One month ago, after much prayer and consultation, Jackie and I decided to open our home to a new child. Angela, a 12 year-old Macedonian girl, will be moving in with us at the end of August!
Let me share the story as simply as I can, trying not to lose you in the details!
We have known Angela and her family for about 2 years, but only in the last 3-4 months have we been more intimately involved in her life, or more precisely, in the life of her mother, Riki. Angela's father died about 5 years ago in tragic circumstances. At that time her mother began a serious dive into alchoholism. 3 months ago, Angela's aunt felt led to bring Riki from their home village to Skopje. This aunt is a member of our church and a fine believer. We covenanted with her to help find Riki a job and to surround her with the love and support she would need to beat the alchoholism and get her life turn around.
Soon after arriving in Skopje with her 4 year-old son, Riki made a profession of faith in Christ and all seemed to be going well. Angela remained in the village with her grandparents till the end of the school year. Well, Riki's foray into sobriety was short-lived and she was soon back to binge drinking. It was quickly obvious that we were in over our heads.
As we were floundering, God was working in great ways! The very day that Angela arrived in Skopje, Riki met with counselors of a Christian substance abuse center in Croatia. They run a very rigorous program there and provide a work-study program as well as child-care for pre-school children. This was a real Godsend as it meant the 4 year-old could go with her. However, Angela would not be able to go. Lile, the aunt, is a single-mom with two kids of her own, all of whom live in a two-room apartment. Not two bedrooms, two rooms. So, the obvious problem was, "What to do with Angela?"
Very hesitantly, with true fear and trepidation, Jackie and I responded to what we believe to be God's will for us in this matter. We talked it over with our 3 kids and we all agreed that we can take Angela in to our home as part of our family. This is not an adoption or a legal foster situation. Rather, it is providing Angela with a home while her mom is healing up in Croatia. This could last for 1 1/2 to 2 years.
Angela's unstable childhood, and the fact that she is entering into adolescence, are only some of our concerns. Moving from a village to the big city will be tough for her. Not to mention moving from grandparents to living with Americans! Angela will face many changes and so will all of us!
We ask you to pray dilligently for all of us as we make this big adjustment. Angela has been with us for a week on a "getting-to-know-you" basis and it has been a good week. She is a really sweet kid and she and Rebekah have really hit it off well. She is also very good with the boys and seems to love them greatly. It has been easy having her here. During the next 5 weeks of summer, before school starts, she will be with us off and on, spending the rest of the time with her aunt and grandparents. Beginning Sept 1, she will be with us full-time. We have many things to work out: space in our home, getting her registered in school, etc.
One of our biggest prayer requests is that Angela is nearly totally blind in her left-eye. You would never notice this just looking at her, she functions very well despite this handicap. We have been told that there is a cure, but at this time we have no idea what that means or what it will take to heal her. Pray with us that God will make each step clear.
We really belive that God is using this time to teach us many things as a family, but more important, He is using this time to HEAL an entire family- Riki, Angela and her brother, Trache.
Pray!
Angela and Joshua Angela and Rebekah
