Amazing

The Reece's Rainbow Team is so amazing and works so hard to help families and kids! We have a passport for Sergei....and should be able to get the required stamp on Monday...so not100% yet but I did book tickets for Tuesday!!!! We will get Sergei to the hospital and get him started on the right track health wise and then Brian can get some work in and recover from his trip and then Crosby's court should be ready to go!!!!!! God is faithful and thank you all for such wonderful support and love!!! A big thank you to many people helping with our grant and funds!!! More updates soon. Sergei continues to be uncomfortable but we will continue to pray for his health. He is a beautiful child that has survived so much already!!! I cant wait to meet him!!!! Hope I can drive to the airport...I am going to be way over excited!!!!

Another Wrench

First I have to apologize for my blog not being full of pics and great backgrounds or blog buttons! I am soooo bad with technology! I don't know how to do these things...UGH! I can now get pics off my computer but not from my ipad, which has all the pictures!! Praying for help with this and my brain! lol....

Brian made it to the Embassy .....but no passport!!! due to major transition in government...no more passports being processed which equals no leaving the country and not coming home! The embassy is involved and we might get more info later today! PRAYING!!! The Reeces Rainbow team has been more than awesome!!! They deserve such a huge thank you for ALL the things they do to help families and kids! I will try to get back on later and let you know what we find out. even though Brian is basically out of vacation time, our biggest concern right now is Sergei's health. We serve a Mighty God and He does have a plan!!!! AMEN!

www,reecesrainbow.org/sponsorharlin

More Delays

Brian and Natalie and Sergei are on the train again having to leave behind Crosby. He is still in the orphanage because there is still no court. He is in a very good baby house and is well fed. He is safe until age 4 years when the kids are then sent to a very sad and horrible place. He will not understand what happened to his daily visits. Because of political issues court is delayed for quite some time. It might be a month or two yet. This will make a third trip for Brian. He has been gone for almost 2 months. We are praying for Sergei's passport to arrive in the next day or two so Brian can get him back to the US and to the hospital. He is six and only weighs 20 pounds and wearing a newborn size diaper. He is at high risk for refeeding syndrome which can be fatal and needs to be treated and checked at a hospital as an inpatient. Sergei is such a joy but he is starting to have a lot of discomfort with his stomach. He also has a shunt that needs to be rechecked. at this time he cannot sit up or even hold his head up but we have faith that he will make a lot of progress once in better shape. Extra time in country and an extra trip has put our expenses above our estimation. We do have a $500. matching grant. we need about $400. more. We have less than 2 weeks to get this matched. You can donate at www.reecesrainbow.org/sponsorharlin  thank you! so many people have helped us out already and a lot of people that don't even know us! We appreciate prayers as well and as soon as we get Sergei home and stabilized, I will post some pics! Crosby update will come when we have some news! thank you all!

FREEDOM

Freedom for Sergei! Today is a day of great rejoicing but also a day of sorrow! Sergei is now safe with Brian and my daughter Natalie! They are now in a safer region! But there are many children that got left behind that had families working towards adopting them and rescuing them from a life of neglect and starvation. This is due to a new country coming in and taking over this region! This country forbids Americans and a lot of other countries from adopting, so the children suffer! There are also a lot of families grieving right now that they will not be able to bring their child home. So while I am so grateful for our little Sergei, I am also sad. Sergei is possibly the last child to escape a life sentence in a mental institution from this area in the world! And when you see little Sergei the way he is now it breaks your heart. He has severe burns on his thighs. A size 3 diaper is way too big. Remind you he is 6 1/2 years old. He literally looks like a skeleton. Bless his heart. He is so happy despite his condition. Now we have to wait for court for Crosby. Usually court is within 2 weeks of your appointment but it has been over a month! This means a lot of extra time in country and extra funds needed but we serve a mighty God and know he has these details figured out!

A Time for Prayer

After being gone a month, Brian was able to fly home for a week and get some work done. No court for Crosby still! We are praying for this to happen this week but we will see! Brian must attempt to get into the region that Sergei is in to pick him up....main problem transport systems closed down due to invasion of the area and major conflict!! Praying for safety and for God to make a way where no way exists. Sergei did have court on the 6th and passed but then there is a mandatory ten day wait before you can take your child! Now he is stuck!! We serve a mighty God and so many people are praying!! Thank you. We so appreciate everyone's prayers!! God will move mountains!! Crosby has changed so much from Brian's first visit with him. You can even see it in his pictures. He interacts with Brian now and laughs and he even looks like he has grown. I am sure Crosby wonders what happened to Brian since he hasn't seen him for over a week! This makes me sad because he doesn't know and is too little to understand. Brian had a lot less time with Sergei. He is in a different region and his orphanage only allows visits once a day and none on the weekend. Brian had Sergei touch his whiskers on his face and then he put Sergei's hand down and guess what?? He reached back up all by himself and touched Brian's face again!! Can't wait to see all of this little guys potential......Now we need to get him out!!PRAY!!! If you feel led to help with the financial burden of the adoption and rescue of these 2 little miracles, you can donate at www.reecesrainbow.org/sponsorharlin

So Many more Steps to Freedom!

Brian has been gone now for over 3 weeks. We are still waiting for court dates! There have been some issues due to conflict in the country! Relatives are calling me to have him come home due to danger and have him abandon ship and leave our two little guys there. But we are determined to stay unless forced to leave. Please pray for safety as things are escalating! He met Sergei first. This was a 15 hour train ride with terrible restrooms!

Sergei was a beautiful site! He is 6 years old and might weigh 25 pounds. His muscles are very tight and he really needs therapy and good nutrition! This little guy smiles like an angel even though he has never had anything to smile about! At this time he cannot sit up or talk but he will respond to sound and touch. He has one shunt in his head. He never gets to go outside and has only ever had a bottle. He is a fighter though! We ask for prayer to be able to get his court date and back to the US with all the conflict going on. We need that court date! Travel into region is becoming difficult! Sergei has never lived out side an institution. He was born weighing 2 pounds and was born at home and then discarded in the trash in a rural area so it is by the grace of God that he is here today. When Brian rubs his tight, sore muscles he smiles and giggles...what a little miracle! I cry daily for him to get home.

Next Brian had to go by train again..another 15 hours to get the other set of papers for Crosby. He was downtown picking up his papers when things really flared up nearby. He could hear shooting, a fully armored man ran past him. He only had a short amount of time to get to the train to travel to his next region. This is usually a short car ride but traffic was at a stand still due to conflict. There were also roadblocks set up. So his driver parked on the sidewalk and they dragged his suitcase with a broken wheel to the train. Yes he made it! this was a 7 hour ride and things seemed to be calmer in this area at first. He met Crosby. He has downs syndrome and has snow white blonde hair. SOOOO cute. He wasn't to sure about Brian. Most likely he has not had much attention from men. Crosby was not able to sit and reserved with smiles. After going for visits 2 times a day and spending time with Crosby, Crosby now smiles and laughs and can almost sit up! Just about 3 days ago he actually did not want to go back with the nannies! he loves Brian! He is well taken care of at this babyhouse. He was supposed to have court here on Tuesday but there has been some issues with getting things for court. Again we need prayer for a court date! Love this little munchkin! I don't want to leave either of these boys behind.

Brian went back to see Sergei one more time...only a 6 hour train ride from Crosby but then he had to go back to his apartment near Crosbyis facility. This week, God willing he will head back again to the Sergei's for court????? a lot more unknowns, trains, conflicts, chaos....pray, pray,pray!


Again if you feel led to help get these 2 kiddos to freedom you can donate at reecesrainbow.org/sponsorharlin    THANK YOU! We truly are so very grateful! We have had a hard time getting support. Our church would not allow us to share or set up an informational table. Cant wait to post pics of these 2 miracles!!!!!