Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of the Lord our God. -Psalm 20:7

Last night as Christina ate her ice cream, her little face would pinch together periodically. Dr R looked in her mouth and found she had two back teeth that were badly decayed. So when Larisa showed up this morning, Christina was in tow and on her way to her first ever dentist appointment. She is wearing the very proper black and white uniform required by the state. We drove to this old building and climbed the stairs to find an old and very cranky Ukrainian nurse waiting for us. Christina wasn't nervous until this woman tried to shove the film into her mouth for x-rays. It would have helped to explain things to her first! She wimpered quietly not knowing what to expect. From there we went to the dentist who said he would extract the two teeth. My knees went weak immediately. He tells Christina what he's going to do and she is so scared. As he's washing his hands, she asks him a slew of questions that send the interpreter Larisa into uncontrollable giggles. "May I see your tools?" "What will you do?" "How long will it take?" "Are those all the tools?" The very thought of teeth being extracted meant that I would need to lean against the cold tile wall to keep from showing my fear for her. The doctor fills a syringe with numbing stuff and her eyes get HUGE. Although he has washed his hands, he does not wear gloves. She is very brave as he makes the injection and fights the tears. To get her mind off things, I kiss her on the head and give her my Sidekick. She finds the bowling game and is instantly distracted. The dentist gives the shot a few minutes to take effect and grabs a pair of forcepts for the job. Its all over very quickly, but I thought I would die watching the scene play out. She doesn't cry once.

She is told that she cannot eat for two hours and we are on our way. She is puzzled by her numb lip. For the next five hours, she doesn't let loose of the Sidekick. She is more intrigued by the camera than the games. She takes pictures of stray dogs, her friends, the plants, passing cars, and of Sasha our driver.




We ran a few errands and return to orphange #4 for her to change out of her school uniform. We walked into their playroom and wouldn't you know, there's a clown standing there. You know how much I love clowns. Christina's class wants their picture taken with this demonic creature and of course I obliged.

Two hours have passed and I ask if she is hungry and she nods. I tell her to grab a friend and we will go have lunch. She takes sweet Karina this time. We have lunch in the cafe of this huge store that's a lot like Wal-Mart. The girls eat more than I have ever seen kids their size put away. In the middle of eating, Christina sit up straight and says in Ukrainian, "Leslie, will you leave tomorrow?" I say, "Da." She says, "You will come back?" I say, "I hope so, Christina."

On the way out I see them eyeing a stand with stickers and I tell them to pick out a few. We go to buy some tylenol for later and I tell the girls they can each pick out one toy. After looking through shelves, they both confess that they want shoes. Shoes, people. Christina picks out a pair of red ones and Karina chooses a blue pair. With happy hearts and full bellies, we load up the car and head back to the orphanage. We chat on the way and I ask Christina, "What will you do if you go to America this summer?" She says, "I will like to read a book and clean the house and eat."

When we return to orphanage #4 I meet her teacher and caregiver who sit me down and give me Christina's back ground. Its not something that I can bear to publish on the internet. It is without doubt, the saddest thing I have ever heard. He teacher calls her a "golden child". She shows me her school work. Her handwriting is elegant and neat. She makes A's and B's and is a hard worker according to her teacher. I walk down to her playroom with her and meet an American woman named Lela. Lela was a missionary in Ukraine for years and has retired and is living here now. She has "adopted" Christina's class and comes to see them regularly. She hugs me as if we have known each other our whole lives. We chat and I find out she is from Ocala. Ocala! She tells me what she knows about Christina and we cry together. I walk her out and she clings to my arm and asks me "You will tell her about Jesus?" I nod and she gives me her e-mail so that we can keep in touch.

It has been a draining day. Larisa and I take a walk through Old Odessa and along the shore just chatting. Dr R calls and says that it is the Doctor at Orphanage #4's birthday and we need to make a showing at her birthday party. Larisa and I head over to the flower market and choose something for her. The resturant is just a block away. Dr R, Larisa, Maxim our driver, and I open the door of this resturant and are greeted with blaring Russian club music. I'm sure we must be in the wrong place, but soon the Doctor (Natasha) emerges from the crowd of people dancing. God knew that I needed to laugh. She leads us to the banquet table and sets us at the head of a table overflowing with food, vodka, cognac, wine, and champagne.

I am so tickled by how surreal the scene is, but I fight the urge to laugh for fear of offending anyone. I am almost the youngest person there and people are dancing and toasting vodka shots to Natasha. Dr R gets dragged onto the dance floor and Larisa and I sit back and laugh at him. We snapped a few pictures too for blackmail purposes. We stay as long as is polite and then give our regards to Natasha and head back to the hotel. I laughed until I cried!

So tomorrow is my last day in Odessa. I will go to orphanage #4 in the morning and visit with the children one last time. I will not think about what happens after tomorrow. I will trust that God will use me in some way to help these children. I will trust Him to make this the beginning rather than the end.