My help comes form the Lord, who made heaven and earth. -Psalms 121:2





We started today at the infant hospital. This is the first stop for babies entering the orphan system. Sometimes they are born here and abandoned, sometimes they are brought here and left, sometimes they are left on the street. Each baby has a unique and heart breaking story. The director of this hospital was so gracious and happy that we had come. She gave each of us doctors' coats to wear and we began our tour of the facility. The first room we entered had four babies. The sweetheart at the top (Alex) didn't stop smiling or cooing the entire time we were there. In the next room we met a Ukrainian woman that Dr R pays to come a few times a week as a volunteer to hold the babies. As we look at each precious child, we can see little patches on the side and back of their heads where hair does not grow. This happens when they are left in one position for an extended period of time. The nurses here are really wonderful women; its just there are more babies than they can tend to. In this second room are a handful of sick children. I am holding Elena above. Mom, she is going to have red hair! Elena was born in prison and stayed only a short period of time before being turned over to the hospital. There are two Christian American women from Nebraska here who have volunteered to come for 9 days and help the nurses. The baby below is Jenga. Doesn't he have the biggest brown eyes??? Jenga has AIDS and can be treated so that his body will reject the virus. But there is no money here for the medication and it is unlikely that anyone will adopt him because of his condition. Its hard to believe it. The nurse tells me that he love music and is such a good baby. In the crib next to Jenga is a baby that was born with a spinal abnormality that has caused him to have water on his brain and in his spine. He turns his head when he hears us speaking and stretches to watch us. He has an infection and he will die here in this place. I know what Olya was talking about now.


After the Infant Hospital we headed over to Orphange #3 which is where babies go once they are well. This place is spotless like Orphange #9. There has been an outbreak of measles and many of the children are quarantined. We are able to visit several rooms though. This cutie pie couldn't stop smiling!

When we visited the three year old class, they wanted to show us their beds. Rachel, this one's for you dear.

It has been eye opening for me to see the drastic difference in the conditions at orphanges. The baby houses like #3 and #9 are cheery and have rugs on the floor. There is a plethera of toys and supplies available. But here is an example of the drastic difference. This is a bedroom from #4:

The beds and mattresses are over 40 years old and are sagging and falling apart. The fact is that children who aren't adopted before they are 4 will likely never have a family. Something like 80% of adoptions here are for children 4 and under. Potential parents come to places like #3 and #9 and give lots of money and continue to sponser the orphanage long after they have adopted. Let's face it, babies are cute. But the children in #4, #5, #34, #88, and so on are forgotten. There are no doting potential parents thinking, "Boy, this floor is too cold for children to be sitting on. I'll get them a rug." That kind of thing happens at the baby houses where people are coming to adopt.

I was exhausted mentally, physically, and emotionally I came straight back to the hotel. I found an internet cafe thathad cheap international calling and called home. It felt so good to hear my sweet husband's voice and his reasurrance that all things work for good. I am thankful that I have a husband who levels me when I am emotional or unclear. I have felt that way all week and wish he would have been with me the whole time.

Dr. R, our driver Maxim, Oksana, Larissa, and two orphans from #4 (Alex and Christina {the one I took to McDonald's}) went to dinner and closed the day out. It was joyful to watch the kids eat. As Christina sat next to me, I reached over to pat her on the back and could feel her bony spine through her little shirt. It made my heart ache. She is wearing the same outfit that I saw her in all week. She eats until she can't eat anymore. When Dr. R offers ice cream, she manages to find a little space and savors each little bite.

So I need your help with one last thing. I was told that Christina can come to America for 2 weeks this summer with Frontier Horizon (www.frontierhorizon.org) if we can find a host family. Help me pray for her. I want very much to be the family that she stays with, but it costs a lot of money. Pray that God will open doors and she will stay with a Christian family and experience family, church, and all the blessings that we take for granted. Pray for Christina!