We scheduled to go to the SDA, the government agency charged with facilitating adoptions, at 3 PM but our case worker received a call early today that the building which housed the agency had lost its electricity. So they asked us to come at 1 PM instead so that there would be more natural light (and heat!).
Fortunately, when we arrived electricity had been restored. We, along with Helen who translated for us, were shown into a small room where a lady presented us with information packets on a number of different children - all boys. There were several pairs of siblings. But in those cases the elder boy was nine years of age, older than the six years of age we had requested and which our home study specified. One other sibling pair looked great, the elder 6 years old and the younger five. However, another couple had recently considered them but the older boy had made it clear that he did not want to be adopted by them. That didn't of course mean he wouldn't want to go home with the Mitchells but could be indicative of a desire to stay in the orphanage.
One of the last boys presented is 4 1/2 years of age named Yuri. He is in an orphange near Kiev. His information mentioned several medical problems but from phone conversations with the orphanage and a doctor that works with Operation Blessing, it was thought these problems are quite minor or correctable. Yuri is said to be a sociable and active little boy. We discussed the pros and cons of the various children presented with our social worker, translator, and also CBN colleague Nataliya Khomyak who is a native Ukranian with a passion for taking care of orphans. We decided to indicate to the SDA that we were most interested in Yuri. The SDA is to give us a letter of referral tomorrow afternoon with which we will be able to pay an official visit to the orphanage and get to know Yuri. We have 10 days in which to make a final decision on him. If we believe he is the one (and he agrees!), we will need to apply for a court date. Only when the judge awards us parental rights will the child become an official part of the family.
Fortunately, when we arrived electricity had been restored. We, along with Helen who translated for us, were shown into a small room where a lady presented us with information packets on a number of different children - all boys. There were several pairs of siblings. But in those cases the elder boy was nine years of age, older than the six years of age we had requested and which our home study specified. One other sibling pair looked great, the elder 6 years old and the younger five. However, another couple had recently considered them but the older boy had made it clear that he did not want to be adopted by them. That didn't of course mean he wouldn't want to go home with the Mitchells but could be indicative of a desire to stay in the orphanage.
One of the last boys presented is 4 1/2 years of age named Yuri. He is in an orphange near Kiev. His information mentioned several medical problems but from phone conversations with the orphanage and a doctor that works with Operation Blessing, it was thought these problems are quite minor or correctable. Yuri is said to be a sociable and active little boy. We discussed the pros and cons of the various children presented with our social worker, translator, and also CBN colleague Nataliya Khomyak who is a native Ukranian with a passion for taking care of orphans. We decided to indicate to the SDA that we were most interested in Yuri. The SDA is to give us a letter of referral tomorrow afternoon with which we will be able to pay an official visit to the orphanage and get to know Yuri. We have 10 days in which to make a final decision on him. If we believe he is the one (and he agrees!), we will need to apply for a court date. Only when the judge awards us parental rights will the child become an official part of the family.
I am praying that God makes it so very clear which child is yours - and that He would, even now, begin to work in little Yuri's heart if he is to belong to the Mitchell family!
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear everything seems to be going relatively smoothly! =)
Blessings!