Love others!

Hello Everyone!

We just got home from having dinner with Misha and Luda here in Berdyansk. What a neat family they are. We started the day off with picking the girls up and coming back to the hotel. Luda was not feeling well today, so she took a nap while Dan took Galina and Nastia to the market for fruit.

After returning from the market, Luda seemed to be feeling a bit better and we went out to look for new shoes for the girls. Afterwards, we came back to the room and the girls got baths. They really enjoy the big bath tub.

5:45pm rolled around and it was time to take the girls back to the orphanage. After dropping them off, Julie and I went to Misha and Luda’s for borshch and grilled fish. What an amazing feast! We had a wonderful time visiting with our new friends in God. They truly are doing God’s work here in Ukraine by opening up their hearts and home for the orphans in the city.



(To the right: Luda making Borshch for Dan and Julie, Yum Yum!)

After dinner and dessert, we headed back to the hotel where we saw a homeless boy, about 14 years old, out in front of the hotel we have been seeing the past several days. He is not in an orphanage, and after asking the hotel front desk personnel about him, we learned that he lives on the streets. Right now, it is around 0 deg C every night and he has nothing but a light, worn-out, winter coat. Everyday, there are sights like this over here and it makes us realize how much we have and how much we take for granted in America. We want to do so much, and realize what we are doing here is just “the tip of the iceberg” of need around the world. That sounds pretty elementary, but it is necessary to tell ourselves that every day we go to the orphanage and see all of the lonely, lost, and desperate faces we pray one day will have a family. I guess God can open up your eyes even bigger when you are so far out of your comfort zone and have to totally rely on him for direction and support each day. John 13:34 “God has given me one new commandment that I should love others just as He has loved me.”

Thank you for all of your continued support and prayers. We ask that you all keep praying for all of the orphans here and all over the world. May God bless each and every one of you?

Blessings,
Dan and Julie