Pleven

There's a little girl named Katie. Here she is:

Isn't she beautiful? She's originally from Bulgaria, thus the lovely outfit above.
Katie has a few health issues, and the tube you see below is just to feed her a bit of good milk. She eats well, laughs and plays with her siblings. She's sitting up now, and saying "Mama."

Katie is nine years old. I've mentioned her before.
She came from an orphanage in Pleven, Bulgaria. She's only been with her new family in the U.S. for five months. This is what Katie looked like in the orphanage, back at Pleven:

 Remember ... she's nine years old.

 This is why Katie is still so small. For all her life there, she was under-fed, under-nourished, under-loved.
Katie has a new mother, Susanna. She has loved and cared for Katie, along with her husband and their other children. Katie has been transformed. See how thin she was?

The situation at the Pleven orphanage has just "gone public." The horrible conditions that the orphanage administration has allowed, have been known for some time, but at last, it has hit the press. If you'd like to read about what's happening, please follow Susanna's blog. In addition to Katie's wonderful life, Susanna also writes about Pleven, and about the other orphans there who also need homes, food, and love. She writes about adoption, and is a tireless advocate for these littlest ones, who are precious in God's kingdom. Please read. Please give. Please adopt. Please pray. God is still working miracles in this world, and Katie is one.
Update: Conditions at the Pleven orphanage have improved a good bit under a new director. Many of the children have been adopted, for which we are thankful. Katie is doing very well.

She continues to make wonderful progress. However, the Musser family is presently grieving the unexpected death of their son, another adopted child. During this time, the family may post less online than before. Please pray for them.