Christopher Jahraus, his wife, and five children want to adopt Sashko, a 9-year-old Ukrainian orphan, into their family.  The Jahraus family hosted Sashko in their home last December as part of a pre-adoption program with Bridges of Faith, a non-profit in Alabama that helps orphans in Ukraine find homes with American parents.

Sashko has been diagnosed with fetal alcohol syndrome by a child psychologist at the American Medical Centers in Kyiv.  A doctor at the facility has supplied a letter that states the need for Sashko to be evacuated immediately.  “In my patient’s case,” the doctor wrote, “it is crucial not to postpone the psychiatric care as it will impair the prognosis badly.”

Jahraus sent the medical letter and all of the other required paperwork to the officials that handle adoptions and hosting programs in the Ukraine.  Anticipating approval for Sashko’s evacuation, he flew to Poland.

However, Jahraus received this response: “In accordance with instructions of the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine, the departure of children from Ukraine in the family of foreign nationals during hostilities is prohibited.”

Jahraus returned to Alabama last Sunday empty-handed.  “It hurts to acknowledge I don't have our precious Sashko with me," Jahraus wrote.  He stated he was feeling "deeply troubled" by the circumstances.

But the Jahraus family has not given up.  "We are working furiously and tirelessly to get the Ukrainian Minister of Social Policy to grant us a waiver to take Sashko home with us for six months," Jahraus said.  “I know that in a time of war, looking at the individual is nearly impossible.  But I don’t care.  It’s my kid." *

Because of our condition in sin, you and I need help desperately, whether we recognize it or not.  God loves us, and He longs for us to be adopted into His family so that He can care for us and provide us with the things we need.

God paid a great price to enable us to be adopted into His family and provide the solution for our greatest need: salvation from sin.  The price that was paid was the precious blood of His one and only Son, Jesus (1 Peter 1:18-19).  Jesus died on the cross for our sins so that we can receive the forgiveness of our sins, be adopted into God’s family, and ultimately live with Him forever in heaven (Romans 6:23; 8:15-17; Ephesians 1:7).

God will save from sin, adopt into His family, and give an eternal home to those who place their faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from their sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).  He will continue to cleanse from sin those who continue to walk in the light of His Word (1 John 1:7-9).

The only one who can prevent YOU from being adopted into God’s family is YOU.  Leave the “land” of sin and entrust your life to the heavenly Father through your trusting obedience.  Then God will welcome you home as His child.

-- David A. Sargent

* Information gleaned from “Ukraine boy's adoption stalls amid Russia's attacks: 'It's my kid,' Alabama man says” by Ann W. Schmidt, www.foxnews.com.

David A. Sargent, Minister

Church of Christ at Creekwood 
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama  36695

Archived issues of Living Water can be viewed and accessed from our website at: www.creekwoodcc.org