I haven't blogged in a few days, but honestly there hasn't been too much to blog about! A few of the days we have been exploring the city, walking around checking out the community a bit, checking out the clothing stores (yes, they are as overprised as some of our things), and enjoying fresh food from the supermarket!! I can't even begin to tell you how good the food is here! I have been eating fresh cucumbers like they are going out of style, lol!! In the summer, cucumbers and tomatoes are a common daily food in households, and I completely know why! Of course, when I was home, I didn't even really like cucumbers, lol!! Everything taste better here, seriously!! The food at the market has no preservatives, yes you heard me right, no preservatives!! So we have to shop every few days for our food! Jarrod and I are both enjoying the food and this healthier cooking, and we have both vowed to work on this when we are home!! Honestly I don't want to go back to canned food, or things that can last me 3 months! I want to cook daily fresh food! Will it mean more work, absolutely, but the benefits out weigh the convenience! Does it mean I'll never cook "quick easy food", no, but it will be limited!! Now along with the healthy comes the delicious, very very delicious chocolate! Oh my, we've picked up different types to try, and are for sure learning our favorite!! Their candy section here seems almost a big as their produce. Okay, I'm exhaggerating a bit, but seriously, it's big!
On Sunday we decided to visit a local Baptist church that our friends Scott and Rachel visited and talked about earlier! Pastor Nicholi and his wife Anna called Natasha to see if we would come and if Jarrod would share a little testimony! Jarrod was a little hesitant, but Mom reminded him to be ready in season and out of season!! What a wise woman she is!! So he decided to do a short testimony!!
When we got ready to leave that morning, we weren't quite sure what to expect! We had been told a little about the church, and we wanted to go in open mindedly! We are still adjusting to everyone speaking a different language, and I'll be honest, at times it's hard! Natasha sat on the row behind us, so she could translate in our ears what was being said! This sweet little church had all the windows open, and was just a simple, yet such a welcoming church! There were times when I was seated that I got hot, but around that time, we would stand up to sing. When I stood up, I was beside the window, and as all the beautiful congregation sang, I would feel the wind blow, and it was a sweet presence that only the Holy Spirit could bring, and I could completely feel the Holy Spirit blowing the wind on this place! Jarrod did a great job giving a testimony about our church children's ministry and a tid bit about our adoption! It wasn't as long as the other testimonies and at first I was a little concerned about that, but God reminded me that my wonderful husband is often times a man of few words, and the words he speaks has such a profound effect on others that there is no need to speak anymore!
After the service, the pastor and his wife invited us downstairs for lunch. It was delicious. Each week different members of the church bring food for the church to prepare lunch for guests and for the children. Now you have to understand, this church is in a village. Money is a hard thing to come by here. Jobs are limited, and things are very tight often times. So this was a very giving gesture and speaks high volumes to my heart about the giving nature of this sweet congregation. They have little, but they give much. And God honors a giving heart! I also want to step back and share another thing during the service. When we arrived, there were very few men in the church. Pastor Nicholi shared with us that most of the brethren had gone out to the local villages to minister and meet needs. Can I just say "WOW"?? This was one of the most amazing things I've ever heard! Most Christians, especially in America, would not have done this. They would've said "oh no, it's Sunday, I have to go and get my filling, I have to be in my church". How about we are the church?? This congregation got that! They were being the hands and feet of Jesus. We all need to be fed, but what is faith without works?
It was a beautiful day in the Lord, and we enjoyed it tremendously! Going in it not knowing what to expect! Even Jarrod and I stepping out of our own comfort zones. Usually when away from home, we don't attend other churches, we just have our own time of fellowship with the Lord! Now here we are, attending a church that is completely spoken in another language, and feeling very much a part of the body of Christ here!!
We got an invitation on Wednesday to come and have lunch at the Pastor's home with this family! So we prepared and headed that way! We had not been to a home in the village yet, so we were excited to see a little of village life!! I can't even begin to tell you how precious our time was! We were welcomed with loving hands and hugs from this sweet family! Anna is the best host, and was constantly serving us, without any reservation! We were served so much food, that was some of the most delicious I've ever had. And the food that she served while we were there was equivalent to about 3 meals for them. They are such a giving family!
Now, those that know me, know my love for children, especially little ones! Well, they have 3 daughters, Vaulintina (not sure of spelling) who is 12, Tanya who is 8, and Angelina who is 3. Can we just say how wonderful and well behaved these sweet girls are? Angelina stole my heart on Sunday when I saw her, so the minute we arrived at that house, I started tickling her feet, and she slowly started warming up to me! It wasn't very long before she was in my lap playing with me, we were tickling Jarrod, and she was kissing all over me, and me kissing all over her!! It was truly a sweet time! Tanya was so silly and animated, and I loved watching her personality!! Vaula was her mother's helper, such a sweet servant, and a talented piano player!
The older two girls played piano for us, and it was so sweet and beautiful! As I sat and listened to this family enteract and play the piano and sing, I couldn't help but have tears in my eyes. The two youngest girls reminded us both of two girls from church that we know, Rachel and Lily Bennett! With their personalities very much the same! So with this sweet reminder, it made me yearn to be home even more. I miss my children, all of them, my birth children as well as my spiritual children at church!
It was so humbling to see the simple way of life this family has. And when I say this, I mean absolutely no disrespect. I actually desire much of this way of life for my family. Their home is simple, yet so cozy and peaceful! One of my favorites was the sweet baby chicks that they are growing! There are older chicks that they have up in the attic, and the fully grown chickens outside! Oh how I want some chickens! One of the chickens fell out from the 2nd floor, but it was fine!! Much of the things they laugh about aren't much different than us!
After lunch the girls got their swimsuits on and went out to their little pool to swim, while us adults sat at the table and talked! Now I've always felt like a kid, so I really wanted to run outside and play with the girls! But I resisted the temptation, and sat at the adult table, lol!! We had a wonderful talk with Pastor Nicholi and Anna! I have such a deep respect for their life of servanthood! See, the Baptist pastors in Ukraine aren't paid, there isn't enough money to pay them. He has 5 services a week, and gives tirelessly of himself, yet gets only Heavenly treasures stored up for himself! That is of course a wonderful compensation, but there are also needs that have to be met in order to survive. So he has to seek work outside the church. He's a jack of all trades we've learned.....he lays tile, puts up wallpaper, plumbing, electrical, pretty much anything that needs to be done!!
In addition to his responsibilites as a pastor and a husband/father, he heads up the activities at the orphanage. He plays a key role in preparing some of the orphans that will be graduating out of the orphanage. He gives them life skill lessons, so they will know some things to do for work when they are on their own. He works with the orphanage 3 or 4 days a week. He explained step by step what they do here at the orphange, but I won't go into all those details. It takes planning and helping hands. It's absolutely amazing!!
It was also sweet because they shared some of their time with our sweet Yulia! She goes to church there when she gets the opportunity! She has been to their home, and they have some pictures of her, which we are hoping to get copies of them! She has talked about us to Anna, telling her how excited she was to be joining our family, calling us her Jarrod and her Amy! We know in her heart, we'll eventually be Mama and Papa (daddy), and God knows when her heart will be ready!!
So our time here has been sweet so far! We are very excited that in 24 hours we will see our sweet Yulia and begin all the paperwork!! God is so good to us, and He's blessing our time here!! I do have some things on my heart to share in a later blog! I'm trying to keep this blog as focused as I can on our time here, but I know my heart is also part of that!! Please continue to pray for us, as we are not nearly finished!! Specific prayer needs 1)Favor with the adoption inspector and director of the orphanage throughout the process 2)favor with the judge 3)all paperwork to be in order and be done speedily 4)that our hearts will mesh with Yulia's 5)God's hand and perfect will to be on our every step!!
Be blessed my friends! I should soon have more to blog about!! Yulia hasn't been with us, so we haven't been doing a lot here yet! As soon as she is with us, we will have much more to talk about!!
Loved ready this update! We are praying for you and believing God to go before you in everyway! So proud of you guys! Much love from Renee' Loux and tribe!!
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