Please Pray!

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We have received some discouraging news today. Our Dossier has been presented to the "Adoption Center" in Russia and they are requesting more information before they will register it. I'm not sure if they have officially rejected our Dossier or if it is on hold or what. Our adoption agency seems to be fairly anxious over the matter, however, and we are trying to gather the documents they are requesting as quickly as possible. They want a letter from a government official TODAY. Please pray that we will be able to get everything they need quickly and that they will accept everything and approve our Dossier to be registered.

There have been 2 exciting things happen today in spite of this discouragement. God must know when we need encouragement. The first: After calling almost every government office in our state requesting a letter about Georgia's median income (this is being requested from Russia), I was getting very discouraged! No one seemed to know who to talk to. They all just knew that they couldn't help me and I needed to call someone else. Finally, at the US Census Bureau, I spoke to someone who was able to help get some information and she herself has adopted two children so she was very encouraging and empathetic. She was able to give me information, but not certified information quickly. So, I was again on the phone calling offices of GA House Representatives and US Legislators. I told everyone my plight and got similar responses, "have you tried calling ____, I'm sorry, but we don't do that." Finally, I called a phone number I found for our State Senator. It must have been his cell phone or home phone because he answered the phone himself (not the secretary). I didn't even allow the Senator to say anything after he answered. I just went right into my whole long story. I ended by saying, "I don't know if you can help me, but I don't know who else to call." He said, "You may have called the right person." He went on to tell me that he and his wife adopted their daughter from Romania in 1991 and he knew exactly what we are going through. He talked with me for a while and gave me his personal email address (to send the information to) and told me that he had meetings this afternoon, but when he got home tonight he would type the letter I needed. He said he kept some letterhead at home and wouldn't have his secretary to help him, but he would type it himself. He asked for my phone number and said he would call this evening when it was ready and that he would bring the letter to us or meet us somewhere. God is so good! I just cried on the phone to him when I realized I had indeed called the right person. I really needed the encouragement after thinking that not only could I find no one who was going to help, but definitely no one who was willing to help me today!

Okay... the second and most exciting thing that happened today: We received a letter in the mail from Anya! I couldn't believe it. I thought she had tried to tell us that she sent us a letter, but I was thinking it would never arrive (it is dated Feb. 28th). It came in the mail today and was such an encouragement to us to keep on keeping on! Anya drew a picture of the sun and flowers on the front of a piece of paper and then wrote a note inside. Folded up on a small piece of paper was a typed translation of Anya's note in English. I believe the social worker in the orphanage helped Anya by translating the letter and putting postage on the envelope (the envelope had 8 stamps on it!). The translation is below. When I read it I just began to cry.

"Mum, thank you for parcel (sending)! You called to me, but I was in sanatorium and could not talk to you. Call me, mum, please! I very much wait! I on you very much miss. March 8, Birthday and I would be very glad to receive from me from you a parcel (sending)! The first days after America I cried, very much on you Mum missed, call me, I very much wait! Anya"

I'm sure the note loses something in translation, but I understood completely! Maybe too much. My heart is so glad to know she misses us, but it breaks at the same time. Please pray that things move quickly. I know this has been a long wait for us, but cannot imagine how difficult it has been for Anya. She still does not know we plan to adopt. I pray that God gives her peace and hope and during this time and that she will know she is loved.