I'm early this week

I know I'm early this week with my post. The mission team from church leaves this evening for their trip to Russia. Although I declined the chance to go along I still have a heavy heart about not going.

There is a very good chance that I won't ever see my Lida again. The trip is hard and the accommodations worse than hard. I know now that I'll never see my Sasha again. I get snippits of information through emails from people in and around the orphanage and it's said that he did not get appointed to the independent living program (I want to know why) and that he has been assigned to attend a tech school in a town about 105 miles NE of Ivanovo. Lida also tells me he will be living at the home of his father, who has multiple problems and makes it difficult to be around. I don't know where the father's house is located. It very well could be in that city, but if it's in Ivanovo, there's no way he would stay there. He'd be doomed to living in the dorms, which are deplorable. I pray that our dear Lord protects that young man. He has such high hopes of being in the military. He wants to be a jet pilot. This school will produce mechanics and laborers, not jet pilots. My heart is very sad about this. My dear Lida will keep me as informed as she can. She will ask around to see what she can find out for me.

I pray that the team travels safely and has a great time there. The population of the orphanage has changed. 85% of the kids are new and are in dire need of love, affection and attention. I know this team can give them that, at least for the time they are there.

God bless them.