Meeting the Boys

Here we are at our destination, Odessa! The train ride was long and bumpy with little sleep for me, but the 3 guys snored away peacefully enough around and above me in the cramped little cabin. Way too much liuggage! I will leave behind the big one filled with penpal gifts and letters plus some of our clothes.

When we arrived at our very sunny and roomy apartment, we discovered we'd left our water on the train. No choice but to embark on a bit of an adventure through the muddy "neighborhood" and tenament buildings, leftover from bygone days, and out to the main street and "supermarket". Culture shock . We came home with vada and a few surprises, but learned some more Russian in the process! Keefer is actually very good, but not in your coffee! Like homemade yogurt when it doesn't gel right. Remember those days, girls?

Now the good part...Dima called to say he had the papers necessary to vist the boys, and he came by to lead us there. Not far, but we bundled up. Waiting outside the Director's office, we watched as kids ran up and down the halls, not really noticing us. No doubt the word was out just who was getting adopted, so they pretty well ignored us. Except for one little boy who peeked around a corner.

Rob smiled a big smile and whispered, "That was Sasha! I recognize him." In a few minutes we were asked in to the office and gathering chairs around the director's desk,we went through a friendly interrogation. Rob was asked what he expected of brothers, and how he felt about it.

After a few minutes Sasha was brought in. He smiled a shy smile and blushed from ear to ear when asked if he knew why he was here. The translator asked him if he would like to be adopted by this family and he smiled some more and replied, "I don't know." Imagine a child given up at birth because of an imperfection, having always lived in an institution, trying to imagine what it means to be adopted by a family. Of course he didn't know. He sweetly responded to all questions and sat patiently while we talked about him. Bless his little heart.

Then Zhenya was sent for. He came in obediently got a chair and sat seriously waiting, looked from one to the other of us. He had just arrived, poor kid, from being away at the sanatorium for two full months,had been told what was happening en route. Now here it was, his turn to be adopted. When asked if he would like to be part of our family, he nodded and without smiling and replied, "Da". True to character I believe, he had already thought about it and made his decision.

Using what Russian I could, I told them that we wanted very much to have them as our sons and hoped they would like to come with us to America. We also said they could think about it, but after being dismissed to go to the social worker's office, they loosened up and as we all got talking, they began asking us questions, the first being, "Can you see the Statue of Liberty from your house?" Then, "Where did come from and how it was put together?" In typical Ukrainian humor (the best in the world, I hear, and I believe it) the translator joked that super glue was used. We talked about every sport in the book and told them about the nice young lady from Estonia who could help them with English when we got home.

Soon Dima became too busy with paperwork to translate, but, to our delight, some friends I had met last January walked in. One was a big, beloved driver, who, we hear, had befriended the boys and loved them, occasionally talking to them giving them advice about their lives and futures as a father would to his sons. The expression on his face showed how he felt about the proceedings. Also with him were two women I had known and come to love on my visit. They too are very fond of the boys and acted as loving translators for us, laughing and putting us all at ease.

We sat chatting for quite some time, the boys patiently and politely waiting their turn. A one point as we disccussed the Russian alphabet, Zhenya ran up to his classroom to get some school work to show us. We explained to him how his name would appear in English.

When it came time for us to leave, I whispered in their ears, "Ya lublu tibia", I love you. They said in English, "I love you", hugged us both and kissed me on the lips. Then, laughing with their new 'brat', brother, Rob, the boys shook hands, and ran upstairs to their room.

Everyone of us is very happy and can't wait to see them again today. It was very clear that God was and is with us, smoothing the entire meeting time, and as we "simply trust Him" as the hymn says, He will expedite the paperwork and get us on our way as He sees fit. We do pray it will be miraculously quick. We all miss and appreciate home very much.