More blessings from our wait. We learned that there is a U.S. missionary couple here so we phoned them and their apartment is just down the street from our hotel--within walking distance! They picked us up today and we spent the entire day with them and their 3 children. Here is a picture of the couple with us in their apartment. They are here doing work with an evangelical church--one of only about 5 in all of Chelyabinsk. If you only count evangelical Christians here, they are probably less than 1% of the population...much work to be done. They had a really interesting story of how they came to be in Chelyabinsk, including a connection to Indian Creek Community Church in Olathe, KS and the Pastor there, which is where my CBS Bible study is held--very cool. They are in the middle of a church building project here which has cost 4x what they have thought because of rising concrete and other materials costs. Pray with us that the building gets finished as it will be one of only a handful of ANY type of church buildings here--Orthodox or otherwise. We spent the afternoon at the mall, which is very nice and could have been anywhere in the U.S. It is called Gorky mall. Here is a photo.
Then we went to their home for dinner and fellowship. It was an awesome day. We will spend Saturday with them again. They are interested in having a connection to the orphanage where Alek is so that they can begin to do some ministry there, like Operation Christmas Child. We are super excited to see God work!!! As I am blogging, we just got a phone call from Larissa our translator and she said that today the court received the letter from Moscow re: Alek being available for adoption -- Praise God! We feel renewed energy for our meeting with the Judge tomorrow re: the FBI clearance hurdle. Please pray with us that we will have favor with the Judge during our meeting and that her heart might be softened and allow our letter from the U.S. Embassy to serve as proof of our FBI check. If she does not allow the letter, our second request for her will be to ask her if she will allow a "fax" of the FBI approval from WVA once it is completed, thereby saving us about 5 days not having to wait for the original to be express-mailed here.
On a final note, we SO appreciate the blog comments and emails from you all. It is SO encouraging to know that you are in this with us and honestly, we feel God's strength sustaining us through your prayers.
15 comments:
HOOOORAY!!!! The letter has finally made it! We are saying prayers for you three, as you make your way before the judge...good news awaits, I know! ;o) Loved the picture of the mall...it looks bigger than the one we have here! Glad you were able to connect with family and enjoy your day...there are always angels amongst us. Hope this note finds you well...will be anxious to see your next post.
Love to you three...and God Bless.
Love,
Les ;o)
Dear Lynn, Scott and Alek,
My heart feels your happiness at all of the connections with your new friends. It sounds as if they have renewed your strength and confidence in God's Plan. I know that we will all be waiting with baited breath to hear what transpired in court. We will pray for the judge's heart to be softened, as you said. Please give a hug and kiss to Alek, the next time you see him.
Love you much!
Aunt Cydney and Uncle Steve
What an awesome connection the Lord has made for you with this sweet couple!! Thank you Jesus! He is moving in that area it appears and you are in the midst. Praising God for the arrival of the letter & praying for you tomorrow as you go before the judge. Miss you both so much!
The Redfords!
You guys have already had an amazing journey thus far and we are anxiously awaiting the day you come home with Alek! We are all keeping you in our thoughts and tons of luck in court tomorrow!
~ Jen Kott
Great news on the letter. We continue to pray for God's grace and providence in your most adventureous journey! It is amazing how God intersects our lives with individuals and experiences that are truly divine appointments. We miss you and can't wait to see the three of you back in Olathe!
Chuck and Debi
PS - I saved the GA-FLA game on the DVR for Scott - Go Dawgs!
Scott, Lynn, and Alek...I am so happy for all 3 of you and want you to know that you are in our thoughts and prayers each day. This is an awesome adventure and I feel blessed that you are willing to share it. Safe travels and God Bless, Mitch Peterson
Lynn,
I participate in the CBS bible study too! I am a children's teacher. If there is anything we can do to help your new friends with the mission work they want to begin at Infant Home Number 2-let us know! We will be happy to do what we can from Jacksonville, FL. We would love to help Infant Home #2-we call it Jack's "first Home"
Maybe there will be a smiling face shining through an iron curtain.
You may be able to write your own version of 40 days in the wildnerness with only each other and God on your side.
All of us back home are cheering and praying!!!
Alek will never realize how important he has become to so many people he has never met, and all the prayers being lfted up for this little boy thousands of miles away.
Love,
Nana & Grandpa
Lynn, Scott and Alek: it is now 10.pm just checking the blog and I am so excited. My prayer is that the judge will understand how much you want Alek to come home with you and how much we all want him to be home in your arms. You have had so many new connection there -- and met so many wonderful people--- God's will!!! I spent the day in Santa Fe with Vi, Jim and one of Jim's friends who lost his wife just a few weeks ago. Jim worked with him and he really wanted to talk about his wife Nancy. So this is why the late blog. Looking forward to the next one and Good Luck. Love you --prayers always!!!
MOM
Lynn and Scott,
I can just see the book already on the shelf at the Christian Book and Gift store in Olathe, "ALEK, A Story of True Love." You know if you didn't have all these issues the book might be a little bit like other adoption stories. But this one will be talked about for years to come.-- How the young couple perservered despite all of Satan's attempts to cause them to doubt their God. How the power of prayer from people around the world poured over the couple and the beautiful child God chose for them.-- I'm not trying to make light of anything you are going through, but when you step back and look at this journey in your life, one can't help but see the power of God working. What an incredible testimony! I am so blessed to be a witness. I thought about you this past week in doing my CBS lesson. I was thinking about all the hoops you have been jumping through, and this unbelievable "ransom" you are paying for Alek(one child), to set him free (SAVE him) from the "prison" he is in, and to give him a life of faith, hope and love. How much more did God pay to save the lives of MANY? He paid the ultimate ransom, in that HE gave his Son, Jesus Christ, to save the world. The fact overwhelms me! "Therefore, we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." 2 Corinthians 4:16-17 May God continue to bless you through this journey, and may your "peace with God" give you confidence and power that only HE can give. One questions, what's up with the blue shoes I see in the pictures? Are they booties you have to wear when you see Alek? Did you buy everyone blue CROCS as a gift from American? I've notice them in some of the pictures, just curious!!
Love to the three of you,
Michele Menke
I'm so glad to hear that you found some other Christians there to connect with. Know that you are in my prayers consistently. I know God is at work and will continue to hold you in His hands.
In Christ,
Joy
Dear Lynn & Scott - Lynn, from your birth and struggles, to your marriage, to your faith, to CBS, to your dream of a child to hold in your arms, to your lessons of strength and patience, laying it all at the foot of the cross is such an amazing testimony. God is good ALL THE TIME. The Lord wants us to have the desires of our heart. Yours and Scott's hearts have been prepared for this child and you all have been prepared to share this truly amazing story of love. Quoting from Oswald Chambers this morning... "It is only a faithful person who truly believes that God sovereignly controls his circumstances. To be faithful in every circumstance means that we have only one loyalty, or object of our faith - the Lord Jesus Christ. The goal of faithfulness is not that we will do work for God, but that he will be free to do His work through us." It is CLEAR that he is doing a good work through you both. I am proud to call you and Scott my brother and sister. I love you very much, Susan
Scott and Lynn,
I just can not get out of my mind what great plans God has for you and Alek. This beautiful boy has been blessed with you as his parents and he will always know through this great story how much God loves him and how much you love him. I can hardly wait 20 or so years to see what God is up to...it will probably blow our minds even further.
Praying for you constantly!!!
Scott & Lynn,
God is just preparing you for parenthood: long days, sleepless nights, worries, prayers and praise to the One who works for good in all things. As God said to Jeremiah, "I know the plans I have for you; plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
And in 2 Sam 7:29 "for you, O Sovereign LORD, have spoken, and with your blessing the house of your servant will be blessed forever."
Praying with You!
Kelly
Hi, Lynn and Scott, I love the way you see goodness in everything. Your faith is an inspiration to us all. We are praying that your next blog will be wonderful news, but if not and you have to wait a few more days, then we will know God is just making sure Alek is ready. Sounds like His plan all along has been to have disappointments followed by blessings in disguise, namely, Alek's bond with the two of you growing stronger day by day. I wish the judge could read the comments from your friends and family. Looking forward to meeting your son. I love the pic of him peeking out from behind the curtain. Could he be any cuter? Can't imagine anyone more worth the trouble! Also look forward to reading the book that has to come from this. We love you, Sharon & Alan
Post a Comment