Our Gentle Giant

I realize that most people's first reaction to someone who had gone to jail is one of judgement. Our thoughts are probably that they are an idiot or how much better we are than them.  I will admit,  I have done this and sometimes we are even accurate in this assumption.  But then you know someone who has been to jail and they become a real person.  After living here in Ukraine,  it's sadly a normal thing for me to know many kids or young adults that go to prison.  The most recent one is Slavik.

He is the one by himself. This was from 2007

Let me tell about this kid I met in the orphanage and for the past nine years, have loved dearly. We call him the gentle giant and some of his friends call him giraffe :) He is super tall which is rare among these kids. He has such a gentle spirit. And sadly, more of a follower than a leader.  I think he has a very bad view of himself and has for as long as I have know him. Somewhere along the way, someone told him he wouldn't amount to anything and he believed them.

After the orphanage thanks to the system sending him back to where his family is,  he got connected with his brother.  He had been to prison 4 times and is what you think of when you think of someone who has been to prison.  Let's just say he not the kind of person you want to meet late at night by yourself.  So Slavik has been living with him for the past couple of years.  A couple of days ago we got a call from his frantic girlfriend that he had been arrested for stealing with his brother and his friends.  And that Slavik was the only one that didn't run.  The story is that Slavik didn't want to be involved with this but had been beat by his brother for saying no before.

He is all the way to the right. This was their orphanage graduation.

I know what you are thinking... "That's what they all say..." But I believe that this is true. I know Slavik. And well, we all make bad decisions. Some just have bigger consequences than others that are sometimes in your face. 

So we need some serious prayer for him.  He told the police the truth and has been very cooperative with them. He is on house arrest right now until his court date.  He needs prayer for protection and so much more.  He got beat pretty good by the police. We saw him tonight and is cut up on his face and his jaw has a bad goose egg. He hasn't eaten for two days because it hurts so bad.

This is a more recent picture. 

There is a crazy story to tell about seeing him tonight and literally fleeing because his brother knew where he was.  But this is long so come back tomorrow and I will continue the events of today...