Keep it Cool-help purchase a refrigerator for the Kantemirov Orphanage

We asked at the orphanage what their greatest need is if our friends, colleagues, and families from our church and Luke’s school wanted to contribute to a gift that we would purchase in Russia. What they really need is a new refrigerator so they can keep milk fresh when the local farmers donate it. On our last day in Voronezh, we went to a Best Buy-like store and found a suitable refrigerator for 13,999 Rubles which at an exchange rate of 23 – 25 Rubles per Dollar equates to around $600 plus up to $150 delivery charge to transport the refrigerator the four to five hours from Voronezh to Kantemirov.
Additionally, we have shared with many of you our story of not needing our toilet seat covers when we went to the orphanage. In essence, you need a toilet seat in order to use a toilet seat cover, and to have a toilet seat, you really need a toilet; it is unnecessary to use a toilet seat cover on a hole in the ground. When we first asked the orphanage Assistant Director, she mentioned the need for toilets, but when she realized we were really considering buying something, she emphasized the pressing need for the refrigerator. While we want to honor the orphanage’s request for the refrigerator as our first priority, we’ve noticed how for many of our American friends, the need for toilets seems to be a compelling rallying cry. With that in mind, if God blesses this fund raiser with enough donations, we’d love to be able to also purchase a toilet for the orphanage. To be fair, we used the “toilet” facilities in a separate building from the one where Tatiana lives. The building where Tatiana lives does have two child size toilets (still no toilet seats) for the kids to use that were donated by Mormons on a mission trip.
If you’d like to help out, there are two ways you can contribute to the purchase of the refrigerator and toilet. For some of you, the simplest thing will be to give us cash or a check when you see us. For those who for tax deductibility or anonymity purposes would like to contribute through our Church, you can make tax deductible contributions as follows:

Make your check payable to Columbia Presbyterian Church Mission Discretionary Fund, and put on the memo line: Gift to Kantemirov Orphanage. Mail your check to Columbia Presbyterian Church, 10001 Route 108, Columbia, MD 21044.

Finally, and most of all, we know many people are praying for our family’s adoption, and we’re extremely grateful for your prayers. We will keep you updated, as we hear from Russia.