Christmas in America
As many of you know MIR partners on a hosting program with New Horizons for Children over 5 years now. This program had its ups and downs, has been through so many changes in terms of management, reporting to Russian government and orphanages participating. When we learnt this fall most orphanages have a concern about H1N1 and would wait till summer to participate, I was wondering if it was worth even tryin to get any of the children to come. I asked Mike to help me discern this and he had a feeling some children would still be able to come. Two months later when Katya and I were siting in US consulate and I was having a moment of discouragement, she said: remember, some children should come so this is what we are here for.
So, December, 13 was the day 8 children arrived to US and were picked up at the airport by their host families. When I called the children through the next couple of days to check in with them, all of them told me it was absolutely awesome. Welcome party at amusement center, and the Nutcracer show at Fox Theater were the highlights of this week for those staying in families in Atlanta area. I am very blessed to be able to come with the group and experience for myself what a gift of family is. I can testify God has given me a family in USA and fills in the emptiness that I have since the time my mother is gone. I’m glad more then anything else Christmas becomes a relationship experience for me and the children.