Well...

For those who have had our adoption journey dvd on hold, you can hit the play button and you will see us following our contrail route back through the skies to land here in Kiev yesterday. Chilly and cloudy skies with mixed snow and rain met us at the airport. We drove with our facilitator back into town and settled in for the night at Karson’s Ukrainian apartment on the left bank.

We rose from our unconscious sleep to head across town for court today at 2 pm. It was like a reunion of sorts, with people converging from every area of Kiev. There was our facilitator, inspectors from 2 regions, orphanage representatives from 2 regions, a director from the SDA, a prosecutor for the state, 2 jurors/witnesses, and of course our 3 children, all with freshly scrubbed faces. We began our proceeding with the basic questions and roll call. No hitch there. Only one thing was slightly out of place- the director of girl ‘k’s orphanage was not available, so she had sent a representative with a letter. No big deal we thought, but this led to an awkward pause when the judge zeroed in on the wording of the document from “girl k”s’ orphanage. She questioned everyone in the courtroom to ask if we had a problem with a representative standing in for the director (with power of attorney) from girl k’s orphanage being in the hearing. We all said that was no problem, even the 2 jurors/witnesses. Then within 5 seconds, the judge spoke some rapid Ukrainian words, and our facilitator said, “she is telling us to leave and come back on Wednesday March 25th when you have the director and the correct paper from the girl’s orphanage.” All we heard next was the sound of shuffling papers and moving chairs, and lots of quiet Russian mumbling.

We sat for a few minutes in disbelief after the judge swiftly moved out of the courtroom, leaving us all staring at each other. Frankly, both Vickie and I felt nauseated and confused, wondering what just happened. The next few moments for us was really just a blur of words and confusing looks from our children and our facilitator and the people who ventured across town to be present for this court. It seems that the lack of some wording in the document has burned gas money, subway tokens, hot water, taxi fares and people’s time. We don’t know what to say at this point, but God is not unaware of our circumstances, and He is sovereign over time and events. We will apparently wait until Wednesday to try this plan again to have court, so we ask you to pray along with us for strength and victory in the days ahead.

Blessings,
Chris, Vickie, and Kelsey

James 1:2-3 “Consider it all joy my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith, produces endurance.”