Ukraine says YES

Today was a milestone in our process. It’s funny how we tend to talk about “our” adoption when we think and share with others. We do, but, we never define what we mean when we say “our” adoption. When we say “our”, it is all of our family to include our new child. It is like a wedding, it’s not the bride or the groom, but both. In addition, the entire family on both sides becomes one family through the new union. Or like with a birth, people say the “our” baby was born. It’s not their baby, but that of their family and all those who came before them such as grandparents, etc. The word is not an expression of possession or of the legal status of the petitioners, but of the family… all of us, including the child.

Today, we went to the SDA for the first time. We were actually running late because our phone had the incorrect local time. When we found out, we were stricken with fear. Fortunately we are close to the SDA and had been getting ready early when we were called by Julia who was going to take us into the SDA. We finished getting ready and took a brisk walk through the city to the simple door at the end of a building where we are permitted to enter. It is also the only government office I have seen that does not have a blue sign, but instead, it has a polished brass sign.

We called Julia who we actually walked past to get to the door and she joined us. We entered thinking that we would go to a waiting room, but instead, we waited at the bottom of a stair well. We were there for about 10 minutes wondering if they would call us in and eventually Julia called to see if they were still expecting us and somebody called for us to come up after another family left, it seemed that their appointment took longer than they expected. We were 5 minutes early and had been working on this for 7 months, so the few minutes didn’t bother us. We went upstairs, into an office space, and back into a smaller personal office of the physiologist.

At this time, it’s official questions time: Passports out, do you wish to adopt Alina Dudka? Then, to be sure, we are to review her file so we know what issues she has. We learned of all the things that brought her where she is and why she is available for adoption. We heard rumors, but we know for certain what the major events in her life have brought her. Every orphan will have a story. None will be without pain. We learned for sure the pain of Alina’s to include seeing her father’s death certificate. This is our daughter, and so, this is now our pain that we will give her comfort. We discussed her medical condition and her extended family. Once all this was finished, again they asked: do you wish to adopt Alina Dudka? The answer of course was yes. We had some other discussions that we will share at a later time. We were then told that we will have a referral drafted so that we could travel to see an inspector to see if she wishes to be adopted by us.

After the appointment, we stopped for a few minutes, because honestly, sappy held himself together very well as the most intimate details of our daughters life unfolded, felt her pain, and were told we could seek her out as our daughter. It was time for the sappy to burst out, and his wife enjoyed holding him for a few minutes where we were not in open view of the public.

In the wedding analogy, we had just gotten an answer from the bride’s father that yes, we could ask for her had. We may now seek to bring our families together.
We left to go change, eat, and continue with our day. We went looking for a restaurant suggested by Julia and eventually gave up. Future visitors should bring city maps with notes on where to find certain places because knowing a little Russian is not as helpful as you might think. We asked directions from a few people, and found that they speak Russian, Ukraine, and we asked directions from one family that ended up being from Brazil. That was funny because I was asking if they speak English and they said they don’t speak Russian! (hee hee) We did learn how to find the street signs, as they are only on poles at large intersections, elsewhere; they are on the walls of buildings.

We eventually settled on a Turkish looking restaurant, but it may have been Moroccan. It was pretty good… we were looking for Ukraine, but it was good. Jennifer got her tomatoes and cucumbers, and Terry got to discover a new food in this cool rope cheese, so we both got what we wanted.

Now, off to the market and then home. We have laundry to do and preparing for packing to get done. Tomorrow will be the beginning of a decathlon. We will check out of our apartment before noon, take our luggage to secure storage at the train station, then to the SDA for our referral. After the referral, we will eat, go to the train, and ride to Zaporizeyah. Once there, it’s to a new apartment, clean up, to the inspector, to the orphanage, and then its water park time. Because of our intense schedule, Victor will be working hard while we are having fun with Alina… please pray for him and his family.

We stopped at the big underground mall looking for Russian worship music or DVDs in Russian to watch at home with them. We found no worship music, but some good Disney movies in Russian to share at home. We watched the emperor’s new groove as we drifted off at nap time. It’s great for us to hear the Russian and see the subtitles… if you’re trying to learn Russian, it’s exciting to see what your learning in action and learn how to use the words properly.

It is an awesome thing to see that you are in the hand of God. He is doing more than just giving us one or two more children. As with the mission trip last year, reaching out with God’s love is an incredible responsibility and in no way do we have a right or privilege to consider these children ‘ours’, or that we are what they need and we are doing them a favor. It’s close to the opposite. God is letting us take on the responsibility of not only providing a home, food, and education to these children, but we must help them cope with their past and bring them before the Lord, teaching them of His ways, His desires for their lives, and of His love for them. Bringing them home and giving them things they were never able to have will only make them selfish and like most other Americans that do not see what God has given to them as an awesome gift. We are responsible for showing them their place in God’s plan, something most of us cannot even do for ourselves.
I pray that we seek His direction and will so that these children will not only have a home, but that they will grow to a full knowledge of Him and one day will be see Him as He is, as one of His children.

That may be a little spiritually thinking for many, but it is the real reason we are here. And as God is such an awesome father, He gives us all gifts as we seek His will… so yeah, we will enjoy the family, the fun, and the excitement and challenges… but, it has but one reason that we are here: to seek and fulfill His will.

Thank you Father!