The Heart of the Matter

Well, it was bound to happen.  Sweet little Sergiy was adopted within the last couple of weeks.  I don't know many details, only that a Ukrainian couple has taken him into their home.  For me, this is good news/bad news.  I'm thankful that he has a home...I'm just disappointed that it's not ours!

I don't know if he is in Kyiv, or whether he is in another city.  I don't know whether I'll ever see this sweet little face again.  But we're praying that his new parents will provide a loving home.  And that he might be raised in the church. 

At least THAT way, we'll see him again...one day!

Did I ever tell you about the time I tried to mail a package (or 6) within Ukraine?

Friends in Alabama had 2000 postcards printed here that they asked me to help distribute to 7 different orphanages.  Absolutely no problem; I was happy to help.  The hope was to get them out to the children and staff BEFORE Ukrainian Christmas is celebrated on January 6-7.  We were scheduled to be out of town in mid-December, but we were ready to go at it anytime after December 25.

The cards were to be delivered to us on December 26.  Well, that didn't actually happen that way.  They arrived early Friday afternoon the 29th.  Just AFTER I left for my afternoon visiting the AIDS orphans at the hospital.  I received an SMS that they had indeed been delivered, so I left a bit early so that I could get them all bundled and ready to ship the next day...we had a party beginning at 5:30 at our home that evening for all of the International Faith Initiatives staff and families.  I believe we had 22 or so folks here.

Anna, Jeanne and I opened the package and quickly counted out the postcards into stacks of 25 so that we could efficiently bundle them in differing quantities.  We labeled them with post-it notes...finishing just before the first of the guests arrived.

Saturday morning I wrapped the postcards with heavy brown paper.  Not the easiest paper with which to work, but it fit the bill.  I wrote all the addresses directly onto the paper, gave the seams a layer of shipping tape, and Anna and I loaded them into a plastic bag and walked to the post office.

Post offices here are NOT easy to navigate.  You can potentially stand in a line for HOURS, only to find you've been waiting in the wrong line.  We chose the line where we saw folks receiving small packages, and waited.  And waited.  When we finally made it to the front of the line, I pulled out a couple of the bundles...hoping that they would be weighed and the clerk would simply tell me how much to pay.

No way.  She asked me (in Russian) where the packages were heading.  I answered (in Ukrainian) to several different cities within Ukraine.  She said that the addresses were written in English and so she could not mail them.  I explained that an American had sent them to me and asked me to ship them.  Had they been mailed FROM the US they could then deliver them, but they had to be written in Russian or Ukrainian if originating within Ukraine.  Made sense.  One of the packages was written in Russian so she was going to accept that one...as soon as I filled out the form for shipping.  Yikes!  I couldn't make sense of it.  Plus I suddenly thought I needed my passport.  Anna and I took several forms and left the premises.  Down, but not defeated!

Of course, we were now in the New Year's weekend.  I emailed Alabama, and I asked them to send me EXACTLY how the package should be addressed...in Russian.  They had a young gal from here visiting and she sent them back in a very short time.  Meanwhile I asked Dasha to help me figure out the shipping forms.  Apparently I only had to fill out one side of the form...listing the recipient and full address plus phone number TWICE, and the same information on me just ONCE.

Once the holidays were over, I was ready to get moving on the postcards again.  A sweet friend was here and I asked her if she would be willing to write the addresses that I gave her onto labels, and I would simply place them over the addresses that I had written.  No problem, and it took her way less time than it would have taken me.  She was also willing to help fill out the shipping forms.  In fact, one of her friends also helped...though her pen ran out of ink and the closest pen that I had to give her wrote in green ink.  No problem.  Hey, it's Christmas time!

The next day we headed to the main downtown post office rather than the local one where the clerk was not the friendliest.  Actually it was Anna, Jeanne, Jim and me.  We were going out to eat (one of Anna's requests) and the post office was on the way.  We entered the main building and went straight to the information booth (learning!).  Jeanne asked where to mail the packages and we were told to go out of the post office, turn left and go into the second entrance on the left.  Did it.  Again, trying to decide which line to join was an issue.

This time we opted for a short line.  Jeanne explained what we were doing, the clerk smiled, pointed us to the next area (where the line was extremely long) where the package needed to be taped with their official tape.  Once the official tape was on, THEN come back to her.  Oh, and, by the way, the forms written in green would not be accepted.

Jeanne calculated about a 90-minute wait.  We took some replacement forms and headed out to dinner, lugging the postcards with us.  After a great meal, we trudged BACK to the post office.  Only THIS time there was no line of people waiting for the tape.  We were psyched!

While Jeanne got the packages taped, and began the process of having them weighed, I started redoing the two forms that were not acceptable.  Only one small problem.  Had I been the one that had written them, it would have been no problem.  And had I taken along the printed copy of the addresses, no problem.  But we suddenly had a bit of a challenge -- I absolutely could not read what my friend had written.  Not on the form.  And not on the package.

Fortunately there was a very patient helpful woman waiting at our same window.  She helped us decipher the writing, and I kept plugging along.  Eventually I whispered to Jeanne to see if the woman would simply fill the form out FOR us...it would save us ALL some time.  And the woman might actually be able to get HER package mailed before the post office closed at 8 p.m.  The clerk weighed the packages and we tried to guess what the total shipment would cost.  I checked to be sure that Jim and the girls had extra money if I needed it.  And then she gave us the grand total: $6.00!  I couldn't believe it was so cheap!

I was SOOOO happy to have that little adventure end. 

And I pray that the children and staff are encouraged by the holiday greetings from Alabama.  It's so wonderful that our Alabama friends do little things like this throughout the year...the kids don't feel forgotten...especially through the holidays...

Today I was invited to an impromptu tea party at the invitation of, and in the office of, the head nurse at the hospital where I have been volunteering for a long time.  In attendance, behind the desk, is Suzie (an MTW intern who has started joining me each week) and Irina (the head nurse).  Nika (Jim's precious assistant) is the photographer.  And I am privileged to hold Nikita in my lap as he stirs his own mug of tea.

I was so surprised when Irina invited us up to her office.  She is a very busy woman with many, many children to see and a very limited staff to help her.  In fact, she was on the phone several times, and staff appeared at her door several times, during our brief party.  When we arrived at her office (maybe 5 minutes after our invitation!) she had placed a colorful cloth with butterflies across her desk, had already placed heart-shaped cookies on a plate, and had placed teacups, napkins and a large bowl of sugar in the center of the desk while she waited for the tea to finish steeping.

We talked about LOTS of things that we had never discussed before...the fact that her mother thinks she should be looking for a husband rather than working so hard.  A universal desire, I suppose.  Most mothers want their own daughters to also be mothers...children truly are a blessing.  And we DO prefer that they marry first!

We also talked about the children at the orphanage.  She commented that the workers at the orphanage can tell which children have come from an extended time at HER hospital compared to anywhere else.  They are happy to see people and adjust quickly to life at the orphanage.  She is sure that that is because these children are now USED to seeing people other than medical workers, and have learned to play, laugh, and enjoy people!  What a wonderful commentary on what we all do there!

She also mentioned that someone had come to the hospital that day and had put on a little show for the children, and had given each of them a present for Christmas.  I asked her whether I could also have access to not only "my" children, but others as well, if I prepared some entertainment.  I told her that I had puppets and cassette tapes in Russian that had music and a story, and that it had a Christian message.  Did she think that I could use that there?  She said not only would the children enjoy it, but the mothers would also find it interesting!  WooHoo!  In January I plan to present the gospel through puppets to whoever will sit still long enough to hear!

She also said that I could use an exercise cassette with the children -- does anybody remember the cassette called Waddle like a Duck? -- if we had someone translate the animals as we went along.  It starts out with an elephant moving slowly...speeds up to bunnies hopping, ducks waddling, and slows back down again.  She said that she would be most positive about that -- anything to get the children off of their backs. 

This was an amazing day at the hospital!  I am truly encouraged.

(Do you think my plates of Christmas cookies and candies had anything to do with this reception?!)

The Coalition for Children at Risk met in our flat this morning...for three hours!  The group was initially formed so that people, agencies, missions, or whoever could come together for the common good of the children at risk.  With numbers, the thought was, came clout.  The hope was to be able to transform the government system, easing the bureaucracy so that street children, orphans, abused children could get real help.

Jim and I were part of the initial group that first met in Atlanta, Georgia in 2000.  Once we arrived in Kyiv in 2001, we stayed in touch with the group and eventually someone decided to gather the folks in the Kyiv area so that we could begin networking and encouraging.  There has been some progress over the years, but there is still a LOT to be done.

Today we had a guest speaker for the first 30 minutes -- a lawyer who has SUCCESSFULLY placed Ukrainian children under the guardianship of a British couple.  As most of you know, we are trying to get our hands on a young boy that we first met when he was hospitalized.  His mother was HIV+, so he was waiting until age 18 months to see if he, too, would test positive.  He came back negative and is currently in an orphanage.  This attorney helped us understand the procedures a little better...and was VERY encouraging.  He managed to work through the system to place children in a foreigner's home.  That's good news for us. 

We will relentlessly pursue this little guy until all doors are closed.  Please pray for him.  And us.

Nikita and Dasha enjoy the ground meat and mashed potatoes.  And juice in cups.  Not bottles.

I get to help with the meals when I visit the orphans at the hospital.  Typically, when a child is admitted to the hospital here, a parent (usually the mother) also stays.  Oftentimes sharing a bed.  The mom handles all of the care that is not specifically medical...feeding, dressing, bathing, playing.  When orphans are admitted, there is obviously no parent to take care of these things.  And the small staff cannot possibly attend to their medical duties PLUS give extra attention to the orphans.

It is our great privilege and joy to be able to be involved in mealtime as well as playing with these cuties.  A Ukrainian organization has hired a woman to spend time with these children five days a week.  I love to be there when she has been around -- the room is sparkling clean.  Bright colored sheets are on each of the beds.  The children are in fresh clean clothes, not to mention clean diapers.  She loves when we come as well because it gives her time to do some "extra" things...I have no idea how she keeps up with 5 or 6 children at a time!   But we are thankful for her. 

Please remember these children in your prayers.  And pray also for the staff...overworked and underpaid (at least in OUR way of thinking).   

I really love to take pictures of the orphans at the hospital.  Some of them stop everything they're doing and offer a huge smile to the camera.  Nikita is one of them.

Pray for a family for Nikita.  He is an active, fun-loving little boy...with a GREAT smile.

Two more cuties.  Love attention.  Need homes.

It's easy to see why I absolutely love going to the hospital to spend time with these precious ones.

I went to visit "my" kids at the hospital today.  I love going to visit these orphans...the kids love to see us and the STAFF (including the head nurse AND the head doctor) love to see us. 

When Nika and I entered the usual room, we were greeted by smiles and hugs from little Dasha, as well as the two women who take care of these children on a daily basis.  (One has been hired by a Ukrainian organization to care for these orphans, and the other is a friend of the first...and comes strictly as a volunteer.)  Veronica (the volunteer) was busy brushing Dasha's hair and creating sweet little ponytails.  Veronica calls Dasha the Princess.  We noticed a new young charge, Alosha, whose mother is in prison.  Our two teeny infants were snuggled down in their bassinets.

And then we noticed a sleeping child.  Upon closer examination, we were shocked to discover that Nikita was back.  I have blogged about him before; his grandmother had just recently officially become his legal guardian and had taken Nikita to her home.  Apparently he was too much for her to handle.  He is extremely inquisitive, checking out anything and everything around him.  He climbs up and under anything available.  And he moves oh so quickly.  All while sporting a huge grin!  It appears he will be at the hospital until paperwork can be sorted out that would permit him to enter an orphanage.

In the room next to our usual room, we discovered 5 of our favorite children from the orphanage.  They had one of their regular caretakers with them, but she was thankful to have extra hands while they were waiting to be fed.  Little Karina, Artyom, Maxim, Alina, and Albina.  They are getting cuter every day.  I am not sure why so many were admitted to this hospital over this past week, but I secretly LOVE to see these kids periodically.  At this point, I can ONLY see them when they are admitted to this ward.  Officially, the orphanage will not allow anyone other than the staff to actually spend time inside with these children.

Please pray with us that these children will find real homes in which to grow up.  The caretaker grinned with me as she heard the children giggling, even guffawing, as I tickled them.  No matter how much the caretakers at the orphanage might WANT to give the children so much individual attention, they just don't have enough hands to do it.  The numbers of children living there is increasing rapidly, and the staff is actually overwhelmed...working as hard as they can, but simply not able to provide all that these children need.

We thank God for the workers...for their love and their care. 

We pray for more hands. 

Even ours.

This little guy is decked out for his trip FROM the hospital TO the home of his grandmother.  The caretakers at the hospital all became quite attached to Nikita, many people were praying for him to be adopted, and everyone was excited when the paperwork finally came through that allowed his grandmother to become his legal guardian.  I asked the nurse to let me take one last picture of Nikita with her...please join us in praying that this will be a "happily ever after" ending.

This sweet little one was born on the 27th of September, and has been in "my room" at the hospital since the 6th of October.  And she still has no name.  Some visitors call her Mary and others have named her Hope, so we are now calling her Maria Nadia...Mary Hope, in Ukrainian.

The wonderfully snuggly-warm flannel quilt was made and donated through friends in Tennessee...adding warmth and color to this little one's sterile environment.  Ukraine Medical Outreach recently donated the clear plastic bassinets to this room allowing more floor space for the older children to move about.  I love the clear sides so that we can actually see the bundles moving from afar...and THEY can see something besides a solid wall.

Pray for homes for these abandoned babies...these particular children are the untouchables -- their mothers were HIV+ and now these children wait for test results to determine where they will now grow up...in an AIDS wing of an orphanage, or in the section with more "normal" children.  Thank God that some of the grandmothers (and even a greatgrandmother) visit these children, though the mothers are nowhere to be found.  One grandmother was even able to get the paperwork completed that will allow HER to raise her grandchild, and now Nikita (who turned out to be HIV-) is in a home.

Kids are kids, wherever they are!

On Saturday, Jeanne and I met four of the orphans with whom we have spent time over the years.  On this particular day, an organization had donated funds to take these four children and chaperones to a performance at the children's theatre to celebrate Nadia's 7th birthday.  We joined them in a park prior to the show.  We gave Nadia a small gift and then presented each of the children with dumdum lollipops.

It didn't take too long before tongues turned blue and the kids started giggling.  I bunched them together with one of the chaperones and counted...1....2....3....tongues out!  And then I snapped this picture.