Clarification and Two Incredible Days

Last Night at the Flat in Kherson

I thought I should clarify something today, first of all.  In our last post, I showed all of us outside the courthouse this past Tuesday morning after picking up decree.  So you understand, this was not another hearing.  After the judge gave her favorable pronouncement on the 12th of December, by law we had to wait ten days to pick up the actual printed decree.  That is what we were doing on Tuesday.  Now I can tell you about the next two incredible, blessed days.  

We were disappointed that the decree could not be picked up any sooner because the next step was to head down to the Crimean Peninsula to pick up the new birth certificate and this takes considerable time.  Having already set our minds and hearts, prayerfully, on leaving for Kiev Thursday night, there was no time to waste.  Daniel and I thought there was only one option as far as trains to that area and that the earliest possible one would not go until five forty five Wednesday morning and return at eight that evening.  Anyway, Igor walked in Tuesday evening and said he had gotten tickets to catch a train to Simferopol at one o clock Wednesday morning. It is a six hour ride so this would put them in that town at seven, perfect for being the first customers of the day.   

Before I continue, you have to remember that originally, Daniel and I werу under the impression that we had to both go down to Simferopol and it had been suggested that we take Maxim back to the orphanage for a last sleepover to allow us this journey.  We hated the thought of this, so when we found out only one of us had to go, we were thrilled.

Well, Daniel and Igor got in a taxi and made the one in the morning train , getting down to Simferopol as scheduled, only to find a long line of people already at the birth certificate office because the computers had been down the day before.  There were about ten people ahead of them and they were told that getting their mission accomplished that day was unlikely.  But Daniel was praying and Igor was persistent and they received the new birth certificate.  Daniel invented a new song to go with this event.  To the tune of God Is Bigger Than the Boogie Man, you can now sing God is Bigger Than Bureaucracy, Bigger Than A Government and National Red Tape.  

Now it was time to head for another office to have the official stamp put on the birth certificate.  Seeing no other available way to get there, and trying to hurry, Igor put his thumb out and hitched a ride for the two of them.  When they arrived at the second office, a guard stopped them and after asking the reason for their visit stated that birth certificate stamping is never done on Wednesdays.  They would have to come back on Thursday or Friday for such a thing.  Igor was flabbergasted to say the least, as was Daniel.  Daniel started praying again and Igor told the guard that he was dealing with Americans who could not just come back another day.  The guard pointed to a nearby phone with several numbers posted by it, telling Igor he may try calling someone inside the building to gain access.  Igor successfully talked his way in.   After he explained what was needed, the woman told him that he and Daniel could return at three for the stamped document.  The two men walked around town for awhile, ate some lunch and headed back to the office at two.  The finished product was ready.  Hallelujah!

Now for the trip back to Kherson.  As the train would not leave that area until eight, the guys decided to taxi to the local bus station instead.  Along the way there were many stops and at one of them, Igor got off for some reason and had not returned when the driver decided to take off again.   Daniel is even more limited in his Russian than I am so he did not know how to tell the driver to stop.  Fortunately, Igor was able to run along side and bang on a window, gaining a seat once again.  Whew!

So by Wednesday evening at eight, the two of them were back with the new birth certificate and ready for more local adventures.

Thursday morning found us with many things to accomplish, most importantly getting Maxim his passport pictures and the application taken care of.  But Igor informed us that we must first take a copy of the new birth certificate to the orphanage director, go to a local office to receive the new registration number assigned to Maxim now that his name is changed, have another copy of the new birth certificate notaraized for the passport office, deliver gifts to the orphanage and say polite slow goodbyes.  All morning we prayed and tried not to stress out as the clock ticked.  Igor had also said the children at the orphanage were presenting their annual holiday show and we should not miss it.  

First we went to get the new registration number.  The woman immediately told Igor that this could not possibly be available for us until Monday the 29th!  So off we went to the orphanage to present gifts to the director and the teacher for Maxims age group.  Then it was time for the performance.  As I looked around the room, I saw the faces of all the kids who have become familiar and dear to us.  I saw tears in the eyes of some parents who had come to visit.  I believe now that part of the reason I needed to wait (I cannot speak for Daniel) these days was so I could see those parents tears.  Often Daniel and I have looked around the orphanage, trying to understand how people could completely give up their children, or send  them to such a place and have contact only once or twice a year.  It all seems so heartless.  And honestly, sometimes it is, because of brokeness and foolishness and substance abuse and such on the part of the parents.  Sometimes, however, the parents really believe this is their only option, not unlike the U.S. forty plus years ago.  Just like the U.S. of that era, Ukraine is not an easy place to raise a disabled child.  Access is impossible, or at least very difficult to most buildings, etc.  So God used that hour I had to watch the parents watch their children to wipe out an element of bitterness I had in my heart.  I needed that.  Another reason I needed the wait was because after the show, we had one more occasion to see a teen girl who is about to be adopted but does not know it.  She is discouraged and tired of being there, and we have really enjoyed her company.  Seeing us getting ready to leave was really hard for her.   I was able to wrap my arms around her, kiss her head over and over and tell her, through Igor, that God has her in His hands and has a plan for her.  That she is not only in our hearts but in the hearts of others as well.  We shook as we cried together.  It is going to be such a joy to hear of her journey very soon into the very family who made it possible for us to know about Maxim last year.  

After leaving the orphanage, we headed back to the office  for the registration number.  We have no idea what Igor said to the lady, but this time he returned to the car with the number.  Now we could go to the notary.  She was very kind, welcoming and quick to procuce what we needed.  We finally had everything in hand to go to the passport office.  At this point, though, it was past one and we knew we were into the lunch hour.  Igor drove there anyway.  Just as we were pulling up to the passport office, the notary called Igor to inform him of a mistake she had discovered on the document we had just picked up from her.  Apparently, Igor had shown her a document from a previous adoption family file as an example of what we needed.  When her secretary went to type Maxims birthdate on our document, she instead typed the other childs birthdate and none of us caught it before we left.  Anyway, now Igor was really fretting because he knew we wanted to be on that night train and it now seemed impossible.  He was so afraid we would be infuriated with him.  However, the notary said that she would jump in her car and meet us at the passport office, to make the correction and stamp it again.  This was accomplished.  Igor did not believe that such a correction would be accepted by the passport people but we walked across the street to the  office, and in less than an hour we had taken care (God had taken care of) the photos and application.  Everything was complete for us to leave together for Kiev.  In fact, we are in Kiev right now.   What a miraculous two days! 

What a joy to have such things behind us.  Igor helped us onto the train last night, connected us with a young doctor in our car who spoke English and turned out to be a delightful travel partner on Maxims first train ride, and we said our goodbyes.  

Igor will be continuing to work on our behalf, especially pushing for the passport to be ready by the 30th.  This would require another miracle, but we saw several the last two days so we feel encouraged to pray boldly.  From January 1 through 7, government offices are closed for New Years and Orthodox Christmas.  We signed a waiver which allows Igor to pick up the passport for me, and send it immediately to me in Kiev, so Maxim and I do not need to make that twenty four hour round trip.  This is a wonderful blessing which allows me to concentrate on other things that need to be done.  However, if the passport is not ready and sent to me by the 31st, I will have to reschedule our (Maxim and  I) January 6 flights to yet another date.   I told Igor that the 30th is my birthday and the greatest gift  would be to have the passport ready.  He said he would go back to the passport office today and talk things over with them.  

Well, that catches everyone up on the latest pieces of the puzzle.  We are delighted to be settled in with a family who are friends of Igor, not far from the Kiev train station.  Anna is skilled in several languages and has worked numerous times with Igor.  She lives here with her parents.  It is a beautiful flat with everything we need either already here or a quick walk away.  We feel so safe and welcomed.  We can now go into the Sabbath, knowing we are right where we need to be to rest and for Daniel to get ready for his Sunday morning flight.

Thank you for your prayers and notes of blessing and encouragement, once again.  Shabbat Shalom.