Please join us today in celebrating God’s amazing favor!

Court went well; and we were proclaimed the proud parents of Kristina Lee & Alyona Karen Loecher!!! I am actually drafting this note on my laptop as we are headed back from Balta to Odessa. Then, I’ll quickly pack to catch the train to Kiev. Tomorrow I will go to the U.S. Embassy to process some paperwork in preparation for when Lynn and the girls get to come, then I will catch a flight for home on Friday morning. Barring any unanticipated volcanic ash delays, I should arrive back in Jackson on Friday night.

Lynn will have to remain in Ukraine for three to possibly four weeks. The first ten business days are a normal waiting period to allow for potential appeals to the court decision. Then, in between several Ukrainian holidays, Lynn and Oles will be working to finish processing all the paperwork necessary to bring the girls home.

Thank you for all your prayers to date! Many days have been trying for us, but it has been almost surreal to live through this experience and observe God’s hand moving in & through the multitude of situations. Even today, we went into court wondering if the prosecutor might choose to object to this adoption. Once more, though, we were amazed when we learned that the girls’ father had actually drafted a petition to the Ukrainian government, before he died, expressing his desire for the girls to be adopted. No one: social workers, prosecutor, not even our facilitator, knew of this existence of this formal petition. Everyone was surprised when the Balta Orphanage Director pulled it out of Alyona’s official file and read it in court. Coupled with the letters from Grandma and the uncle, we had a very compelling case. We were absolutely astounded when the prosecutor stood up and even she said she felt it was in the best interest of the girls for the adoption to occur. As the judge was reading her decision Lynn starting crying tears of joy, which caused the judge to start crying, too. She ended by wishing us health & wellness. She also remarked how much the girls resembled Lynn & I and said maybe that was confirmation God had intended us to be a family all along.

Praising JESUS from Ukraine!!!

Tim, Lynn, Kristina, & Alyona