"But Officer They Were Just So Cute!"

So one evening in early December we stood in the main terminal of Denver International Airport and watched as a couple of dozen Ukrainian boys and girls filed past us. Our little Ukrainian Orphan Fan Club greeted them with warm fleece scarves. As I placed a pink one around a short-haired girl I knew I was hooked. Why do they have to look so much like the orphans in the movies?! They are so small and yet they were glad to have this Great American Adventure. I was told they experience some malnourishment which creates growth stunting. The youngest girl was 8 years old but looked like 6. They were also as thin as matchsticks! All my mothering instincts kicked in. Must feed. Must hug. Must smother with kisses.
How could anyone resist the urge to just grab them up and take them home?! "Honest officer, they just followed me..!" Okay girl, get a hold of yourself. Deep breath.

I cried all day the next day.
Pray, pray, pray.

Rolan loved the kids but was he willing to let go of the promise we made to ourselves of just adopting American kids? The best way to a computer nerd's heart is through his sense of logic and compassion. I did my homework, I spend some more time with the kids, I showed Rolan some heartbreaking videos about the terrible orphan situation in the Ukraine. I gave him the stats. Those horrible, grim, hopeless stats. (more on that later)

We continued to make inquiries on American kids who need homes. No bites.
Frankly, I was tired of the American-rent-to-own-foster-to-adopt system. This stinks! How about we not deal with agencies asking about every cough drop we gave the kids or trying to find a caring competent doctor or clinic that will take Medicaid? Or how about we just completely fall in love with the kids that come home with us and not wonder if a relative is going to come out of the woodwork at the last minute?

More homework, more inquiries, more prayer.

How does one determine the will of God? Pray and ask direction, look at all the circumstances, ask wise Christian friends, check it out with scripture.

Well, we know what scripture says, "look after widows and orphans in their distress.." Check.
Already asked direction (prayed about it). Check.
Asked wise Christian friends. Big happy check.
Circumstances. Well, in regards to spending huge chunks of cash, we wouldn't even have considered it accept that last summer Rolan was laid off (with 6 months of severance pay) and then got a new job right away. Kinda came at a good time. And another circumstance that is interesting is that these kids are from the Ukraine and well, didn't Great Grandpa have a ministry in Odessa? Yes. And wasn't Grandma born there? Yes. And well, by cracky, didn't he have an ORPHANAGE there too?

Hello, earth to Eileen....