PASSION

Ok so I am passionate about Jesus! I am also passionate about adoption. I was listening to K-Love radio on Monday and they were talking about some stats from Max Lucado. I missed the numbers, so I looked some up.

There are 2 to 3 BILLION Christians in the world.
There are 143 million orphans.
There are 100 million more kids living on the streets.

If every Christion family adopted one child or got one off the streets, problem solved!

I know it's not that easy. Many Christian families are living in third world countries (pray for them) or in poverty right here. Many are elderly. Most families would find the cost prohibative. But...if God tells you to adopt-ADOPT!

If that is not you, find another way to help the orphans, the most fragile of God's children. Give to an adoption agency so the can help folks who are adopting meet the financial needs. Or give directly to an orphange. Any of your friends who have adopted can give you names or contact people. E-mail me! I can give you several in Haiti, Russia, Kazakhstan and others, as well as in the U.S.

If you feel lead to help me, I would love to hear from you. The "About Me" has an e-mail link. God is leading me to ask. If He leads you to respond, please listen.

Friday, December 10, 2010

It is beautiful here and I don't like snow...


Well, my battery has about an hour left…the charger works about half the time, and it’s not right now. I think it overheats and turns off…but I will try to get out a bit of what’s been happening.
I am in St. Petersburg right now. Leaving tomorrow night to head for home. I started out last Sunday for Russia and am pretty mixed up in my days and nights. I have only slept about 4 hrs a night if that. Really odd for me; I am usually a pretty good sleeper. But with 11 hrs difference, half a world and meeting a new son, I guess that is going to mess you up just a little. (or a lot!)
So, I flew from home to Minneapolis/St. Paul, then to Amsterdam and on to St. Petersburg. Spent one night and then flew to Archangel. Got there very late and went to meet Alexander the next day. And well worth the wait! He turned 4 on the 6th of December, just a couple of days before I got to see him. I am told one of his caregivers got him a toy truck. I took him a stuffed bear (easy to stuff in a suitcase) and, of course, a photo album of his new family. I also took him a card the Iain had made for him. It was quite a moment to see his eyes as the coordinator with me translated Iain’s message to Alexander and explained it was a card from his brother…he clutched it to his chest with the biggest smile. He drew a picture for me to take home for Iain…it’s a hedgehog and a sunshine. Can’t wait for the 2 of them to meet, although I do not know yet when that will be. Soon, I hope.
I spent about six hours total over 2 days getting to play with Alexander. I also had hours of interaction with his doctors, helpers, caregivers, etc., as they told me all they could about him. He has been in their care since he was 11 months old, so it’s pretty much all he knows, but they feel, and so do I, that he is very well adjusted and on track for his age. I was SO impressed by the faces, the smiles, the tone of the people when they talked about Alexander! I couldn’t understand a word of what they said (it was interpreted for me of course) but I did not need to understand the language to know that they loved and cared for this child and that they wanted nothing but the best for him! They just glowed…what a statement, without words.
We played and laughed and played and laughed. He has a smile a mile wide! They told me it was ok to take pics, so I am going to assume its ok for me to post them.
At the end of the last visit, I know it would be weeks before I saw him again, but tried to just say goodbye as if I would be right back. Very hard, yet he would not understand it if I cried…I know the caregivers will tell him his mama will be there soon and tell him about the pictures I left and keep him from hurting too much. They have done this before and will keep him from wondering with their love. I, on the other hand, will have to count the seconds in my heart until I can come back again…

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

I am here!


Should get to meet Alex in the morning! The first place I was at had internet, but it seemed to come and go...didn't get much time online. And now I can not find one part of my adaptor, so I need to dig thru my bags!
Here is one of the pictures that I took from the plane. Will try to update more tomorrow, providing I find that adaptor!

Sunday, December 5, 2010

No Fear

I love flying. Today was a first, I think. Flying in the winter was so extraordinary. The bible tells us that looking upon God will be impossible, because the brilliance will be too bright. That is how I felt today, flying to meet my new son in Russia. Seeing the crop circles all white instead of green, not being able to tell where the mountain tops ended and the valley began, going above the clouds into the sunshine, leaving the white fluffy pillows below. As far as I could see was white! In every direction, bright white. There were hills of clouds, valleys, rivers, lakes, crops…I have never seen such a sight. I thought the clouds must be mimicking the earth underneath it, with all of the contours a perfect match—or maybe it’s just a little glimpse of God in all His glory, showing off some of His finest work---for anyone willing to look out the window into the brightness…it was truly incredible. It was so bright, the sun was so hot that after a while, I had to close the blind. Sadness. When we were getting ready to land, I opened the blind again to watch. I really do love seeing our great earth from above. We were still above the clouds, bathed in sunlight. If I looked out under the wing of the plane, I could see the shadow of our plane. Pretty cool. But even better, I could see a rainbow, a perfect circle, surrounding the shadow of the plane. What a show! I am, once again reminded beyond a doubt, that God in His wisdom has my life totally under control. No need for me to worry or fret. I am on my way to Russia to meet Alexander Thomas Hickey, my family loves me, and God has my back…NO FEAR! And Praises to the Lord most high!