Welcome to Home

Will you just look at the smile on Olesea's face. I've never seen her smile this big before. As I look at this picture and think about what to say my mind keeps going back to the picture of Tammy and Olesea posted just a couple of stories below. The first picture was taken in Moldova in December...when we had no idea what the future would hold. Tammy and her family were taking a shot in the dark and praying a great deal. I can only imagine what Olesea was thinking and praying.

The picture above was taken around 5:00 pm on Friday, August 12, 2005....the day Olesea came to Nashville...the day she came to home. It was nothing short of a miracle. For those of us who've been to Moldova we understand just how much of a miracle it is. In a country which does little to nothing for their orphans, whose females are heavily targeted and trafficked for sex slavery, in a country which stubbornly grants visas to their citizens....a young girl from an orphanage was given an eleventh hour visa and became the first orphan in the country to be granted this opportunity. A miracle indeed. God, we thank you for this and for letting so many of us watch this amazing event unfold.

We commit to pray for Tammy and Jerry, each of their four children and now this, their fifth. As friends and I have talked over the last 15 hours we have marveled at the things Olesea must be thinking as she comes to a place like America....at how many firsts she'll have here. She's already been on her first airplane ride (and loves to push all the buttons), last night she slept in a bed, not a metal cot with broken springs and a 50-year old mattress, today maybe she ate her first bowl of cereal. Who knows!

I ask you to pray for Olesea and her new surroundings in this way: stop and imagine you are her. Imagine you have never seen life in this place and have never experienced all you are so familiar with. See how much wonder it brings you, watch as daily life takes your breath away or gives you trepidation or as your eyes grow big from looking at your old surroundings in a new light. I did this on the drive home from the airport and again this afternoon and it truly led me to pray in an incredible way. There is much to pray for and seeing things from Olesea's eyes is a great way to try to begin.

So, congratulations Tammy and Jerry and the fam on your new big bundle of joy. We'll be praying for all of you.

Godspeed,
Jen and company