Inch by Inch

Good night from Ukraine...

This morning basically started in the same place where I finished the day, that is, outside the central passport office. But- there were many kilometers travelled in between and there was some forward progress made... Thanks be to God!

We submitted a fistful of documents to the "mystic portal" at the passport place at 9:00 AM. Then, after waiting for some thumbs up signal on what had been submitted thus far, and hearing that we bypassed the need to get the apartment manager's letter that we were originally told had to be obtained, we headed for the tax code office to get the 3 crucial numbers and of course the "stamps." Then it was on to the notary's office to begin to prepare a petition from each child, as represented by me, and backed up with a power of attorney letter from Vickie. The passport agency called Yuriy and indicated if we had the kids close by we could get them scanned today to get a step closer after we bring the notary letters. The oldest one, Kollin, will have to sign his own request because he is over 14. Well- that is a loaded comment from the passport agency. No- the kids are not close by, but we will sure do everything we can to get them close by. So off we go to the enchanted forest orphanage for the boys, and on the cell phone minutes to get "Ochi Dom" to send Kayla with a trusted friend of theirs in a taxi to meet us somewhere in the middle.
Between traffic and distance- this is a 2 hour adventure. Then, 1 hour at the Notary, and 30 minutes in traffic got us all back to the passport office. We placed papers into the mystic portal again, so we needed to wait. What can we do while waiting? Oh yes, Kory is with us, so we must find food. A Ukrainian salad and a pizza and a big orange drink seemed to calm down the little man.

Our facilitator looked up to see a rep from the passport office bringing a blue document into the tiny cafe where we sat...not a good sign. Seems that there was something that the passport police didn't like on the papers. Back we go to the notary. Back we go to the passport office. Now you find me at the place I described at the beginning of this blog post today. It was basically "quittin' time for the passport police" and so they said see you in the morning at 9 AM. Okay now, do I take everybody back home for tonight? More phonecalls ensued...and we got a one night pass to keep everyone with me until we officially check them out tomorrow from Orphanage care.

So- I sit in the tiny kitchen, hearing the iron door downstairs scrape open periodically, amazed that I have internet working in my apartment tonight, as my new (unofficially here) three kids sleep soundly just 5 steps away. Pray for tomorrow morning's passport session, and for quick delivery, and for our new ones to grow along with me through the steps that remain...

Blessings!
Chris

1 Peter 2:20 " For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated and you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God."