Thank you all for your prayers. Do we need them! There were so many twists and turns yesterday that had lead to many changes in our adoption here. It was like you started with a sunny day in the morning, things were bright and hopeful, then came the fog so thick that you couldn’t see anything around you. You couldn’t do anything but cry for help. In your confused state, suddenly you hear a familiar voice guiding you...
Yesterday morning our adoption caseworker picked us up at 8 am. Together we went to the regional social services dept. for a brief interview. We got the document we needed to go to the orphanage. Once we were at the orphanage we first met with the doctor who told us the medical history of Yuri. He was a premature baby, born to an alcoholic mother. There were other diseases he had as a baby, however, was clear of them later.
We spent about 30 to 40 minutes alone with him. With the help of the translator we played with him. He was very active and busy. One thing bothered us very much. His attention was extremely short and really has trouble focusing. He was constantly moving from one thing to the other without any particular purposes or motives. He very likely has severe ADD or ADHD. He is four and half, couldn’t sit still for a minute to listen or to draw something. As a trained teacher one huge question looming louder and louder in my mind: “How is he ever going to learn?” He would need someone 24/7 for many years to come.
Kim and I felt so heavy after visiting Yuri. Our caseworker kept reminding us that we were not committed to anyone or anything. She has seen many children adopted and she said, “Yuri is a hard case.” Kim and I prayed. He then went to work while I stayed in the room to pray some more. I felt suffocated and wanted to go out for some fresh air. “Maybe I can hear God better while walking.”
Before I headed out Kim came in to tell me that we were to see two brothers who are ready for international adoption. Operation Blessing had recently done a project at their orphanage and we saw pictures of the boys before we left the US and fell in love with them. We went with some OB staff members who know the orphanage. The director of the orphanage was very kind to show us around. We spent some time with the kids there and saw the two boys, Andre, age 6 and Roman, age 4. Their mother died two years ago and their stepfather didn’t want them. Their father(s) was(were) unknown.
We like the boys very much and of course want to adopt them. Thus the challenges begin... According to the director of the boys orphanage the State Department of Adoption (SDA) should have the boys files which she sent out on December 13th, 2008. However, SDA searched their database failed to find their names. We had actually mentioned them in our Monday meeting with the SDA but they had no record of them.
To adopt the boys we need another interview with the SDA when they have the boys' files. We have applied for a second interview with the SDA who told us the earliest date is February 16th. However, they may not have the boys files until the end of February. We don’t know what takes to happen for the files sent from the regional level to reach the state adoption offices.
Since we find ourselves again in the waiting-to-hear mode. I (Maggie) will fly back home to Virginia Beach this Saturday, then, come back to Kiev for the 2nd interview in hope of adopting Andre and Roman.
We need miracles to take place to bring our boys home. Though we don’t know when, we have peace that the Lord will complete what He has begun in us and with us. Thanks for standing in prayer with us for our boys and our family.