Prayer Requests

We covet your prayers on the following matters:

Misha's amputation went well!!- Please pray for quick healing, and the ability to be fitted for prosthetics afterwards.

Provisions for Adoption- We only have a few months in which we can raise the money necessary to adopt Misha. The United States only allows adoptions before the age of 16. Misha will turn 16 on May 9. This only gives us a few months in which to raise the nearly $27,000 that we are lacking, fill out the necessary documents, fly to Russia for two weeks, etc... Pray that God will cause everything to go smoothly.

Here is the cost breakdown for Misha's adoption (these are approximate figures):

Group A
*Adoptive home study- $1,200
*Approval of home study by agency- $2,500
*Submission of apostilled dossier to Russian agency $5,800
*Identification and approval of a child for adoption $3,500
*Prepayment fees for 4 post placement reports to Russian Government $2,000
*Fee to CIS for fingerprinting $ 830
Subtotal Group A $15,830

Additional International estimated cost for adoption

Group B
*Airfare (2 parents) to Moscow $4,000
*Airfare for adopted child $1,000
*Expenses while in Russia (Hotel, food, transportation, etc...) $5,000
*Additional Russian adoption fees
(Child's passport, orphanage support Medical exam etc....) $1,000

Subtotal Group B $11,000
Subtotal Group A $15,830
_______

Total $26,830

While these expenses seem beyond our personal reach, we are reminded that "With God all things are possible."

We have been encouraged to think that it would only take 2,700 people giving $10 each for us to raise the money needed. The only problem with that scenario is that we don't personally know 2,700 people.

Then it occurred to us. What if 27 churches could raise $1,000? Would that be too difficult? It would only take 40 members in each church giving $25 each!

We desperately need to get the word out, because there isn't much time. If your heart has been touched by our story (see previous posts), please tell your friends and loved ones. As you can see, we have much to do. God alone knows the plans He has for Misha and our family. We can only do our part to the best of our ability. This is a humbling place for us to be; asking our brothers and sisters in Christ for financial help.

However, because money is required for us to do what we believe God is calling us to, we send our request for help out to you. Our prayer has been that if this is God's Will, the money will be provided.

The Bible says in I Samuel 30:24 that "the share of the many who stayed with the supplies is to be the same as that of him who went down to the battle. All will share alike."

We believe that God will bless those who give towards the adoption of Misha, just as he will bless our family for all we invest in this young man's life.

James 1:27 "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world."

Many are not in a position to consider adopting a handicapped orphan. We have been blessed to have older children who are excited about helping us care for Misha. We could never care for him all by ourselves. Neither can we financially provide the funds required to adopt Misha by ourselves. We need your help! No gift is too small. Our God is capable of taking a few loaves and fishes; dividing them and feeding thousands. He can take even the smallest donations and multiply them to meet Misha's needs.

If you or your church would be interested in helping please contact us by email at helpmisha@yahoo.com for more information. You may also pay by debit card using the ChipIn form at the top of the page.

We are in the process of putting together a short DVD that could be shown at your church. If you have any other ideas that might help us find a way to keep this precious boy, please feel free to make suggestions.

God bless you all, and thank you for keeping us in your prayers!
Philip and Melissa

Off to the Lake

Misha eager to get into the water

Misha decides it's too cold and wants out

David, Josiah, and Esther get into the water

Misha decides the kids are having so much fun, he wants back in

Philip is having a hard time holding him because he's kicking so hard

Matt comes up with the idea of putting a noodle in the neck of the lifejacket

Misha goes wild with excitment so Philip decides he better get in with him

Yeowee!!! It's cold!!

Matt and Hannah glad they're on the dock

What a fun day!!! Thanks Craig and Rose for sharing your lake house with us. You really brightened this family's day. Especially, a certain young man who continually says, "Go back to lake tommorrow?"

The ride home was much quieter!

Trip to Furman University

Today we went to Furman University so that we could take family pictures for our Christmas card. We had taken some pictures a few weeks ago, but needed to include Misha. Trying to get a good picture of everybody is quite a challenge with a big family.

Given the size of our family, we're lucky that they had alot of bathrooms.

Trip to Biltmore

This morning we decided to take a field trip to George Vanderbilt's mansion on the Biltmore Estate. Last year, Stephanie had been hired by a couple to take their engagement pictures. They had paid for her visit to Biltmore and I had gone along just to keep her company. We had enjoyed our day there so much that we paid just alittle bit more for a yearly pass, since all our kids would be free. Our passes expire on Sunday, so we decided it would be fun to let Misha see how the wealthy live.

He's only comment about the house was that it was old. But he really enjoyed the petting farm and the ice cream we had. It was a wonderful day!

Camping

This is our favorite time of the year to go camping as a family. The air is cool and brisk making a nice campfire warm and cozy at night. We decided Misha must experience this part of our fall family activities...


...but our weekends are packed full until his surgery on October 21st. Our solution was to just set up the tents in our front yard. Since we live out in the country and are surrounded by woods and wildlife, we thought the adventure would be fun yet, close to all the conveniences of home, should we need to retreat. We all dressed warmly and filled the tents with warm blankets and a few air cushions for those of us with bad backs. The boys slept in the middle tent which is the largest, and the girls where in a tent on one side and Philip and I in another tent on the other side of the boys.

After we were all snuggled in someone started saying goodnight to everybody the "Walton" way. After a few minutes Misha chimmed in saying, "Goodnight dad, goodnight mom, goodnight crazy Stephanie, goodnight Maggie (our dog), goodnight Cindy (our chicken), goodnight bearded chicken (our rooster)." We all giggled listening to his sweet but very thick Russian accent. He really loves making us laugh. I went to sleep that night feeling so content and happy.

Misha enjoyed our camping adventure so much that he's dragging us all back out there again tonight. As I sit here typing I can hear the fun I'm missing. My back is sure to be sore tommorrow, but I'd be a fool to trade this experience for all the soft warm comforts of my bed.

Goodnight everybody!

The Cowboy

Today there were a couple celebrations. First, it is Josiah's 12th birthday! Even though we had celebrated it the night before we wanted to find a few things we could do to make today special for him. Also, today marks our first completed week with Misha. So many wonderful things have happened this first week.

We decided to take our first trip to Walmart today. I needed to get a few items for Misha, and the kids needed more ammo for their nerf guns. While browzing through the toy aisle Misha had so much fun seeing the abundance of toys on the shelves. He found a pistol he wanted so it went in the buggy. We also decided to get a nerf soccer ball since my girls have bruises on their legs from the hard blows they've received from their games with the boys. When we got home the kids had fun dressing Misha like a cowboy and getting some pictures. He's really becoming a "ham" in front of the camera. He has gotten to where he'll say, "Steph, get your camera."

A Mother's Love

Tuesday was our first official day of school together. Stephanie worked with Misha, while I home-schooled all the others. It was a good day! Steph went to the library and found a language program for Misha to use on the computer. She also found one for us, so that we can all learn alittle Russian along the way.

My parents and Heather came up for dinner so we celebrated Josiah's 12th birthday a day early. After opening presents, Matt built a bonfire and we all sat around and sang songs. A really neat thing happened during all these events. We had been sitting around the computer watching a few funny video's on you-tube. Misha was standing in front of me and I leaned forward and just gave him a big hug. He backed up snug against my legs so we sat there for a long time just snuggled together with him on his knees in front of me. After a while, I felt like his knees might be getting tired so I asked him if he wanted to sit in the chair. He responded that he didn't. I then asked if he would like to sit in my lap, and he shook his head that he did. As I went to lift him onto my lap he practically jumped up onto it. We sat for hours with me just holding him. How much he must be starving for a "Mother's love".