Dear Friends,
we had tickets to fly to Russia today. Now we have a new plan. Deanna's bike accident rearranged our schedule. For a while it seemed we were going two directions at once, now we actually are. Deanna won't be able to travel for another five to seven weeks. So Tonya will stay in the States with the kids while Cecil goes and takes care of some things in Russia. He will leave in one week, on Saturday, and be in Khabarovsk for four weeks. Then he will return and the whole family will go to Russia together. We don't like being apart, but it looks like this will be the best under the circumstances.
There has been an outpouring of concern and sympathy for Deanna. Thank you so much for your prayers, they are being answered. Deanna is healing very well. She's only able to eat mush, but some mush isn't bad, especially the milkshakes and smoothies. She's not in pain any more. She's sleeping a lot at night, active during the day, and less worried about her chin than we are.
We really have sensed the presence of the Lord through all of this, and He has been good to us. Our schedule got thrown to the wind, so we just started living day by day, and everything has worked out. There are many bumps in the road of life, and this was just one of them.
We've been doing a repacking of suitcases: get out the homeschooling stuff since we need that now, put other books in Cecil's for him to leave in Russia, etc. But all of that is just details. Deanna's chin will heal, we will all get back to Khabarovsk, our ministry will continue, and our family will be stronger because of it.
One of the main goals for Cecil's trip to Russia is to submit an application for him to get a resident permit for Russia (much like our American "Green Card"). There is a lot involved with this, and it will take much of his four weeks to get everything ready. The complete medical examination will be a special nightmare of it's own. Other documents must be prepared, translated, and finally submitted. When everything is submitted it will take the Russian government a while to look it over (maybe six months or more). When issued, the resident permit will allow him to stay in Russia without need for a visa. Please pray for this whole process, which Cecil will start as right after arriving in Khabarovsk.
Please pray for Tonya as she leads homeschool and watches the family while Cecil is gone (September 12 until October 7).
Thank you so much for your prayers and your support.
Because of Him,
Cecil, Tonya, Timothy, Vera and Deanna
