Today was our first visit to the orphanage, where Galyna and Anastasia have lived for most of their young lives. It was a much drearier place than I had expected. But seeing our beautiful girls respond to our visit with such happiness removed any shock I might have felt over seeing their surroundings. Again, our time together was very limited as we had much paperwork to tend to. Earlier in the day, we signed notarized documents which will officially change their names to: Galyna Abramovich Hale and Anastasia Abramovich Hale. We now eagerly await assignment of our court date, when we will officially become a family of five!
My little Galyna hasn't grown much since last summer. Mom, send the Chicken Fried Steak recipe!
Anastasia with her friend Masha. One of the many children waiting for a family.
Two stellar members of "Team Oleg" here. As this shot indicates, Alyona and Slava are a couple and just plain fascinating people. She is our interpreter/facilitator in Odessa, and Slava is our driver, something that requires very special skills (more on the wild driving here later). They are part of a surprising number of Protestants in Odessa. Both are Baptists (they've got us Presbyterians outnumbered here too!) and until recently, that meant you were a person with "dangerous superstitions" in the totalitarian eyes of the former Soviet Union.
Slava's Baptist grandfather and father were sent away to a labor camp in Siberia for refusing to undergo re-education. Every day when you walk down the streets in this country you are surrounded by thousands of other men and women just like them. Seldom in the West do we stop to consider that the greatest persecution the Christian Church has ever known took place in the previous century, as Stalin alone is estimated to have slaughtered 20 million of his own people, many of whom were Christians that were singled out for refusing to renounce their faith.
Odessa was also once home to the largest Jewish population of Eastern Europe, but were nearly wiped out by Hitler and Stalin. This country has undergone massive pain and suffering for centuries. But in the midst of it all, these Ukrainians are a spirited and friendly people. And oh yes, very proud!
They play France tomorrow in a big soccer game and you know who I'll be rooting for!
1 comment:
Jim/Dana - We continue to pray for yor visit and that you continue to trust in God for all things. Tell Anastasia and Galyna hello for us and that their adoption into your family reminds us as believers of our great adoption into God's family. God Bless - The Allison's
Eph 1:5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will.
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