Happy birthday to Jacob----and planting seeds

Monday was Jacob's 19th b-day...He loves meat. Any kind and so we bought "real" steaks instead of top round - marinated to death. Boy they were delicious and much appreciated . He even had enough left over to take for his lunch the next day to work. He was one of the first children we adopted . He has been home now for 8 yrs from Russia. Because of him we actually stepped into international adoption out of foster care to adopt domestically. He had severe scoliosis - a curve of over 103 degrees. He had a huge hunch on his back but after 3 major back surgeries at Hopkins they have corrected his curve to 23 to 30. He does not have the severe migrane headaches he used to and basically plays all sports well and can do anything. He has 2 metal rods in his back that will set metal dectectors off ( we have cards from our surgeon to show when we do). He came from the Chechnya region - Vladikavkaz, Russia. It is a very dangerous area. They recently had a suicide bomber at their market who killed innocent people. In 2008 there was a suicide bomber on a bus in the same city. Then in 2003 the Beslan school was held hostage and several children were killed- When we traveled to adopt him ( Lily and Isaac came from here as well) we were warned about the danger. We were locked in double doors and not allowed to go out ourselves at all. We traveled to and from the orphanages to visit the children for 31 days. In some ways it was hard but in others we loved the area and the people we worked with ( the facilitation team for Frank Adoption Agency -Frederick , Maryland). We stayed in one of their apartments and they would come ever day to cook lunch and dinner for us. Other than our translator the husband and wife could not speak English. We were instant friends with all 3 and I had the privledge to share my faith with them. I even gave Elena our translator my Bible. Sometimes at Christmas we exchange cards but often I return to our precious times of being locked up and given an opportunity to share about the Lord. We have been able to do this on all of our adoption journeys and what a joy to share our saviors love for orphans and for people with the very people who help us with our adoption journeys. We brought Jacob home 8 yrs ago but hopefully we also planted some seeds in the hearts of those we were around.