Bill describes nine year old Masha as a cross between Little Orphan Annie and Helen Keller. She is an orphan who our friends adopted this last month. Because they encountered some bureaucratic difficulties in trying to take her home, she lived with us for a few weeks while her new passport was being processed. Masha was always happy and eager to go to America, very excited about her new cat, dog, swing in the backyard and the 2 brothers and sister that awaited her. She was always singing and doing cartwheels – really irrepressible – you might expect her to break out into “Tomorrow, tomorrow” in Russian at any moment. Like Helen Keller before Anne Sullivan got her under control, Masha was somewhat uncivilized. She didn’t want to brush her teeth, insisted on making her own eggs (some cracked on the floor), didn’t know about washing hands after the bathroom, explored everything, pushed all buttons (including mine) and was quite stubborn and defiant at times. As most of the orphans in Ukraine, she had had few rules and likely had even less with her mother before being abandoned by her a year ago.Our weeks with Masha were quite a challenge and I will admit the first morning when I woke up knowing that we were in charge, I was scared.
Here was a little girl who did not hesitate to fold her arms and say “Nyet!” and had a tendency to run wild in public. I kept repeating Philippians 4:13 over and over to myself. With the Lord’s help, we made it and grew attached to her in the process. She went home a few days ago and we just saw her on Skype. We were happy to hear that she is adjusting well in California. And we have one more grandchild, but this one calls us Babucya and Deducya.
Pasha is a godly young man who has moved into our apartment to tutor us in Ukrainian. We are trying to have a Ukrainian speaking household this fall, although it is difficult as he also speaks very good English. The temptation when we want to speak about anything important is to go to English to get our point across.Fall ministries are starting up. Outreach English classes start next week, we are involved in helping with a kid’s club on Saturday mornings, and Bill is preparing to teach a class at the Bible College here. Nona, our landlord and a young Dr., has also requested to have English instruction at our home. Please keep these ministries in your prayers.
Psalm 28:7 The Lord is my strength and my shield;
My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped;
Therefore my heart greatly rejoices,
And with my song I will praise Him.
