Dear Friends,

We are hanging in there over here in Siberia.  The snow is falling
fast today, and it is beautiful.  Our weekend was good.  We spent time
with Iris and Tim Loomans and their two little boys.  They are
missionaries who minister to the approximately 42 native people groups
who live around Siberia.  It is amazing work they are doing, and they
have lived in Russia for 10 years!  We spent most of the afternoon
with them on Saturday at their house, and they took us to their
church, a Russian baptist church, on Sunday.  The whole service was in
Russian, but Iris (who speaks four languages fluently!) translated
much of it.  Even in the parts we could not understand, we felt the
Holy Spirit moving in that church.  Getting to hang out with the
Loomans has definitely been a huge blessing during this trip, and it
has helped the time pass more quickly.  Peet even tried out their
cross country skis – his first time to try this – videos are
available!

That being said, the last few days have been somewhat frustrating for
us.  We did not get to see Elena Saturday, Sunday or Monday (Monday
was Russian Woman’s Day – the second biggest holiday in the country
next to New Year’s).  We were able to visit yesterday, but we think
that she is getting weary of these visits.  Honestly, we are getting
weary too.  She just did not seem as happy as she has in the past.  We
think this is all very confusing to her.  She has been told by
everyone that she is going to America with her Mama and Papa, but
trying to explain the 10 day waiting period to a three-year-old is, we
are sure, impossible.  We are not getting to see her today because our
facilitator is busy with another family who just arrived for their
first trip.  So, that means two more visits, and then, if all goes
according to plan, we will get her on Saturday.

Another frustrating thing that is happening today is with the video
sermon we are trying to record for the Cathedral on Sunday.  Things
were going well with it; our friend Tim, the missionary, helped us get
the video clips done on Monday.  Now, we are having a lot of trouble
getting the videos to transmit via the Internet.  We did not have this
trouble earlier in the trip with some other videos we sent, so we
would appreciate your prayers for this technology to work!

Thank you so much for your prayers for us.  I suppose it is only to be
expected that weariness would begin to set in at this point in the
trip.  We are trying to learn a few Russian phrases now (it is not an
easy language), so please pray for our communication with Elena once
she is with us all the time.  Also, please pray for her during this
most confusing time in her life – that she would be at peace as best
she can.  We also have seen many other precious little children during
our visits to the orphanage.  The adoption process in Russia is
getting increasingly difficult, and as we see these little ones every
day, our heart goes out to them.  We do not know their stories, not
every child is available for adoption, but they are certainly all
precious in God’s eyes.  Please pray for them – our hearts are
burdened for these innocent children.  Pray that despite the
difficulties with the process, more people would be moved to adopt.

We love all of you, and we cannot wait to get home!

Love,
Jenny and Peet