Happenings in Heaven and on Earth

As we wait in joyful anticipation for the coming of our children's referrals from Ethiopia here is a little information that could shed light on the happenings in this beautiful country. This in the week of Pascal, the equivalent to our Easter...sort of. Here as Christians we celebrate the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. In Ethiopia they do as well, but we may be wise to take note of the authentic reverence built into their religious ceremony. To give you an idea of some of the goings on:

-Last Saturday: Remembers the death and resurrection of Lazarus. This is the foreshadowing of the death and resurrection of Jesus.
-Palm Sunday: The service of the bridegroom
-Holy Monday: Bridegroom service
-Holy Tuesday: Bridegroom service
-Holy Wednesday: Holy Unction...Confession, Communion, and the Anointing with Holy Oil. (Mary washes Jesus' feet with her hair and anoints them with oil before Jesus' death)
-Holy Thursday: Passion Gospels are read
-Holy Friday: The unnailing and lamentation service
-Holy Saturday: Pascal vigil and midnight Resurrection service
-Holy Sunday: Agape service

Because our children are born in a country that has Orthodoxy as its form of Christianity, we have been getting to know this religion as a way of understanding the culture our kids are coming out of. Our son from Russia was also baptised into the Orthodox faith. As I learn more and more about this ancient form of Christianity I am amazed at its beauty and worshipfulness. I have come to understand my own faith's origins more because of the study we have done as a family.

So although our referrals may not yet have arrived I am at peace knowing that the Christians working so diligently on our paperwork are focused this week on the most important event in all history...not only the adoption of our children, but the means that makes it possible for all humanity to come into the family of God...the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. AMEN!!