Home: Mission Accomplished!!!!

On Thursday night Cari, Inna and Rada arrived exhausted from their very long trip.  A big group was there to meet them.  For Inna friends Vika, Katia and Zhayne were cheering her triumphant arrival joining them as an ex-orphan, joining a loving family in Virginia Beach, Uglegorsk FOREVER in the rear view mirror.  The shrieks of joy from Vika and Katia were heartfelt passionate expressions of liberty and shared history.  For Rada the outpouring of love was yet more overdue attention filling her cup.  Seeing the Uglegorsk alumni was great for her also.

Avie our  friend who serves as a missionary in Sevastopal, Ukraine was able to come to as her flight was put off until monday.  God Bless Avie, her ministry and above all her heart for orphans!

The girls are doing GREAT!!  Rada has been having a blast jumping on the trampoline, playing with our dogs Hobbs and Tucker (she is a big time animal lover), and going on errands with her Dad.  We also took her shopping for clothes (which she desperately needed) and on the way home went to the beach and of course had ice cream.  More cup filling for her... big time!  Inna has been very happily printing out many hundred photos and making up gift boxes for friend in Ukraine.  She has been less excited to go out as Rada, but still having fun on her own terms.  We went to church today for the first time all together.  Wonderful, and ironic (it was orphan sunday at our church), and we sat with Avie on her final sunday before returning to Sevestopal. Please pray her Visa will be approved to continue serving there long term.

Please pray for our bonding and integration with both Inna and Arianne.  Inna is missing her friends left behind.  Understandably hard for her.  Next step is to engage them in their school work and English education!

Friends and family welcoming home the Lance girls

Inna greeted by long time friend Zhenya

And Katya and Vika

Zhenya, Vika, Arianne, Inna and Katya all lived in Uglegorsk 

Orphanage for a time and now live in Virginia Beach

Arianne and Avie

Homecoming meal catered by Carolyn and Wiley

At home together at last!