Five loaves and two fish . . .

Hi everyone,
I know I have taken some days off from writing, but I needed time to gather my thoughts and spend time in prayer. Because we are going through this process in a "quick" fassion, some days I need to slow down, and make sure I am drawing near to Him. In doing that, all seems to be refocused for me, and I can actually think more clearly again. We have had many friends with excellent ideas of how to raise more funds for this journey and we want to thank everyone. Please know that we wish they all worked out, but sometimes His plan is different than ours, and we are trusting that there is a reason for each persons heart being affected and wanting to help, but it isn't always going to be the way we think. I do believe He is calling His church as a whole to become more aware of orphans, and how you can be part of rescuing them even if not in your own home, but adopting them into His family, the church. . . and He has sent us on this mission for a purpose. I know that we are so blessed by the lovingkindness of others each time we hear from them. Everyones prayers are being heard and encouraging and strengthening us. We truly believe God knows the timing of when the funds are coming, and how, and we need to trust in that. Please continue to share with us, all ideas and contacts because we believe He uses these opportunities for us to share our story which may in turn be a testamony we were meant to share. ;0)

The newest updates would be:

SPAGHETTI LUNCHEON now being organized. Donations needed for silent auction, and dessert table. The event is Saturday, April 10th, at the First United Methodist Church of Brewer, and there will be 2 seating times, 1:00 and 2:30. We are preselling tickets due to the 2 seating times, at $5.00 each. We hope the silent auction and desserts will bring in extra donations. We could use people who want to help with serving and cleaning up as well. Just give me an email or a call. If you want to purchase tickets, you can do that through this site if you want, just make sure you tell us which seating time you want, and we can send tickets, or hold them in your name at the door. I am really excited to just spend time being surrounded by friends and family who want to support us and Krystyna.

FAMILY PHOTO'S is in the works. We do not have a date or time yet. It will be by donations and you will get a disk you can take to Walmart or home and print the ones you love the most. If you are interested, drop us an email and we will put your name on the notification list for appointments.

YARD SALE will be happening when weather is better in Bangor, but we are more than happy to pick up donations if you have something you want to donate and need it out of your house now.

BOTTLES AND CANS add up! JR Redemption Center in Brewer on your way to Calvary Just after the old Brewer Fire Dept., across from Cowans gas station, have set up an account in support of bringing Krystyna home. They have a big poster in their window, so you will know you are at the right place. Just tell them you are donating for the "adoption fund" and they will take care of it. They are a wonderful family who just want to help. We will also come pick them up, just let us know. One Saturday we went to 4 peoples homes and turned in 27.00 worth of cans. It really does help.

I guess that is all for updates at this time. I am going to ask you to pray for our son David, because he has a huge desire to go to the Ukraine and stay to work in the Orphanages this summer. We are going to ask some missionary friends from Maine that have been doing just that for years if it is possible. Jon and I will need to take two trips, so it is possible he could go with us, then stay, and then come home when we go back in 3-5 weeks to pick Krystyna up. I wish the family could all go and stay that long, but Jon's job will not allow that much time. We found out that Jon and I need to go for two weeks. Then we will have to wait from 3-5 weeks for all Krystyna's paperwork to be fixed and completed and then we go back for 1 week and bring her home. Not what we were hoping for, but God will use it for His purpose.

The title today, 5 loaves and 2 fish was because that Scripture really hit me Tuesday. I thought about how what we think isn't enough, God can make work. Sometimes we can also think "we" aren't good enough for a mission. The thing that really stuck in my mind though was just thinking about "bread" being the Word of God. I just kept visualizing someone who is blessed with knowing it, sharing bits and pieces to the crowd of people who were so "hungry" and in need of "food." In Mark 6:37 Jesus said, "You feed them." to His disciples. They replied with "With what?" and Jesus says, "How much do you have? Go and find out." They find out they have 5 loaves and 2 fish and we know the story how they sit in groups, etc. Jesus looked up to heaven and asked God's blessing on the food. It is God's blessing on His Word that multiplied the bread and fish. 5,000 men, not to mention woman and children, had eaten from "how much do you have,(5 loaves and 2 fish).

So, I guess the question I am pondering and hope you do as well is, "How much do You have? Go and find out." What have you been blessed with that God wants you to offer freely to others. We can be sent out on missions to a "hungry" world, locally or far away. I pray the Lord will bless our trip and daily life in the same way He blessed Jesus's prayer on the food. I pray we will all be used to advance His Kingdom here on earth.

I hope that made some sense. Just thought I would share it.
Wishing you and your families a blessed day.

PRAYER . . .

Prayer is the greatest gift we can give to anyone. Of course, if someone needs food, clothes, and a place to live, those needs must be met. But in giving that way, we mustn't neglect to pray for them as well. Material things are temporary, but our prayers for another person can affect them for a lifetime.

Today this was the prayer of the day in my Stormie Omartian calendar. What a great reminder for us all. As you continue to bless us with your prayers for Krystyna and our family, here are some photo's of her orphanage in the Ukraine. It isn't about the "material things" from our family, but it is about her knowing the love we can give, and knowing the love of Jesus.

Hope that is in me . . .

Today, I am up and the sun is shining. We had a busy day of meeting with International Adoption Agency and Homeland Security. We had lots of questions answered and our paperwork is moving forward. We spoke with a woman who has been trying to adopt since 2006, and was to be finally leaving March 10th to go get her child. Her previous country had closed and other circumstances had changed the direction of her path.

Everything for Krystyna's adoption has been going quite quickly so far. We are verifying all information and contacts, and it was reassuring when Homeland Security explained why we had to do one extra form, other friends did not do until they were in the country the child was coming from. It all has to do with her critical age of 16! If we had not listened and filed these forms when asked, she would no longer be available to come to the United States. Thank you Lord for giving us a peace about submitting those documents on time.

I love the prayer of the day from Stormie today. Even though it is posted on the side, I want to share it here as well. It says:

Lord, help me to serve You the way You want me to. Reveal to me any area of my life where I should be giving to someone right now. Open my eyes to see the need. Give me a generous heart to give to the poor. Help me to be a good steward of the blessings You have given me by sharing what I have with others. Use me to touch the lives of others with the hope that is in me.


That is my prayer for today and always. Help us Lord to be focused on others and not self. Keep our hearts open that we may have compassion and love for others, our eyes open, that we may see the needs all around, and our ears open, to hear their cry for help and Your guidance in how to act. Help us to be good stewards of what You have given us in a way that pleases You. Thank you for all you have blessed me with, and I pray that Krystyna has hope, as she waits on us to bring her home.

Have a great, sunny, blessed day!