This is just amazing - thier adoption is going faster than they dared to hope
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WOW! We spent the first night in a flat that Victor arranged for us. It
was comfortable but very unpretentious. Yesterday was unbelievable. We met
Yulia about eight-thirty for a nine o'clock appointment at the NAC. Yulia
was awesome. She seemed to get ahead of every other facilitator regardless
of when we arrived. We waited in the lobby for the first group to be called
in with the psychologist. Yulia said the psychologist we were assigned was
not the nicest, but she seemed great to us. We had been prepared to answer
a lot of questions, but she pulled out a piece of paper with Lyessa's
picture on it and asked "is this the girl that you want to adopt?" we said
yes and that was it. The director of the NAC then came in and told us that
she had given us an appointment quickly because of Lyessa's age. She wanted
us to know that she had done something special and that we really should
have been given a date in 2006. I held back asking why she had take a four
week vacation and then another week without making any appointments. See I
am really learning how to respect the Ukrainian authorities.
After leaving the NAC we went back to the Sense office to wait and see if we
could get the letter of recommendation in the same day. Yulia said that it
would be unusual to get both things done in the same day. So we waited in
their office, sleeping on the couch, while Yulia called the attorney and
persisted in getting a time to go back and get the letter of referral. At
3:00 pm Yulia said we should go to the NAC and wait to see if the letter had
been prepared. When we arrived she pushed her way to the front of the line
while we sat in the same chairs that we waited in that morning. Shortly she
came out telling us that she had the letter (only God could have worked that
out so quickly). Yulia then said that we need to get to the inspector's
office to get her approval in order to see Lyessa that day. Again she said
that it would be very hard to make it across town in time to meet with the
inspector before 5:00 pm when they close. As we were leaving the NAC, Yuri
came flying up to pick us up to head off to the inspector's office. As we
headed to the inspector Yuri continued to call them to make sure that they
were in for the afternoon. No answer on either the office number or the
inspector's cell phone. We went anyway and when we arrived Yuri went in
while we waited in the lobby. He came back out and told us that the
inspector was getting her hair cut (at work) and that she would see him as
soon as hey were finished. He was called back in and we heard a lot of loud
voices but soon came out saying that she had approved us to meet with
Lyessa. The inspector knew Lyessa's grandmother well. It seems that
Merislava (Lyessa's grandmother) had been trying for years to get Lyessa on
the adoption list and therefore they knew each other quite well. Again
God's timing was better than we could have ever imagined.
We left the inspector's office in search of Merislava's apartment. Yuri
kept trying to call her on the phone but the line was busy. We found the
building and realized that we needed to buy some of the customary gifts to
make a Ukrainian visit so we looked for a market to purchase a cake, drink,
fruit and of course an odd number of roses. Yuri finally got through on the
phone and we headed back to the apartment building. When we arrived we were
greeted at the entrance by the smiling face of our sweet Lyessa. She
escorted us to the apartment were we waited on grandmother to get back from
her own quick shopping in preparation for our visit. When Merislava came up
to the apartment she was smiling and so happy to meet us. She hugged us as
though we had been her family for years.
We gave Merislava the gifts and she prepared a dinner for us while we talked
to Lyessa. Lyessa then invited a friend that she wanted us to meet named
Ann. Ann was a cute little redhead that lived in the same apartment
building. We all ate dinner together while Yuri discussed the items he
needed to complete the paperwork for the adoption with Merislava. What a
great evening. Again God showed us that He is in control of this adoption.
Without His lining up all of these details there is no way we could have
accomplished it on our own.
To top the evening off Merislava gave us a gift that she had purchased for
us. It was teapot with six cups. She made sure that we knew she bought six
cups because our family now has six people. She asked that every time we
used the teapot we remember her. She is quite a remarkable woman to be
giving up her granddaughter that she loves so much so that Lyessa can have a
better future. God is so good.
We left the apartment with Yuri driving us to find the Stemple's residence.
They are the missionaries that we were introduced to through FamilyLife.
They have opened up their home to us and it was been incredible. We had a
great night getting to know Semp (the wife). Her husband Scott is off on a
Boy Scout camp out and will not be home until Sunday. Too bad I didn't
bring my uniform. This may be my only chance to ever be a part of a
Ukrainian scout troop. I have to admit the bed was a lot better than the
tent so I am happy to be right where I am.
Please pray for us that the God will keep the pace going. We are so
thankful for what He has done thus far.
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Here's a link to a picture of their future daughter, Lyessa. She is an orphan living with her grandmother, who knows she cannot continue to provide for her, and wants her to have a better life. I can't imagine how much she loves her to be able to let her go...what an incredibly difficult, unselfish thing to do. If you scroll down from the group pic, there's a better one, she's #4.
http://www.childreninukraine.com/default.aspx?id=25
Laurie
I'm so happy to hear that!
twins from Russia, now seven. Both kids weighed less than three pounds at birth, had rickets, TB and were developmentally off the charts in all areas. Today they are thriving in school, athletic, perfectly healthy and happy as can be. 
