Latvia day 5 - A Bit of a Rant & a Bit of the Zoo

Someone posted this video on Facebook today, and I feel compelled to share it here.  As you probably are aware this has become something I am passionate about.  We should feel something. We should do something.  I agree, not everyone should adopt but we are all commanded in the Bible to care for the fatherless, the widow, and the foreigner.  If the "church" was really stepping up to this command, do you think there would still be more than 145 million orphans in the world today?  I don't think so... I think we have let down our post on this one.  We have failed these children.  We have not been Jesus to them, and most days we don't even think about them.

This has been on my mind a lot the last few days, as we get reacquainted with our daughters.  They are 5 years old and have NEVER been a part of a family.  Why?  They are great girls! They are funny, smart, and beautiful!!! Why have they been living their lives tucked away in an orphanage with people who are paid to take care of them, but have no family to love them?  It breaks my heart.  And I know there are many more just like them wasting away in institutions with no hope for a future unless the church STEPS UP!!!!!!  Pray for these children, go on a mission trip and reach out to them, sponsor kids, HOST orphans in your home (ask me for details!), give money to other families who are adopting - there are lots of ways you can help!  Jesus's heart breaks for these children, and ours should too.  So many of the children at the girls' orphanage just wanted us to notice them, to touch them! To bend down and give them a smile and a touch.  I don't know... there just seems like there is so much more we can be doing that is not getting done.

I know, I might have lost some of you already while I was on my soapbox.  But that is what is on my mind today, so I wanted to get it out.  Now I will recap our day!

We all woke up around 8 am, had breakfast, and got ready.  Jon and I decided we would take the girls to the zoo today.  We had to walk a few blocks through the city to catch the tram.  The tram ride was maybe 1/2-hour to the zoo.  While we were riding it, we went through the neighborhood that the girls' orphanage is in - we actually passed the street - and the girls recognized it.  They started to get worried and asked us something with the word "grupa" in it... the same word they were asking us yesterday on the way to the hospital.  I am sure it has to do with group home or something similar that they were saying.  I felt so bad... I just wonder if in their little heads they think they might have to go back there again?  We reassured them that we were going to the zoo, but they didn't look convinced until we got farther away.  I can't imagine the fear they must have felt.  Not that where they were living is bad - they were actually very well taken care of there - but still...

We got to the zoo and both of the girls were saying, "no zoo" - they just wanted to go to the playground.  I have no idea if they have ever been to the zoo or not, but they were clearly not excited.  We started walking around and looking at the animals.  Vika was pretty unimpressed with everything we saw.  I do think Mila was more interested.  They both watched the people around us more than the animals!  There were some animals there that I had never heard of, which was interesting.  And get this: they had an exhibit of squirrels!  It cracked me up!  I think Vika liked the giraffes the best and Mila like the bear.  I had packed our lunch to eat there at the zoo, so after a bit we sat on a bench in the shade and ate sandwiches, a banana, and some animal crackers (no offense intended, animals).  I think we spent about 3 hours walking around looking at the animals - and people - then took the tram back home.

The girls were pretty tired when we got home, so I was ready to have them nap.  All of a sudden there was crying and whining that they didn't eat lunch today!  We tried to remind them of what we ate and where, but they were determined that that was not lunch! These girls will eat and eat and eat if we let them.  I think at the first orphanage they were at there might not have been enough food, so they have a bit of a problem knowing when to stop eating and trust that there will be food again for a next meal.  I got them to lie down and they "napped" for about an hour and a half.  This included playing with dolls, singing and jumping on the beds (which I did put a stop to). 

When I said that nap time was over Mila came out very happy and chatted away with Jon and I for about an hour!  Vika, on the other hand, was moody about something and would hide and just look at us.  She would make a noise like "hmph" to let us know that she was still there (arms folded, head down, pouty-faced) and still not happy! She would come over and sit with us when we called her, but she wasn't interested in trying to tell us what was wrong.  I guess I got a glimpse of her as a moody teenager (yikes!).  She finally changed her attitude when Jon pulled out the computer and played them his music videos.  We also showed them a dance video that had Ty and Devon in it. 

Dinner tonight was leftover chili.  I baked potatoes as well and put the chili on top of it.  The girls again ate it all up!  Then baths and yogurt.  They wanted to watch a movie, which is something we have been doing before bed.  We put in a cartoon DVD and before it was over both girls said they were tired and ready for bed.  They actually told us they were ready for bed!!! We tucked them in and they went right to sleep.

After we knew they were asleep, I walked around the corner to "the bakery from heaven" and picked up two eclairs for Jon and I.  It only cost us $1 US... I want to know why bakeries in other countries are so inexpensive and delicious and American bakeries are expensive and use imitation ingredients? So not fair... (I know, boys - if you are ready this you are saying, "you always tell us life isn't fair!")  So, that was our day.  The Olympics start in a few hours, and I have no idea if I will stay up or not.  We are 2 hours ahead of London, so they don't start here until 11 pm.  I might have to watch the opening ceremonies tomorrow online.  I think we have a free weekend, and "only" 14 days left in the country (although we would go home sooner if we could)!

Father, break my heart for what breaks Yours.