  Perhaps this is to teach us that this is what he will feel like when we first get him back home in Oklahoma, and maybe more than that all of those children out there who cannot talk and their parents can't completely understand what they are trying to tell them, in a way like Andrew.

Anyway; it's late, we are exhausted from the day and don't know what to expect for tomorrow.  Just pray and lean on God that he has prepared our path.  Good thing is that we plan on visiting him tomorrow for 30 minutes each both in the morning and in the afternooon if time will allow.  Looks like I will be sending this tomorrow if I can get the Internet to work.