A follow-up email from Dawn Williams:
Good Evening everyone,
Just wanted all of you to know that Heidi and Erik are home with their children. They left Ukraine at noon today which was 4am CST and arrived in Washington (after a layover in New York) about 8pm CST this evening. That's about 19 hours travel time with 4 small children.
I understand that the day went pretty well with lots of adventures along the way. I am anxious to hear the details, but right now I guess they are all heading for home and bed. But if you saw all the toys and colorful things in the children's room you would wonder how long it will take to settle down. What a wonderful time for the Brun family.
There were lots of tears when Heidi and Erik saw their friends and called me tonight. They are glad to be home and have their children with them. I am very grateful they are home as well.
Please continue to keep this new family in your prayers.
Thank you for all your support.
Dawn Williams
Showing posts with label Adoption Update. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Adoption Update. Show all posts
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Fasten Your Seat Belts
An email from Dawn Williams:
Good Morning everyone
I received a call from Heidi at 4am this morning. The door to the airplane was closing and they were on and in their seats. All 7 of them.
She said the children were all pretty excited last night, the boys slept with them and the girls slept all night. It went wonderful at the airport when they arrived. The girls were apprehensive about getting onto the airplane but the flight attendants helped and everything went without any problems.
They have a 12 hour flight to New York but it sounds like they will have some help on the plane if needed.
Jenn (Jennifer Bindhammer, a good friend in DC) sent me some pictures of the children's room. There are pretty beds with colorful quilts and sheets and lots of presents for the children. It will be a wonderful homecoming.
Jenn also said she would send pictures of them landing which I will share with all of you.
We will keep everyone updated as our new family settles in.
Thanks to everyone
Dawn
Good Morning everyone
I received a call from Heidi at 4am this morning. The door to the airplane was closing and they were on and in their seats. All 7 of them.
She said the children were all pretty excited last night, the boys slept with them and the girls slept all night. It went wonderful at the airport when they arrived. The girls were apprehensive about getting onto the airplane but the flight attendants helped and everything went without any problems.
They have a 12 hour flight to New York but it sounds like they will have some help on the plane if needed.
Jenn (Jennifer Bindhammer, a good friend in DC) sent me some pictures of the children's room. There are pretty beds with colorful quilts and sheets and lots of presents for the children. It will be a wonderful homecoming.
Jenn also said she would send pictures of them landing which I will share with all of you.
We will keep everyone updated as our new family settles in.
Thanks to everyone
Dawn
Friday, February 6, 2009
Operation Squirrel
Operation Squirrel
Translation in Russian to something like "belchka" or the crafty, wiley character that is ready to take on anything that comes it's way. (according to Erik)
When I spoke with Erik this afternoon (11:30 PM Kiev time) he asked me to send out this request to you for moral support and prayers.
The scene: Erik and Heidi in Kiev with their 4 kids for the first time, pretty much on their own (thank goodness not entirely).
The background: With little to no bonding time, nor Russian language learning time (all of which were on the agenda, until derailed by the antics pulled by the Internaut Director and the caring, caregivers), Erik and Heidi find themselves with the immediate need to keep the kids rounded-up and safe in the city's largest park, while giving them their new-found freedoms. Along with other instant-parenthood challenges confronting loving and caring couples.
Earlier Today in Kiev: While traveling and performing all the necessities of life on the road, and in a hotel in the big city, the kids had a major melt-down. Many of the toys and gifts they've provided wound up on the floor in shreds or broken, amid the torrent of cries, screams and other "acting out" activities. Teachers to the rescue! Fortunately, they were visited by two teachers from the prestigious International Elementary School (where all the state officials and dignitaries send their children). Sergei and Olga arrived on the scene just in time to diffuse, soothe, and calm the young band of rebels. (Apparently Christina was the leader of the rebellion.)
Tonight at the Hotel: Organization is now the rule. Instigators (the girls) have been separated from those who are cleaning up the messes made earlier and seeking ways to repair broken electronics (the boys). Bonding has an opportunity. Bedtime has come late however.
Tomorrow at the Airport: Joined by Max, they will be boarding a 12:10 PM flight. Erik and Heidi will be accompanied to the airport by Leysa (Ben Robinson's sister-in-law) and Ben Robinson (Heidi's cousin), for whose help, they are most thankful.
Here's where your prayers would be most helpful:
Erick Wand
Translation in Russian to something like "belchka" or the crafty, wiley character that is ready to take on anything that comes it's way. (according to Erik)
When I spoke with Erik this afternoon (11:30 PM Kiev time) he asked me to send out this request to you for moral support and prayers.
The scene: Erik and Heidi in Kiev with their 4 kids for the first time, pretty much on their own (thank goodness not entirely).
The background: With little to no bonding time, nor Russian language learning time (all of which were on the agenda, until derailed by the antics pulled by the Internaut Director and the caring, caregivers), Erik and Heidi find themselves with the immediate need to keep the kids rounded-up and safe in the city's largest park, while giving them their new-found freedoms. Along with other instant-parenthood challenges confronting loving and caring couples.
Earlier Today in Kiev: While traveling and performing all the necessities of life on the road, and in a hotel in the big city, the kids had a major melt-down. Many of the toys and gifts they've provided wound up on the floor in shreds or broken, amid the torrent of cries, screams and other "acting out" activities. Teachers to the rescue! Fortunately, they were visited by two teachers from the prestigious International Elementary School (where all the state officials and dignitaries send their children). Sergei and Olga arrived on the scene just in time to diffuse, soothe, and calm the young band of rebels. (Apparently Christina was the leader of the rebellion.)
Tonight at the Hotel: Organization is now the rule. Instigators (the girls) have been separated from those who are cleaning up the messes made earlier and seeking ways to repair broken electronics (the boys). Bonding has an opportunity. Bedtime has come late however.
Tomorrow at the Airport: Joined by Max, they will be boarding a 12:10 PM flight. Erik and Heidi will be accompanied to the airport by Leysa (Ben Robinson's sister-in-law) and Ben Robinson (Heidi's cousin), for whose help, they are most thankful.
Here's where your prayers would be most helpful:
- To avoid any kind of public display of dissatisfaction on the part of the children.
- To have the officials avoid having this become a problem.
- To encourage the airport to provide an expediter who would get them through the system with ease
- To ensure a safe flight that provides a sense of awe and wonderment for children who will soon see what the wonderful world they are about to enter.
- And for continuing to provide Erik and Heidi with the composure, intelligence, perseverance and faith to be the excellent parents we know they will be.
Erick Wand
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Iraq was Safer Than This Trip
We both agree, Iraqi was safer than this trip. At 0800 Friday we felt doomed, the Director of the Orphanage had been fighting us tooth and nail for 6 weeks. She had asked for the city prosecutors office to prepare an appeal to the court order granting the adoption.
We got to the City Prosecutor before he made up his mind. He called her into his office to chewed her out. Then on the last day of the 10 day waiting period, she turns in an intent to appeal letter she had done by a private lawyer.
Thursday night, we left our lawyers with grim news about any fancy footwork. The Director would not budge and we had a letter of intent to appeal, a twenty day delay and when they delivered the appeal, it would drag the fight out 3-6 months and no confidence of success. We were exhausted, low or out of leave, broke and almost broken.
We had been told that Friday morning, a special meeting was to be held with a delegation from Lugansk, the regional capitol. The Local Inspector was told this was a fact finding mission about the case.
We woke up Friday morning, the day we would normally have picked up the kids. We read the last day, day 40, of the Love Dare. (Its a couples devotional we brought with us on the trip, based on the Film "Fireproof"). Then we found we both had the same thought: Lets go back by the City Prosecutor's Office. Max, our facilitator, was going to the Inspector's Office and Vova, our translator and Friend, joined us on our desperate mission.
We waited outside the Prosecutors office for twenty minutes, no appointment, no citizenship. He agreed to meet us and we were seated at in front of his desk at 0930. He is in his late 40s, in a suit this time (Last meeting was on a Saturday), with two Deputy Prosecutors standing by. He told us he had heard about the appeal and had made a few calls. He had just talked to the Director and found out she was trying to get Press at the meeting and her good Friends where some of the Inspectors coming. During this discussion, I got a text message from Max saying that we would meet up in front of the Orphanage at 1130 for the meeting. It was planed to be a trap, and we were the target!
The City Prosecutor did what he does best, he got mad. He asked us if we would file a complaint, and called the Militia (law enforcement) for some information. About 10 minutes later a uniformed Militia Officer came in with a report. 65 runaway cases in the city last year and 54 of them from the Internaugt. He was going to launch several investigations!
He was moving fast now, he called the press and turned off any planed coverage (I think) and we went to the Deputy Prosecutor's office who handles Family court where Max joined us and we started writing. At 1115 we were escorted by her and the Deputy Prosecutor who represented the state in our hearing into two cabs (Russlan and Aleg at the wheel) and we got to the Internaut at 1125.
"High Noon," at 1130, as we walked to the front door, the Prosecutors had gotten ahead of us and were heading upstairs. We where stopped and made to wait in the lobby by a male teacher as a Sergeant at arms. The Inspector joined us in the in the holding pen, until the door person was talked into calling for updated orders on our detention.
We where sent to the Directors waiting room and the Inspector joined the cat fight inside. We waited for hour and a half, listing too heated discussions and watching people shuttle in and out for copies of our complaint.
It was all insane, but thank goodness we got to wait outside the door. In any event - after two separate trips to the prosecutor's office, three visits to the best adoption lawyer in town (previous prosecutor) and a visit by three regional directors above the Director along with two of the city prosecutors the Director pulled the intent to appeal at 1307 hrs.
The Scene, the Directors office at about 1500, the Director trying to look in control, the local Inspector, the three Regional Directors, and the two local deputy prosecutors at a "lets kiss and make nice" meeting:
Erik got the last laugh when he pulled out the Ukraine Family Code Book from his jacket pocket and told all the ladies that made the Director change her mind on the appeal ( that "(he) appreciated the wisdom of the laws of the this country". The Director was about to croak when she saw the book! They laughed too, well all but the Director!
The "Best interest of the Children"! Chapter 18 article 218!
The Inspectors, Prosecutors promised to stand by until we got the kids out, they left with us at 1655. We piled in a cab and drove directly to Get Maxim and meet Vova there. He had rode ahead to get things moving. What a day, God be praised!
Sunday Night-Long story short - we have two more stops on Mon and Tue am and then we travel back to Kiev and should be able to fly by the weekend.
Heidi sends:
This parenting thing would be a lot better if the daughters would stop sending death looks! Ha! The girls are still stinkers, but they come along now and then!
Max and Sasha both have slept in our bed with us a bit the past two nights so those guys are coming around!
The caregivers sure didn't do us any favors! Just the fact that the girls get in a stink even when we try to warn them on caution stuff or trying to stop them from walking in front of a car (cars don't stop for anything out here!) and especially with the snow and ice!
But we are getting through it!
Apparently they are enjoying the "freedom of it all." No routines, but according to our translators, they don't believe the freedom will last! We have kind of let them just be, once we get them back to the two room and living room suite we are currently in. We get them washed up (the girls have learned the bathtub routine is more fun in warm water and a real full tub)! (They are all used to getting hosed down maybe once a week in a 3x3 floor basin. And the boys have both had baths too and they seem to enjoy them! Unfortunatly Maxim wanted to take one after the girls drained all the hot water (it is a small electric water heater that takes a while to regenerate once you have used it all) but he still had a bath (with bubble bath soap of course!).
Today we let them sleep in til they woke up and then we all just hung out till noon- they watching dvds and the TV and Erik and I just repacking our stuff (we moved from our one room hotel room to the suite at night so we had no prep time and it was a bit of a mess to do and recover from)! Christina even stayed in her pajamas til 1pm and told our translators about it later. We met up with Max and Vova to head to the stable to get a pony ride and take the kids on a sleigh ride. They liked most of it, except when we hit a curve and the sleigh turned over a bit and pitched all of us out (I was the only other adult besides the horse owner on) and they were cold, snowy and the girls were scared of every bump. I had to turn him around after that. Dasha was with us (Roslun's daughter) and was disappointed because she loved it all! She told Vova and Max later what they all said on the ride. It was fun to get the intrepretation even though I pretty much knew the girls were unhappy and Sasha was cold (he had gotten his gloves all wet before we even had left the hotel with a snowball fight and cleaning off Alec's car). The snow was wonderful though!
Took the kids clothes shopping tonight. Soo many decisions they never, ever had to make before!!! The girls both got matching pink dresses and tights with pretty flowers on the lower legs. The dress is really what made Christina happy! They also got a pair of pants too. They wouldn't pick out anything else though we wanted them too. The boys got a couple of pairs of pants and tops and sweaters. They were not really helpful in trying stuff on either! It doesn't help that the clothes shop is in a toy store. The second store we went to was for underwear, and the place we went for coats - yep, another toy store! So Maxim got the remote control car he was hoping for, and the others got something fun too!
We tried to do a family photo - well we did it but Sasha was really homesick and this was only 2 hours after they left so he was looking down. I really don't know how the photo turned out yet, but will look at it. We will try to get another taken to send ya!
Love to all
Erik & Heidi
the blesd
We got to the City Prosecutor before he made up his mind. He called her into his office to chewed her out. Then on the last day of the 10 day waiting period, she turns in an intent to appeal letter she had done by a private lawyer.
Thursday night, we left our lawyers with grim news about any fancy footwork. The Director would not budge and we had a letter of intent to appeal, a twenty day delay and when they delivered the appeal, it would drag the fight out 3-6 months and no confidence of success. We were exhausted, low or out of leave, broke and almost broken.
We had been told that Friday morning, a special meeting was to be held with a delegation from Lugansk, the regional capitol. The Local Inspector was told this was a fact finding mission about the case.
We woke up Friday morning, the day we would normally have picked up the kids. We read the last day, day 40, of the Love Dare. (Its a couples devotional we brought with us on the trip, based on the Film "Fireproof"). Then we found we both had the same thought: Lets go back by the City Prosecutor's Office. Max, our facilitator, was going to the Inspector's Office and Vova, our translator and Friend, joined us on our desperate mission.
We waited outside the Prosecutors office for twenty minutes, no appointment, no citizenship. He agreed to meet us and we were seated at in front of his desk at 0930. He is in his late 40s, in a suit this time (Last meeting was on a Saturday), with two Deputy Prosecutors standing by. He told us he had heard about the appeal and had made a few calls. He had just talked to the Director and found out she was trying to get Press at the meeting and her good Friends where some of the Inspectors coming. During this discussion, I got a text message from Max saying that we would meet up in front of the Orphanage at 1130 for the meeting. It was planed to be a trap, and we were the target!
The City Prosecutor did what he does best, he got mad. He asked us if we would file a complaint, and called the Militia (law enforcement) for some information. About 10 minutes later a uniformed Militia Officer came in with a report. 65 runaway cases in the city last year and 54 of them from the Internaugt. He was going to launch several investigations!
He was moving fast now, he called the press and turned off any planed coverage (I think) and we went to the Deputy Prosecutor's office who handles Family court where Max joined us and we started writing. At 1115 we were escorted by her and the Deputy Prosecutor who represented the state in our hearing into two cabs (Russlan and Aleg at the wheel) and we got to the Internaut at 1125.
"High Noon," at 1130, as we walked to the front door, the Prosecutors had gotten ahead of us and were heading upstairs. We where stopped and made to wait in the lobby by a male teacher as a Sergeant at arms. The Inspector joined us in the in the holding pen, until the door person was talked into calling for updated orders on our detention.
We where sent to the Directors waiting room and the Inspector joined the cat fight inside. We waited for hour and a half, listing too heated discussions and watching people shuttle in and out for copies of our complaint.
It was all insane, but thank goodness we got to wait outside the door. In any event - after two separate trips to the prosecutor's office, three visits to the best adoption lawyer in town (previous prosecutor) and a visit by three regional directors above the Director along with two of the city prosecutors the Director pulled the intent to appeal at 1307 hrs.
The Scene, the Directors office at about 1500, the Director trying to look in control, the local Inspector, the three Regional Directors, and the two local deputy prosecutors at a "lets kiss and make nice" meeting:
Erik got the last laugh when he pulled out the Ukraine Family Code Book from his jacket pocket and told all the ladies that made the Director change her mind on the appeal ( that "(he) appreciated the wisdom of the laws of the this country". The Director was about to croak when she saw the book! They laughed too, well all but the Director!
The "Best interest of the Children"! Chapter 18 article 218!
The Inspectors, Prosecutors promised to stand by until we got the kids out, they left with us at 1655. We piled in a cab and drove directly to Get Maxim and meet Vova there. He had rode ahead to get things moving. What a day, God be praised!
Sunday Night-Long story short - we have two more stops on Mon and Tue am and then we travel back to Kiev and should be able to fly by the weekend.
Heidi sends:
This parenting thing would be a lot better if the daughters would stop sending death looks! Ha! The girls are still stinkers, but they come along now and then!
Max and Sasha both have slept in our bed with us a bit the past two nights so those guys are coming around!
The caregivers sure didn't do us any favors! Just the fact that the girls get in a stink even when we try to warn them on caution stuff or trying to stop them from walking in front of a car (cars don't stop for anything out here!) and especially with the snow and ice!
But we are getting through it!
Apparently they are enjoying the "freedom of it all." No routines, but according to our translators, they don't believe the freedom will last! We have kind of let them just be, once we get them back to the two room and living room suite we are currently in. We get them washed up (the girls have learned the bathtub routine is more fun in warm water and a real full tub)! (They are all used to getting hosed down maybe once a week in a 3x3 floor basin. And the boys have both had baths too and they seem to enjoy them! Unfortunatly Maxim wanted to take one after the girls drained all the hot water (it is a small electric water heater that takes a while to regenerate once you have used it all) but he still had a bath (with bubble bath soap of course!).
Today we let them sleep in til they woke up and then we all just hung out till noon- they watching dvds and the TV and Erik and I just repacking our stuff (we moved from our one room hotel room to the suite at night so we had no prep time and it was a bit of a mess to do and recover from)! Christina even stayed in her pajamas til 1pm and told our translators about it later. We met up with Max and Vova to head to the stable to get a pony ride and take the kids on a sleigh ride. They liked most of it, except when we hit a curve and the sleigh turned over a bit and pitched all of us out (I was the only other adult besides the horse owner on) and they were cold, snowy and the girls were scared of every bump. I had to turn him around after that. Dasha was with us (Roslun's daughter) and was disappointed because she loved it all! She told Vova and Max later what they all said on the ride. It was fun to get the intrepretation even though I pretty much knew the girls were unhappy and Sasha was cold (he had gotten his gloves all wet before we even had left the hotel with a snowball fight and cleaning off Alec's car). The snow was wonderful though!
Took the kids clothes shopping tonight. Soo many decisions they never, ever had to make before!!! The girls both got matching pink dresses and tights with pretty flowers on the lower legs. The dress is really what made Christina happy! They also got a pair of pants too. They wouldn't pick out anything else though we wanted them too. The boys got a couple of pairs of pants and tops and sweaters. They were not really helpful in trying stuff on either! It doesn't help that the clothes shop is in a toy store. The second store we went to was for underwear, and the place we went for coats - yep, another toy store! So Maxim got the remote control car he was hoping for, and the others got something fun too!
We tried to do a family photo - well we did it but Sasha was really homesick and this was only 2 hours after they left so he was looking down. I really don't know how the photo turned out yet, but will look at it. We will try to get another taken to send ya!
Love to all
Erik & Heidi
the blesd
Living by the Rules (Book)
The Scene: The Directors office, after she has been forced to withdraw her appeal, a lets kiss and make nice meeting:
Erik did get the last laugh with the Director when he pulled out the Ukraine Family Code Book and told all the ladies that made the Director change her mind on the appeal (the local Inspector, the three Regional Directors, and the two local prosecutors) that "(he) apprecated the wisdom of the laws of the this country." The Director was about to croak when she saw the book! They laughed too, well all but the Director!
The chapter in the regulation book for Adoption issues is 18 but the article that sites the Best interest of the Children is 218.
Erik and Heidi
Ukranian Adoption Law Translation follows:
Chapter 18
Erik did get the last laugh with the Director when he pulled out the Ukraine Family Code Book and told all the ladies that made the Director change her mind on the appeal (the local Inspector, the three Regional Directors, and the two local prosecutors) that "(he) apprecated the wisdom of the laws of the this country." The Director was about to croak when she saw the book! They laughed too, well all but the Director!
The chapter in the regulation book for Adoption issues is 18 but the article that sites the Best interest of the Children is 218.
Erik and Heidi
Ukranian Adoption Law Translation follows:
Chapter 18
Adoption
Article 207. the definition of adoption
1. Adoption is acceptance of a person by the adoptive parent to his/her family on rights of a daughter or a son, which is made on the ground of court decision, except in case, specified in article 282 of this Code.
2. Adoption of a child is made in his/her best interests for ensuring stable and harmonious life conditions.
Article 208. Person who can be adopted
1. A child can be adopted (article 6 of this code)
2. In exceptional cases a court can make a decision about adoption of an adult person, who doesn’t have mother, father or was deprived of their care. In such case the court takes into consideration family status of the adoptive parent, particularly absence of children, and other circumstances that are of considerable importance.
Article 209. Adoption of a child, who hasn’t been taken from maternity hospital, or was abandoned, or found.
1. A child, who hasn’t been taken from maternity hospital or another medical institution, or whose parents or other relatives refused to pick him/her up, may be adopted after attaining of 2 months of age.
2. A child who was abandoned or found may be adopted after 2 months from the time he/she was found.
Article 207. the definition of adoption
1. Adoption is acceptance of a person by the adoptive parent to his/her family on rights of a daughter or a son, which is made on the ground of court decision, except in case, specified in article 282 of this Code.
2. Adoption of a child is made in his/her best interests for ensuring stable and harmonious life conditions.
Article 208. Person who can be adopted
1. A child can be adopted (article 6 of this code)
2. In exceptional cases a court can make a decision about adoption of an adult person, who doesn’t have mother, father or was deprived of their care. In such case the court takes into consideration family status of the adoptive parent, particularly absence of children, and other circumstances that are of considerable importance.
Article 209. Adoption of a child, who hasn’t been taken from maternity hospital, or was abandoned, or found.
1. A child, who hasn’t been taken from maternity hospital or another medical institution, or whose parents or other relatives refused to pick him/her up, may be adopted after attaining of 2 months of age.
2. A child who was abandoned or found may be adopted after 2 months from the time he/she was found.
Article 210. Adoption of siblings.
1. If brothers and sisters are registered for possible adoption, they cannot be separated in their adoption.
If there are circumstances of considerable significance, the court with agreement of the body of guardianship and care can decree the decision about adoption of someone of them or about adoption by different persons.
2. If adoption of a child is not secret, brother and sister have the right to know his/her new place of residence.
Article 211. The persons who can be adoptive parents.
1. The adoptive parent must be at least 21 years old, except when he/she is a relative to the child.
2. The adoptive parent must be at least 15 years older than the child he/she wishes to adopt. The difference in age between the adoptive parent and the child cannot be greater than 45 years.
In case of adoption of an adult the difference in age mustn’t be less than 18 years.
3. A married couple may become adoptive parents, as well as the persons specified in parts 5 and 6 of this article. The adoptive parents may not be the persons of the same sex.
4. The persons who are not married to one another may not adopt the same child. If such persons live together like a family, court may decree the decision of adoption by them.
5. If a child has only mother, he/she may not be adopted by a man, who is not married to his/her mother. If a child has only father, he/she may not be adopted by a woman, who is not married to his/her father. If such persons live together like a family, court may decree the decision of adoption by them.
6. If a child has only father or only mother, who in connection with adoption lose legal connection with the child, just one man or one woman may become the adoptive parent of the child.
7. The number of children who may be adopted by one adoptive parent is not restricted.
Article 212. Persons who may not be the adoptive parents
1. The following persons may not be the adoptive parents:
1) with limited legal capacity
2) declared incapable
3) deprived of parent rights, if these rights have not been renewed
4) those who have been the adoptive parents of another child, but the adoption was annulled or declared not valid through their fault.
5) registered under care of being treated by psychoneurological or narcological dispensary
6) those who misuse alcohol or drugs
7) those who don’t have permanent residence or constant earnings (fixed income)
8) sick with diseases, the list of which is stated by Ministry of health protection of Ukraine
9) foreigners who are not married, except cases, when the foreigner is a relative to the child.
2. Apart from the persons, specified in part 1 of this article, persons, whose interests contradict interests of the child may not be the adoptive parents.
1. If brothers and sisters are registered for possible adoption, they cannot be separated in their adoption.
If there are circumstances of considerable significance, the court with agreement of the body of guardianship and care can decree the decision about adoption of someone of them or about adoption by different persons.
2. If adoption of a child is not secret, brother and sister have the right to know his/her new place of residence.
Article 211. The persons who can be adoptive parents.
1. The adoptive parent must be at least 21 years old, except when he/she is a relative to the child.
2. The adoptive parent must be at least 15 years older than the child he/she wishes to adopt. The difference in age between the adoptive parent and the child cannot be greater than 45 years.
In case of adoption of an adult the difference in age mustn’t be less than 18 years.
3. A married couple may become adoptive parents, as well as the persons specified in parts 5 and 6 of this article. The adoptive parents may not be the persons of the same sex.
4. The persons who are not married to one another may not adopt the same child. If such persons live together like a family, court may decree the decision of adoption by them.
5. If a child has only mother, he/she may not be adopted by a man, who is not married to his/her mother. If a child has only father, he/she may not be adopted by a woman, who is not married to his/her father. If such persons live together like a family, court may decree the decision of adoption by them.
6. If a child has only father or only mother, who in connection with adoption lose legal connection with the child, just one man or one woman may become the adoptive parent of the child.
7. The number of children who may be adopted by one adoptive parent is not restricted.
Article 212. Persons who may not be the adoptive parents
1. The following persons may not be the adoptive parents:
1) with limited legal capacity
2) declared incapable
3) deprived of parent rights, if these rights have not been renewed
4) those who have been the adoptive parents of another child, but the adoption was annulled or declared not valid through their fault.
5) registered under care of being treated by psychoneurological or narcological dispensary
6) those who misuse alcohol or drugs
7) those who don’t have permanent residence or constant earnings (fixed income)
8) sick with diseases, the list of which is stated by Ministry of health protection of Ukraine
9) foreigners who are not married, except cases, when the foreigner is a relative to the child.
2. Apart from the persons, specified in part 1 of this article, persons, whose interests contradict interests of the child may not be the adoptive parents.
Article 213. Persons who have preferential right before others for adoption of a child.
1. If there are several persons, who expressed desire to adopt the same child, the preferential right for his/her adoption belongs to a citizen of Ukraine:
a) whose family brings the child up;
b) who is the husband of the child’s mother, or the wife of father of the child who is adopted;
c) who adopts several children, who are siblings;
d) who is a relative of the child.
2. Apart from the persons, specified in part 1 of this article, a married couple has a preferential right for adoption of a child.
Article 217. Consent of parents for adoption of their child.
1. A child’s adoption is made with a free consent of his/her parents.
2. The parents’ consent for their child’s adoption must be unconditional. Agreement as to payment for consent for a child’s adoption by the adoptive parents to parents, guardians or other persons, with whom the child lives is ineffective.
3. Parents’ consent for adoption may be given only after the child has attained 2 months’ age.
4. If child’s mother or father is juvenile, apart from their consent for adoption, their parents’ consent is required.
5. Parents’ written consent for adoption is notarized.
6. Mother, father of the child has the right to withdraw their consent for adoption before court’s decision about adoption comes into effect.
Article 218. Consent of the child for adoption
1. the child consent is required for his/her adoption, if the child’s attained such age and level of development, that he/she can express consent. The child’s consent is given in the form corresponding to his/her age and health condition.
2. The child must be informed about legal consequences of adoption.
3. Adoption is granted without the child’s consent, if he/she with connection of age or health condition doesn’t realize the fact of adoption
4. The child’s consent is not required, when he/she lives in the family of adoptive parents and considers them his/her own parents.
Article 219. Child’s adoption without consent of parents.
1. Child’s adoption is made without his/her parents’ consent, if they are:
a) Unknown
b) Acknowledged as missing
c) Acknowledged as incapable
d) Deprived of parent’s rights as to the child who is adopted.
2. Child’s adoption may be fulfilled without consent of adult parents, if the court ascertains that they, not having lived with the child for more than 6 months, do not express parent’s care and attention, do not maintain and do not bring the child up.
1. If there are several persons, who expressed desire to adopt the same child, the preferential right for his/her adoption belongs to a citizen of Ukraine:
a) whose family brings the child up;
b) who is the husband of the child’s mother, or the wife of father of the child who is adopted;
c) who adopts several children, who are siblings;
d) who is a relative of the child.
2. Apart from the persons, specified in part 1 of this article, a married couple has a preferential right for adoption of a child.
Article 217. Consent of parents for adoption of their child.
1. A child’s adoption is made with a free consent of his/her parents.
2. The parents’ consent for their child’s adoption must be unconditional. Agreement as to payment for consent for a child’s adoption by the adoptive parents to parents, guardians or other persons, with whom the child lives is ineffective.
3. Parents’ consent for adoption may be given only after the child has attained 2 months’ age.
4. If child’s mother or father is juvenile, apart from their consent for adoption, their parents’ consent is required.
5. Parents’ written consent for adoption is notarized.
6. Mother, father of the child has the right to withdraw their consent for adoption before court’s decision about adoption comes into effect.
Article 218. Consent of the child for adoption
1. the child consent is required for his/her adoption, if the child’s attained such age and level of development, that he/she can express consent. The child’s consent is given in the form corresponding to his/her age and health condition.
2. The child must be informed about legal consequences of adoption.
3. Adoption is granted without the child’s consent, if he/she with connection of age or health condition doesn’t realize the fact of adoption
4. The child’s consent is not required, when he/she lives in the family of adoptive parents and considers them his/her own parents.
Article 219. Child’s adoption without consent of parents.
1. Child’s adoption is made without his/her parents’ consent, if they are:
a) Unknown
b) Acknowledged as missing
c) Acknowledged as incapable
d) Deprived of parent’s rights as to the child who is adopted.
2. Child’s adoption may be fulfilled without consent of adult parents, if the court ascertains that they, not having lived with the child for more than 6 months, do not express parent’s care and attention, do not maintain and do not bring the child up.
Article 221. Consent of guardian, custodian for adoption of a child
1. For adoption of a child, who is under guardianship or custody, as well as for adoption of a child, whose parents under guardianship or custody, the written consent of guardian or custodian is required, regardless of parents’ consent.
2. If guardian or custodian doesn’t give consent for child’s adoption, such consent may be given by a body of guardianship or custody.
3. The child’s adoption may be fulfilled without consent of guardian, custodian or body of guardianship and custody, if the court ascertains, that adoption of the child meets his/her interests.
Article 222. Consent of medical institution or educational institution for adoption of a child.
1. For adoption of a child, who doesn’t have parents and stays in a medical or educational institution, the written consent of this institution is required.
Adoption may be fulfilled without consent of this institution, if the court ascertains, that adoption of the child meets his/her interests.
Article 223. Application for a child’s adoption.
1. Person, who wishes to adopt a child, hands in application for adoption to the court. Handing in such application through a representative is not acceptable.
2. Application for adoption may be withdrawn before the court’s decision about adoption comes into effect.
Article 224. Court’s decision about adoption
1. The court, decreeing a decision about child’s adoption, takes into consideration circumstances, which are of considerable importance, particularly:
a) Health condition and financial circumstances of the person who wishes to adopt a child, his/her marital status, living conditions, attitude to upbringing of the child;
b) Motives, on bases of which the person wishes to adopt the child.
c) Motives why the other of married couple doesn’t wish to become an adoptive parent, if only one of the married couple applies for adoption
d) Adequacy of the person who wishes to adopt the child and how long this person has cared for the child;
e) The person of the child and his/her health condition
f) Attitude of the child to the person, who wishes to adopt him.
2. If complying with all conditions, stated in this Code, with ability of the person who wishes to adopt the child, to ensure stable and harmonious life conditions for the child, the courts grants a decree, in which this person is declared the adoptive parent of the child.
3. The court may not refuse to grant adoption to a person for the reason, that the person already has or can have a child.
4. The court, decreeing a decision about adoption of an adult, takes into account the motives, on bases of which the persons wish to adopt, the possibility of their cohabitation, their family status and health condition and other circumstances which are of considerable importance.
Article 225. The moment of fulfillment of adoption.
1. The adoption is considered fulfilled on the date when the court decision comes into effect.
2. At will of adoptive parent, a state body of registration gives an adoption certificate on the base of the court decision. The sample of the certificate is approved by the Cabinet of the ministers of Ukraine.
Article 230. The right of adoptive parent to change records about birthplace and birth date of the child.
1. A person who applies for adoption may express wish to change records about birthplace and birth date of the child.
2. Date of birth of a child can be changed to no more than six months.
3. In decision about adoption the court changes records about birth place and birth date of the child if it meets his/her interests.
Article 232. Legal consequences of adoption.
1. From the moment of fulfillment of adoption personal and property rights and duties between parents and the person who is adopted lapse, as well as between the person and his/her other relatives by birth.
If the child is adopted by one person, these rights and duties may be conserved at will of mother, if the adoptive parent is a man, or at will of father, if the adoptive parent is a woman.
2. If after a parent’s death or divorce with a person, acknowledged as incapable by the court, the other parent espouses one more time and his/her spouse in the recurring marriage wishes to adopt the child, grandfather or grandmother of the child on the side of the parent who is deceased or acknowledged incapable, his own brothers and sisters have the right to hand in application to the court as to retaining the legal connection between them and the child being adopted.
The court considers this application simultaneously with adoption application and satisfies it, if it meets the child’s interests.
3. From the moment of adoption mutual personal non-pecuniary and pecuniary rights and duties arises between the person who is adopted (and in the future between his/her children and grandchildren) and the adoptive parent and his/her relatives by birth.
4. Adoption grants to the adoptive parent rights and charges duties as to the child he/she adopted to the same extent as parents have as to the child.
5. Adoption grants rights to the person, who is adopted, and charges duties as to the adoptive parent to the same extent as a child has at to his parents.
Article 233. Alteration to birth records of the child, who is adopted.
1. On the base of the court decision about adoption a state body of status registration makes corresponding alterations in birth records of the child or the adult and issues a new birth certificate taking into account these alterations. The birth certificate that was issued before is annulled.
Article 234. reservation of child’s rights that he/she had before adoption.
1. The adopted child reserves the rights for pension, other social payment, as well as payment of indemnification in connection with loss of breadwinner, which the child had before adoption.
Article 235. Control over compliance with the rights of the child who was adopted.
1. A body of guardianship and custody exercises control over compliance with the rights of the children, who were adopted and reside in Ukraine.
2. Control over compliance with the rights of the child who was adopted, is exercised till his/her attainment of majority.
Article 236. Invalidity of adoption.
1. The adoption is nullified by the court’s decision if it was granted without consent of the children or parents, if such consent was necessary.
2. The adoption is nullified by the court’s decision if the adoptive parent didn’t wish coming into effect rights and responsibilities, which arise as result of adoption (fictitious adoption)
3. The adoption may be nullified by court decision, if it was granted on the base of forged documents
4. The adoption may be nullified by court decision, in case of absence of consent for adoption from persons specified in articles 220-222 of this Code.
5. If one of the spouses adopted a child of the other spouse, the adoption may be nullified by court decision, if it is ascertained, that at the moment of adoption the other spouse didn’t have intention to continue marital relations.
1. For adoption of a child, who is under guardianship or custody, as well as for adoption of a child, whose parents under guardianship or custody, the written consent of guardian or custodian is required, regardless of parents’ consent.
2. If guardian or custodian doesn’t give consent for child’s adoption, such consent may be given by a body of guardianship or custody.
3. The child’s adoption may be fulfilled without consent of guardian, custodian or body of guardianship and custody, if the court ascertains, that adoption of the child meets his/her interests.
Article 222. Consent of medical institution or educational institution for adoption of a child.
1. For adoption of a child, who doesn’t have parents and stays in a medical or educational institution, the written consent of this institution is required.
Adoption may be fulfilled without consent of this institution, if the court ascertains, that adoption of the child meets his/her interests.
Article 223. Application for a child’s adoption.
1. Person, who wishes to adopt a child, hands in application for adoption to the court. Handing in such application through a representative is not acceptable.
2. Application for adoption may be withdrawn before the court’s decision about adoption comes into effect.
Article 224. Court’s decision about adoption
1. The court, decreeing a decision about child’s adoption, takes into consideration circumstances, which are of considerable importance, particularly:
a) Health condition and financial circumstances of the person who wishes to adopt a child, his/her marital status, living conditions, attitude to upbringing of the child;
b) Motives, on bases of which the person wishes to adopt the child.
c) Motives why the other of married couple doesn’t wish to become an adoptive parent, if only one of the married couple applies for adoption
d) Adequacy of the person who wishes to adopt the child and how long this person has cared for the child;
e) The person of the child and his/her health condition
f) Attitude of the child to the person, who wishes to adopt him.
2. If complying with all conditions, stated in this Code, with ability of the person who wishes to adopt the child, to ensure stable and harmonious life conditions for the child, the courts grants a decree, in which this person is declared the adoptive parent of the child.
3. The court may not refuse to grant adoption to a person for the reason, that the person already has or can have a child.
4. The court, decreeing a decision about adoption of an adult, takes into account the motives, on bases of which the persons wish to adopt, the possibility of their cohabitation, their family status and health condition and other circumstances which are of considerable importance.
Article 225. The moment of fulfillment of adoption.
1. The adoption is considered fulfilled on the date when the court decision comes into effect.
2. At will of adoptive parent, a state body of registration gives an adoption certificate on the base of the court decision. The sample of the certificate is approved by the Cabinet of the ministers of Ukraine.
Article 230. The right of adoptive parent to change records about birthplace and birth date of the child.
1. A person who applies for adoption may express wish to change records about birthplace and birth date of the child.
2. Date of birth of a child can be changed to no more than six months.
3. In decision about adoption the court changes records about birth place and birth date of the child if it meets his/her interests.
Article 232. Legal consequences of adoption.
1. From the moment of fulfillment of adoption personal and property rights and duties between parents and the person who is adopted lapse, as well as between the person and his/her other relatives by birth.
If the child is adopted by one person, these rights and duties may be conserved at will of mother, if the adoptive parent is a man, or at will of father, if the adoptive parent is a woman.
2. If after a parent’s death or divorce with a person, acknowledged as incapable by the court, the other parent espouses one more time and his/her spouse in the recurring marriage wishes to adopt the child, grandfather or grandmother of the child on the side of the parent who is deceased or acknowledged incapable, his own brothers and sisters have the right to hand in application to the court as to retaining the legal connection between them and the child being adopted.
The court considers this application simultaneously with adoption application and satisfies it, if it meets the child’s interests.
3. From the moment of adoption mutual personal non-pecuniary and pecuniary rights and duties arises between the person who is adopted (and in the future between his/her children and grandchildren) and the adoptive parent and his/her relatives by birth.
4. Adoption grants to the adoptive parent rights and charges duties as to the child he/she adopted to the same extent as parents have as to the child.
5. Adoption grants rights to the person, who is adopted, and charges duties as to the adoptive parent to the same extent as a child has at to his parents.
Article 233. Alteration to birth records of the child, who is adopted.
1. On the base of the court decision about adoption a state body of status registration makes corresponding alterations in birth records of the child or the adult and issues a new birth certificate taking into account these alterations. The birth certificate that was issued before is annulled.
Article 234. reservation of child’s rights that he/she had before adoption.
1. The adopted child reserves the rights for pension, other social payment, as well as payment of indemnification in connection with loss of breadwinner, which the child had before adoption.
Article 235. Control over compliance with the rights of the child who was adopted.
1. A body of guardianship and custody exercises control over compliance with the rights of the children, who were adopted and reside in Ukraine.
2. Control over compliance with the rights of the child who was adopted, is exercised till his/her attainment of majority.
Article 236. Invalidity of adoption.
1. The adoption is nullified by the court’s decision if it was granted without consent of the children or parents, if such consent was necessary.
2. The adoption is nullified by the court’s decision if the adoptive parent didn’t wish coming into effect rights and responsibilities, which arise as result of adoption (fictitious adoption)
3. The adoption may be nullified by court decision, if it was granted on the base of forged documents
4. The adoption may be nullified by court decision, in case of absence of consent for adoption from persons specified in articles 220-222 of this Code.
5. If one of the spouses adopted a child of the other spouse, the adoption may be nullified by court decision, if it is ascertained, that at the moment of adoption the other spouse didn’t have intention to continue marital relations.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Brun Family of 6
Posted from an email sent by Dawn Williams
Hello everyone,
I got a call from Heidi about 3:30 pm our time (Minneapolis). They had just finished giving their children baths and getting them ready for bed. They got all four of them out of their respective orphanages and they are now the Brun family of 6. They do not have to return to the orphanage ever again. They all went to dinner together, had baths and are working at being parents. Heidi said that this afternoon, after they got the 3 little ones, they headed to pick up Max. On the way, Christina was directing who sat where in the car, and Tatiana was being a little poop, while Sasha didn’t feel good. Sounds like a family to me.
Say prayers for all of them as they move as a group in their travels to Kiev and then to America. All of our prayers have been answered.
Dawn (Heidi’s Mom)
Hello everyone,
I got a call from Heidi about 3:30 pm our time (Minneapolis). They had just finished giving their children baths and getting them ready for bed. They got all four of them out of their respective orphanages and they are now the Brun family of 6. They do not have to return to the orphanage ever again. They all went to dinner together, had baths and are working at being parents. Heidi said that this afternoon, after they got the 3 little ones, they headed to pick up Max. On the way, Christina was directing who sat where in the car, and Tatiana was being a little poop, while Sasha didn’t feel good. Sounds like a family to me.
Say prayers for all of them as they move as a group in their travels to Kiev and then to America. All of our prayers have been answered.
Dawn (Heidi’s Mom)
Best Day of Their Lives
Posted from an email received from Dawn Williams:
Appeal Status Update
Good Morning everyone.
I just received a call from Heidi. Today was the best day of their lives. They just picked up the court documents for all four children. They met with the prosecutor who is also the best adoption lawyer in town. He called two of his staff and they went to the orphanage with Heidi and Erik and stayed with them until things were finished. There they met with the director's boss and a regional person who kicked butt. The prosecutor squashed the appeal, and after two hours Heidi and Erik were granted final permission to remove the children today. This was after the children were asked once again if they wanted to be adopted and go to America. The two girls said Sasha will speak for them. He said "YES." The children are being prepared at this minute to walk out of the orphanage and move to the suite in the hotel with Heidi and Erik. They are also going to pick up Max this afternoon. So their entire family will be assembled and together for the first time. They discovered that there are already passports in their names, so they truly hope to be out of there and off to Kiev by Tuesday.
Praise God and thank all of you for supporting them during this very difficult process. We have a new family coming home and I have four new grandchildren.
Dawn Williams
Grandmother to Max, Alexander (Sasha), Christina and Tatiana Brun
Appeal Status Update
Good Morning everyone.
I just received a call from Heidi. Today was the best day of their lives. They just picked up the court documents for all four children. They met with the prosecutor who is also the best adoption lawyer in town. He called two of his staff and they went to the orphanage with Heidi and Erik and stayed with them until things were finished. There they met with the director's boss and a regional person who kicked butt. The prosecutor squashed the appeal, and after two hours Heidi and Erik were granted final permission to remove the children today. This was after the children were asked once again if they wanted to be adopted and go to America. The two girls said Sasha will speak for them. He said "YES." The children are being prepared at this minute to walk out of the orphanage and move to the suite in the hotel with Heidi and Erik. They are also going to pick up Max this afternoon. So their entire family will be assembled and together for the first time. They discovered that there are already passports in their names, so they truly hope to be out of there and off to Kiev by Tuesday.
Praise God and thank all of you for supporting them during this very difficult process. We have a new family coming home and I have four new grandchildren.
Dawn Williams
Grandmother to Max, Alexander (Sasha), Christina and Tatiana Brun
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Not Out of the Woods Yet!
In a phone call from Erik...
Erik shared that the Director of the Internaut filed an "intent to appeal" which in effect drags out the legal proceedings by at least another 20 days. And could likely turn into a month or more. Suffice it to say that lawyers have been hired, and the legal games are beginning.
Not About to Quit
From an email by Dawn Williams:
I called Heidi and Erik this morning and had a long visit with them. At that point it was looking promising. They had their work cut out for them getting the changed birth certificates from the town where the children were born and then working to get them all moving towards Kiev. They hoped to be on the road by next Tuesday. But then I got a call from Heidi later this afternoon with another update which they asked me to share with all of you. They are going to be really busy and pushing out all the stops for the next few days.
They were told earlier this afternoon that the director of the orphanage, where the 3 children live, called around town to find an attorney who would write up an appeal to block the adoption proceedings for the 3 children. After being turned down by several attorneys (many of the attorneys in town are aware of the difficulties Heidi and Erik have been faced with and are supporting them in their efforts to adopt). However, she did find one that would draw up the appeal paperwork. As a result, Heidi and Erik are planning some direct strategy for the next few days which could include suing the director. They have several attorneys working with them. They have let out the rumor that they are looking for an apartment to rent or a house to buy. This will give the staff at the orphanage the notion they they are not going away and plan to remain until the children return to America with them. The one good the children have in their favor is that Heidi and Erik are not quitters and are fighting for these children. The director told Heidi that the children should be allowed to remain in Ukraine to live their "mediocre lives."
A good thing that has helped Heidi and Erik during these past few weeks. When they go to visit Maxim he is waiting at the door for them, happy to see them and engaged with them during the whole visit. Then he goes to the door to wave to them as they leave. I am sure that has helped to keep them going.
I will stay in touch with them by phone and will update you all again when I talk to them later this week.
We all need to get our prayer chains going because they truly need them now.
Dawn Williams
Heidi's mother in Minnesota
dawnbrody@yahoo.com
They were told earlier this afternoon that the director of the orphanage, where the 3 children live, called around town to find an attorney who would write up an appeal to block the adoption proceedings for the 3 children. After being turned down by several attorneys (many of the attorneys in town are aware of the difficulties Heidi and Erik have been faced with and are supporting them in their efforts to adopt). However, she did find one that would draw up the appeal paperwork. As a result, Heidi and Erik are planning some direct strategy for the next few days which could include suing the director. They have several attorneys working with them. They have let out the rumor that they are looking for an apartment to rent or a house to buy. This will give the staff at the orphanage the notion they they are not going away and plan to remain until the children return to America with them. The one good the children have in their favor is that Heidi and Erik are not quitters and are fighting for these children. The director told Heidi that the children should be allowed to remain in Ukraine to live their "mediocre lives."
A good thing that has helped Heidi and Erik during these past few weeks. When they go to visit Maxim he is waiting at the door for them, happy to see them and engaged with them during the whole visit. Then he goes to the door to wave to them as they leave. I am sure that has helped to keep them going.
I will stay in touch with them by phone and will update you all again when I talk to them later this week.
We all need to get our prayer chains going because they truly need them now.
Dawn Williams
Heidi's mother in Minnesota
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Things are Looking Up
Phone call from Erik reveals that prayers are working and progress is being made. Details to follow. Erik thanks everyone for their continued support.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
From the Bunker
Heidi, Erik and Vova (who did not sign up for a tour in a combat zone, but he is doing well)
We are working on the next step. We had court on Monday and after a three-hour court hearing the judge ruled in favor of the adoption. Only the oldest boy in the end said yes and the other three children said they want to stay at the orphanage. We are pleased the judge and the prosecutor were of their right mind and the Judge stated in his five-page decision which he read every word of - "that it is in the best interest of the children to be adopted and to stay together!"
Unfortunately while we are working on the next step, the orphanage, where the younger three live, is making an appeal. The reason given is because the kids did not agree in court. We hear it may be because if all three kids go it will put their levels (grade 1, 2, and 3) behind in the necessary numbers and the orphanage may lose those classes and eventually may close.
We are hopeful and will know more tomorrow. We also were able to talk to some legal advisers (offline) last night, for an hour an a half, and they gave us some ideas. We will be also meeting with the some offices tomorrow as they have an inspection going on today.
It is not pretty, but we are hanging in there! This is an all-or-nothing game at this point. If the appeal succeeds, the court process will last for months. The kids are very traumatized at this point. The middle two now will not make eye contact initially and their classes seem to be suffering collective punishment for their contact with us.
The Good News is we are being allowed to take the kids out of the orphanage this afternoon (we have been asking since mid December)! We plan take them to the local mall that has an indoor ice rink, small cars the kids can drive in, an arcade with a bowling alley, shops, and food. So this is our first chance in a month to show them something else than the only thing they know!
We want to recognized our special angels who have come to our aide here lately. Imagine being stranded in a foreign land, in a courtroom, settling your future, in a language you can not understand:
Ruslan, began as our cab driver but has grown into a Friend and protector, Heidi calls him our new older brother. He had us to his house on New Year's Eve; took us on a tour of a local Orthodox church, build in a small forest in the last 15 years; and for a sleigh ride on Tuesday (before the feces hit the air circulating device).
Vova (Vladimir, Masha's brother) came to help us with the kids and do some light translation, but has now bore the brunt of several very heated meetings with the director and her staff. He is invaluable in gaining insight to what's going on behind the scenes.
Svedlana, the librarian of the Intrenaut in Sevedonesk. She is a woman of faith who has taken several administrative beatings for helping us out. She is a friendly face, a voice of truth and a place of refuge in a very bitter and cold place.
Keep us in your prayers. Also that the care-givers see past their own self interests in this adoption, and the Kids most of all.
We are working on the next step. We had court on Monday and after a three-hour court hearing the judge ruled in favor of the adoption. Only the oldest boy in the end said yes and the other three children said they want to stay at the orphanage. We are pleased the judge and the prosecutor were of their right mind and the Judge stated in his five-page decision which he read every word of - "that it is in the best interest of the children to be adopted and to stay together!"
Unfortunately while we are working on the next step, the orphanage, where the younger three live, is making an appeal. The reason given is because the kids did not agree in court. We hear it may be because if all three kids go it will put their levels (grade 1, 2, and 3) behind in the necessary numbers and the orphanage may lose those classes and eventually may close.
We are hopeful and will know more tomorrow. We also were able to talk to some legal advisers (offline) last night, for an hour an a half, and they gave us some ideas. We will be also meeting with the some offices tomorrow as they have an inspection going on today.
It is not pretty, but we are hanging in there! This is an all-or-nothing game at this point. If the appeal succeeds, the court process will last for months. The kids are very traumatized at this point. The middle two now will not make eye contact initially and their classes seem to be suffering collective punishment for their contact with us.
The Good News is we are being allowed to take the kids out of the orphanage this afternoon (we have been asking since mid December)! We plan take them to the local mall that has an indoor ice rink, small cars the kids can drive in, an arcade with a bowling alley, shops, and food. So this is our first chance in a month to show them something else than the only thing they know!
We want to recognized our special angels who have come to our aide here lately. Imagine being stranded in a foreign land, in a courtroom, settling your future, in a language you can not understand:
Ruslan, began as our cab driver but has grown into a Friend and protector, Heidi calls him our new older brother. He had us to his house on New Year's Eve; took us on a tour of a local Orthodox church, build in a small forest in the last 15 years; and for a sleigh ride on Tuesday (before the feces hit the air circulating device).
Vova (Vladimir, Masha's brother) came to help us with the kids and do some light translation, but has now bore the brunt of several very heated meetings with the director and her staff. He is invaluable in gaining insight to what's going on behind the scenes.
Svedlana, the librarian of the Intrenaut in Sevedonesk. She is a woman of faith who has taken several administrative beatings for helping us out. She is a friendly face, a voice of truth and a place of refuge in a very bitter and cold place.
Keep us in your prayers. Also that the care-givers see past their own self interests in this adoption, and the Kids most of all.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Setback Encountered
Via message from Erik and Heidi who have come so far,
yet challenges remain...
Your prayers and kind thoughts urgently requested.
yet challenges remain...
Legal difficulties continue. Complex and frustrating.
Will provide details as time permits. Love to all. - E&H
Reader comments posted below are welcome too!
Monday, January 19, 2009
We Won!
So, Sunday night, the full court press. Our facilitator, Max, sat down with Sasha and Christina to go over the pros and cons of court.
We had known that the middle children where becoming an issue. It was not that they did not like us or trust us, it's just it was so far outside their safety zone that they felt they did not want to leave their friends, and routine here for the unknown.
Some of the things they had been told: "you will be stabbed," "you will be turned over to organ brokers," "if you go into a shop you can get killed," "your new parents will beat you," "you will be used as domestic servants," (the last one was asked to friends of ours when they adopted a few years ago by the judge).
We had them speak to Masha (at our home) in D.C. She asked them what they liked to study, what they liked to do. They asked her to tell them about the house?, the neighborhood?, they where surprised by the concept of time zones as it was morning in the US when they called from Ukraine and it was night for us.
Then Max used his secret weapon, William. A young man he assisted in the adoption of to the Krebs Family of NY less than three months ago. William spoke to us for 20 minutes answering hard questions like "Do your parents beat you? Do they love you? Do you have a bicycle? And from the youngest girl (Tanya) is it better here or there?
The evening was indecisive but it had made America "more real" in some ways.
Court.
Monday started with breakfast at the hotel with Maxim and two staff from his Internaut who drove him in. We met up with the other kids at the Courthouse. We waited for the proceding to begin and watched the children interact as four siblings for the first time in several years. This was very amusing, but I just wish it was not such grim surroundings or ominous pretenses.
We filed into the court room, Max at our side as our translator. We went for three hours, with three recesses, and it was summarized by the judge reading a 5-page court finding.
The testimony by the prospective parents was the first hour and fifteen minutes, then the fun:
They Asked Maxim, the eldest, a series of questions. He promptly curled up and could not be made to state his name, let alone if he wanted to go to America (much later he stated "Da!" when asked again). Sasha could not be made to answer either, but Christina was ready with a hearty Nyet!. When asked why, her response was "all her friends are at the Internaut," of course this lead to a vote of one abstain and 3 No's.
The rest of those two hours became a bit of a blur.The judge, male late 40's, sent his two jurors, female, 40's, to poll the kids during a recess. Many sequence of questioning, reasoning and cajoling ensued. At last, the kids were released at a 1 to 3 vote by the kids against leaving the Internut.
Then the last hour of the tribunal. The court reconvened without the three children from the local Internut and asked us to state our position. We simply said that the we loved these children, we understand that for the last 3 years they have lived in two institutions with 24 mothers and no fathers, and we wanted to have them join us to create a family.
At the end of the five-page decree, three hours into the process, he granted us our motion.
So the 10-day appeal period begins, and we prepare to move out with the new family at the conclusion of that time.
Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers.
Yeah!
We had known that the middle children where becoming an issue. It was not that they did not like us or trust us, it's just it was so far outside their safety zone that they felt they did not want to leave their friends, and routine here for the unknown.
Some of the things they had been told: "you will be stabbed," "you will be turned over to organ brokers," "if you go into a shop you can get killed," "your new parents will beat you," "you will be used as domestic servants," (the last one was asked to friends of ours when they adopted a few years ago by the judge).
We had them speak to Masha (at our home) in D.C. She asked them what they liked to study, what they liked to do. They asked her to tell them about the house?, the neighborhood?, they where surprised by the concept of time zones as it was morning in the US when they called from Ukraine and it was night for us.
Then Max used his secret weapon, William. A young man he assisted in the adoption of to the Krebs Family of NY less than three months ago. William spoke to us for 20 minutes answering hard questions like "Do your parents beat you? Do they love you? Do you have a bicycle? And from the youngest girl (Tanya) is it better here or there?
The evening was indecisive but it had made America "more real" in some ways.
Court.
Monday started with breakfast at the hotel with Maxim and two staff from his Internaut who drove him in. We met up with the other kids at the Courthouse. We waited for the proceding to begin and watched the children interact as four siblings for the first time in several years. This was very amusing, but I just wish it was not such grim surroundings or ominous pretenses.
We filed into the court room, Max at our side as our translator. We went for three hours, with three recesses, and it was summarized by the judge reading a 5-page court finding.
The testimony by the prospective parents was the first hour and fifteen minutes, then the fun:
They Asked Maxim, the eldest, a series of questions. He promptly curled up and could not be made to state his name, let alone if he wanted to go to America (much later he stated "Da!" when asked again). Sasha could not be made to answer either, but Christina was ready with a hearty Nyet!. When asked why, her response was "all her friends are at the Internaut," of course this lead to a vote of one abstain and 3 No's.
The rest of those two hours became a bit of a blur.The judge, male late 40's, sent his two jurors, female, 40's, to poll the kids during a recess. Many sequence of questioning, reasoning and cajoling ensued. At last, the kids were released at a 1 to 3 vote by the kids against leaving the Internut.
Then the last hour of the tribunal. The court reconvened without the three children from the local Internut and asked us to state our position. We simply said that the we loved these children, we understand that for the last 3 years they have lived in two institutions with 24 mothers and no fathers, and we wanted to have them join us to create a family.
At the end of the five-page decree, three hours into the process, he granted us our motion.
So the 10-day appeal period begins, and we prepare to move out with the new family at the conclusion of that time.
Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers.
Yeah!
Friday, January 16, 2009
Fingernail Biting Time
We are waiting for our court date at 9:30 am on Monday, January 19, to see what the judge says. We ask for your thoughts and prayers for the judge, the kids and the administrators who influence the kids.
We pray that what's best for the kids is what is the center of the issue.
Erik and Heidi
We pray that what's best for the kids is what is the center of the issue.
Erik and Heidi
Monday, January 12, 2009
The Princess and Cinderella go for a walk
We took Tanya (the pink princess) and Christina (Cinderella before the fairy godmother) for a walk around the buildings. They picked up a puppy on the way and are seen conferring over it here.
The walk included Christina blackmailing us into taking her to the store in the adjacent housing complex and buying her and Tanya a stash of goodies to take back to the kids in their classes.
That evening Christina had a chocolate smear all over her chin.
Oh and I'll let you guess who got to carry the puppy back and keep it warm for most of the walk.
Well, this is the non-website picture of the Internaut – the freezing one. Tanya lives in the wing at the left, Sasha and Christina in the right.
Heidi, Max (our facilitator) and Vova and I went bowling at Jazz (the mall). Nice little modern 8-lane ally here.
Sincerely,
Parents in training (taking the immersion course)
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Our Life in the Ukraine
Well guys, time flies. Almost a month on the ground and we are almost going native. After a week of mid Teens below Celsius, its a heat wave of minus 4 (24.8°F) and snow! Kinda makes you want to want to grab a beach towel and run down to the frozen fountains! Just a few words on our life.
Our court date is set for the 19th and the 10-day waiting (appeal) peariod ends the 28th or 29th. At that point, with a blessing, we shall be able to get the kids out of lock up and get moving on to the birth ceritficate and passport process.
That would put us heading to Kiev in the first week of February. Your prayers for the continued process and thankgiving for so many of you who have stepped up in material ways, hustling documents for us, getting information and pictures posted or preparing the nest for all the extra chicks.
Now just a few words on our life here:
We live in a modernized but minimal hotel. We have an electric heater now so we don't need the jackets on the bed anymore.
Cab rides are a buck, a great dinner for 3, with drinks, is $30 and we have found two restaurants that have English menus. There is a new shopping center tha has a small indoor skating rink, bowling alley and one of the two pizza parlors Heidi has found so far.
A little more info: (right click to open this link in a new window)
http://ukrainetrek.com/severodonetsk-ukraine-city.shtml
The first picture is of part of the central square, our hotel is the blue building at the left edge of the picture. Of course it has been snow-bound since we have been here, so we have to squint to recognize anything.
The 17th photo (just below the headline "Severodonetsk Ukraine city views") is of the Internaut's central building. The building has Roman numerals for 1959 across the top and School-"Internaut" in Russian on its face. This has the library, offices and assembly hall in it. The building is flanked by two dormitories and has an attached classroom wing and dining facility. The Kindergarten is a separate facility on the same grounds.
We love you all and look forward to sharing our four new hard heads with ya, the sooner the better!
The Blessed, Erik and Heidi
Our court date is set for the 19th and the 10-day waiting (appeal) peariod ends the 28th or 29th. At that point, with a blessing, we shall be able to get the kids out of lock up and get moving on to the birth ceritficate and passport process.
That would put us heading to Kiev in the first week of February. Your prayers for the continued process and thankgiving for so many of you who have stepped up in material ways, hustling documents for us, getting information and pictures posted or preparing the nest for all the extra chicks.
Now just a few words on our life here:
We live in a modernized but minimal hotel. We have an electric heater now so we don't need the jackets on the bed anymore.
Cab rides are a buck, a great dinner for 3, with drinks, is $30 and we have found two restaurants that have English menus. There is a new shopping center tha has a small indoor skating rink, bowling alley and one of the two pizza parlors Heidi has found so far.
A little more info: (right click to open this link in a new window)
http://ukrainetrek.com/severodonetsk-ukraine-city.shtml
The first picture is of part of the central square, our hotel is the blue building at the left edge of the picture. Of course it has been snow-bound since we have been here, so we have to squint to recognize anything.
The 17th photo (just below the headline "Severodonetsk Ukraine city views") is of the Internaut's central building. The building has Roman numerals for 1959 across the top and School-"Internaut" in Russian on its face. This has the library, offices and assembly hall in it. The building is flanked by two dormitories and has an attached classroom wing and dining facility. The Kindergarten is a separate facility on the same grounds.
We love you all and look forward to sharing our four new hard heads with ya, the sooner the better!
The Blessed, Erik and Heidi
Thursday, January 8, 2009
This has and continues to be a tough process!
We are still getting to know the kids and they are still learning to trust! I think we have made good headway with Sasha (almost nine year old boy) and Tania (6 year old) has been coming around too! Christina turned eight yesterday and we threw her a huge birthday party - well it was a big thing that I would have been impressed at eight and especially being in the place she is in. The caregiver played along and even put on a princess crown and then when it was all over the caregiver hung the princess birthday banner in Christina's room - so we think we are even making improvements with the caregivers! Maxim is wonderful to start and he just wants to know when we can take him with us? We visit him again tomorrow.
The thing is now to stay moving forward and for us to stay positive! It wears you down, so we appreciate your emails and prayers!
We were able to get the immigration form approved for four children so it is enroute now. That was a huge win! And will be needed at the court date which we should hear a date today or tomorrow.
We thank you all for your support, kindness, encouragement in all of this!
Special thanks to Clinton for running out to VA again for updated paperwork and FedEX/DHL mailings to Ukraine! Our hats and hearts go out to you!
Thanks for your continued prayers and encouragement!
-Heidi and Erik
The thing is now to stay moving forward and for us to stay positive! It wears you down, so we appreciate your emails and prayers!
We were able to get the immigration form approved for four children so it is enroute now. That was a huge win! And will be needed at the court date which we should hear a date today or tomorrow.
We thank you all for your support, kindness, encouragement in all of this!
Special thanks to Clinton for running out to VA again for updated paperwork and FedEX/DHL mailings to Ukraine! Our hats and hearts go out to you!
Thanks for your continued prayers and encouragement!
-Heidi and Erik
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Hightlight of the Week
Great visit with Maxim - especially when the head instructor tells us she has taught him to pray to God since he came to their orphanage - for a mother and father to be a family, and when Maxim asks - when can you take me? He also continuously asks, when will you be back?
Good visits with Tanya - when she wants to go play with us instead of her kids group when we show up today. They where dressed out to play outside (only -5 degrees celsius but with sun shining). So we are outside and she throws snow at me and I return a pile of fresh snow at her and she turns just in time for it to hit her in the face and she simply wipes it off and spits it out and rolls over, gets up, and keeps going without a fuss!
Then, when we return to the building and can't find her group and the head caregiver who always gives us trouble tells us you should of checked with your caregiver where they would be when you returned and Tania responds for all of us - "I did do that!"
Last night, when Sasha and I played hit the balloon back and forth for a while, dancing to the audio file from a cell phone, great fun. Then he has to go take a bath and returns to us finally clean and combs his hair nicely in front of us and then proceeds to pull out the English learning book and goes thru it slowly and confidently with Vova (Masha's brother) and is now asking us when we will return?
With Christina - she has begun to return to being like Papa's little girl again. She is a lively one and the language barrier I think is harder on her, but she is coming around.
Thanks all for your continued encouragement and prayers!
Love and miss ya
-Heidi and Erik
Good visits with Tanya - when she wants to go play with us instead of her kids group when we show up today. They where dressed out to play outside (only -5 degrees celsius but with sun shining). So we are outside and she throws snow at me and I return a pile of fresh snow at her and she turns just in time for it to hit her in the face and she simply wipes it off and spits it out and rolls over, gets up, and keeps going without a fuss!
Then, when we return to the building and can't find her group and the head caregiver who always gives us trouble tells us you should of checked with your caregiver where they would be when you returned and Tania responds for all of us - "I did do that!"
Last night, when Sasha and I played hit the balloon back and forth for a while, dancing to the audio file from a cell phone, great fun. Then he has to go take a bath and returns to us finally clean and combs his hair nicely in front of us and then proceeds to pull out the English learning book and goes thru it slowly and confidently with Vova (Masha's brother) and is now asking us when we will return?
With Christina - she has begun to return to being like Papa's little girl again. She is a lively one and the language barrier I think is harder on her, but she is coming around.
Thanks all for your continued encouragement and prayers!
Love and miss ya
-Heidi and Erik
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Bruns in Ukraine - moving ahead & ask for continued prayers
Hi all;
Well we have been doing better with the three kids as they are actually greeting us with English greetings and asking when we will be returning to see them again! Prayers are being heard and we continue to praise God throughout the day and week!
We will have an updated info letter that we drafted up on the blog so please check it later today or the next day or so! It may surprised you when you read what we learned earlier this week!
Thanks again for your continued prayers:
1- For the children letting go of their fears and getting closer to us
2-For safe travels to those that are helping us (Leysa returns to Kiev today following five days with us teaching the kids some English and us some more Russian),
3-and for safe travels for Vova (Masha's brother who travels from Kiev to us - he arrives tomorrow to assist with more translation for all) and
4- For Max and Sasha as they go back and forth for paperwork -
God was so good to us. A front tire had damage to the side wall and we still were able to travel on it to return while in another city and we found a tire shop open at 5pm that could fix it and get us on our way the other day.
Hopefully Max got his clutch fixed on his car too! They were trying to match the right parts in Kiev when he returned via train last week, he is likely gonna drive back here when he comes to do the court paperwork...
5- For the administration, teachers, and caregivers in this orphanage that are still very hardened
6- For Erik and I to continue to be caring to one another as we live together in tight quarters in a city that we have found only one person that speaks English - we sure feel like we are outsiders
Thanks all!
-Heidi and Erik Brun
Well we have been doing better with the three kids as they are actually greeting us with English greetings and asking when we will be returning to see them again! Prayers are being heard and we continue to praise God throughout the day and week!
We will have an updated info letter that we drafted up on the blog so please check it later today or the next day or so! It may surprised you when you read what we learned earlier this week!
Thanks again for your continued prayers:
1- For the children letting go of their fears and getting closer to us
2-For safe travels to those that are helping us (Leysa returns to Kiev today following five days with us teaching the kids some English and us some more Russian),
3-and for safe travels for Vova (Masha's brother who travels from Kiev to us - he arrives tomorrow to assist with more translation for all) and
4- For Max and Sasha as they go back and forth for paperwork -
God was so good to us. A front tire had damage to the side wall and we still were able to travel on it to return while in another city and we found a tire shop open at 5pm that could fix it and get us on our way the other day.
Hopefully Max got his clutch fixed on his car too! They were trying to match the right parts in Kiev when he returned via train last week, he is likely gonna drive back here when he comes to do the court paperwork...
5- For the administration, teachers, and caregivers in this orphanage that are still very hardened
6- For Erik and I to continue to be caring to one another as we live together in tight quarters in a city that we have found only one person that speaks English - we sure feel like we are outsiders
Thanks all!
-Heidi and Erik Brun
New Year's Eve Update
Severdonetsk, Ukraine
31 December 2008,
Wow, what a close to a year! You guys out there thinking and praying for us have been a great comfort to draw strength from. Your efforts have been more successful than our wildest dreams. We are spending this week in a foreign country, in a city that the language, both spoken and written are a mystery. Heidi’s cousin’s sister in law, Lesha has come to assist us with the kids and our sanity. She is a theater student in Kiev, and has had a background of working with kids in similar facilities.
We came to Ukraine as the next step on the 10-year journey to adopt two children. We had chosen this route to a family early in our marriage and have grown convicted that it is our mission to touch these children’s hearts. When you stand in a playroom surrounded by 15 young faces that are bright and energetic, it will break your heart to think about what awaits them. For those who have not been adopted, when they turn sixteen they “age out” of the system and go out on the street to survive.
As we mentioned, we went to our referral appointment on the 15th of December and received the first challenge to our hearts, a set of three siblings, two girls and an older brother. Alexandr (Sasha), Christina and Tatiana (Tanya) who had been at the Severdonesk Internat (orphanage) since being taken from their mother three years ago. But, as we found out, something had become lost in the translation.
As we moved down the steps and onto the overnight train to Lugansk, that we came to understand we indeed had two separate referrals. One for the three children here at the Internat in Severdonesk, but also a separate referral for an older brother, age 10, at a Special Internat at the hometown, Teplogorsk, where the children came from.
From the records, the ten year old was listed (or interpreted from the brief official jargon) as severely disabled. The SDA had suggested that he could be “separated” from his siblings for cause. In Ukraine, the urban family size we have seen is one child, the domestic adoption rates are low and the rule is a sibling should not be separated from the group. This situation will doom most larger sibling groups to a life in the institution and eventually the streets.
We have been struggling with the management of this Internat for the referral of the three younger children for 10 days. It was only on Monday, the 29th did we travel the 45 min to an hour drive, (stopping for directions no less than 10 times (gals, you would be so proud of our driver) to find the office of the inspector for the area.
Still in shock from the referral for three, and not in our hearts, minds or the pit of our stomach, knowing what to do. With our nice little urban life, carefully prepared for two healthy children, already stretched to the limit with 3 (it’s a two plus-bedroom house you must know) the inspector showed us a photo on her computer of the ten year older brother.
He appeared to be standing there near his bed in a dormitory room with four or five other beds in the background. He had that puppy look too him, big dark eyes, and I knew this was not going to be as simple as it had been stated. This boy was looking at us, and there appeared to be nothing wrong with him from the photo. Our facilitator/translator asked the Inspector, what is wrong with him, and she said, I don’t think anything. She also said, I think he is normal. By no means, did we wish anything wrong with this young boy, but we were shocked to see him looking out at us from the computer screen. We were speechless, and walked out to the hallway to think and pray. Lesya joined us there and asked the $1,000,000 question, “ what would you like to do?”
So we met Maxim about two hours later. A very shy (and overwhelmed) young man. This Internat turned out being about the same age but situated in a much smaller town. The walls are brighter and warmer, the director warm and engaging. The kids where away at the moment, but the photos on the wall gave no indication of any of the children being neither physically nor mentally disabled as most were classified.
Ironically, that day happened to be the one day out of the year that all the 2nd grade and above kids from area orphanages go to a circus in Lugansk and it seemed that Christina and Sasha where there too. As we were waiting for Maxim to return from the same circus it was interesting to wonder if they would see one another there.
When we met Maxim, within a few minutes we found out that he had in fact seen and talked to Christina and Sasha. It was also told to us that Maxim had heard from the children’s caregiver that the three younger kids were going to be adopted and going to America.
We were so amazed at the situation (imagining what Maxim went through that day, as he no doubt wondered, “what about me”, throughout watching the circus and on the bus ride back to his orphanage). Maxim had been taken to the special needs orphanage three years ago and his siblings remained together and taken to Serverdonentz Internat. For Maxim to then return to the orphanage at five p.m. and have several people waiting for him in the director’s office to be asked do you want to be adopted and go to America?
What was so amazing was to see him standing in the doorway, walk in and begin to introduce himself. It was then so profound to see his expression when he was asked to be adopted and to go to America! He began to smile so big that he was caught up with so much emotion and was so overwhelmed that he began to cover his smile and his face with his arm, and he lowered his head to his chest. He soon began to respond with a head nod and later with words of agreement to be adopted and go to America.
When we showed Maxim the photos we had taken and developed in the last two weeks he really enjoyed the photos. We soon learned through translation that he wanted to be in the photo (that is why he is holding the photo of the three kids and Erik and I and he is photographed in it too).
The next day we returned to the orphanage where Maxim was and the Inspector joined us as she wanted to hear Maxim agree to go to America. A long conversation began and from it we learned that Maxim did in fact want to go to America and be a part of our family. We also observed Maxim as he was required to write a statement to the Director that he wanted to be adopted and travel to America. He told the Inspector that he could not write the statement himself so it was agreed that she would write the statement and Maxim would copy it on another piece of paper. We then watched Maxim struggle through all the words (including both Erik and my full names) as he wrote out the statement two times (to have two original copies) that were signed, and stamped accordingly by the Inspector and Director.
Our time with the three kids continue and yesterday we were greeted by the two older ones with Good Morning, “My name is _____” in English and we were pleasantly surprised. The two girls later went through an English/Russian Mickey Mouse book and Tania was writing the words in English and Christina was writing the answers in Russian. They both were saying the words in English too which was pretty neat to see considering that both of them were very resistant to learning English two weeks ago.
So the story continues!
Erik and Heidi
31 December 2008,
Wow, what a close to a year! You guys out there thinking and praying for us have been a great comfort to draw strength from. Your efforts have been more successful than our wildest dreams. We are spending this week in a foreign country, in a city that the language, both spoken and written are a mystery. Heidi’s cousin’s sister in law, Lesha has come to assist us with the kids and our sanity. She is a theater student in Kiev, and has had a background of working with kids in similar facilities.
We came to Ukraine as the next step on the 10-year journey to adopt two children. We had chosen this route to a family early in our marriage and have grown convicted that it is our mission to touch these children’s hearts. When you stand in a playroom surrounded by 15 young faces that are bright and energetic, it will break your heart to think about what awaits them. For those who have not been adopted, when they turn sixteen they “age out” of the system and go out on the street to survive.
As we mentioned, we went to our referral appointment on the 15th of December and received the first challenge to our hearts, a set of three siblings, two girls and an older brother. Alexandr (Sasha), Christina and Tatiana (Tanya) who had been at the Severdonesk Internat (orphanage) since being taken from their mother three years ago. But, as we found out, something had become lost in the translation.
As we moved down the steps and onto the overnight train to Lugansk, that we came to understand we indeed had two separate referrals. One for the three children here at the Internat in Severdonesk, but also a separate referral for an older brother, age 10, at a Special Internat at the hometown, Teplogorsk, where the children came from.
From the records, the ten year old was listed (or interpreted from the brief official jargon) as severely disabled. The SDA had suggested that he could be “separated” from his siblings for cause. In Ukraine, the urban family size we have seen is one child, the domestic adoption rates are low and the rule is a sibling should not be separated from the group. This situation will doom most larger sibling groups to a life in the institution and eventually the streets.
We have been struggling with the management of this Internat for the referral of the three younger children for 10 days. It was only on Monday, the 29th did we travel the 45 min to an hour drive, (stopping for directions no less than 10 times (gals, you would be so proud of our driver) to find the office of the inspector for the area.
Still in shock from the referral for three, and not in our hearts, minds or the pit of our stomach, knowing what to do. With our nice little urban life, carefully prepared for two healthy children, already stretched to the limit with 3 (it’s a two plus-bedroom house you must know) the inspector showed us a photo on her computer of the ten year older brother.
He appeared to be standing there near his bed in a dormitory room with four or five other beds in the background. He had that puppy look too him, big dark eyes, and I knew this was not going to be as simple as it had been stated. This boy was looking at us, and there appeared to be nothing wrong with him from the photo. Our facilitator/translator asked the Inspector, what is wrong with him, and she said, I don’t think anything. She also said, I think he is normal. By no means, did we wish anything wrong with this young boy, but we were shocked to see him looking out at us from the computer screen. We were speechless, and walked out to the hallway to think and pray. Lesya joined us there and asked the $1,000,000 question, “ what would you like to do?”
So we met Maxim about two hours later. A very shy (and overwhelmed) young man. This Internat turned out being about the same age but situated in a much smaller town. The walls are brighter and warmer, the director warm and engaging. The kids where away at the moment, but the photos on the wall gave no indication of any of the children being neither physically nor mentally disabled as most were classified.
Ironically, that day happened to be the one day out of the year that all the 2nd grade and above kids from area orphanages go to a circus in Lugansk and it seemed that Christina and Sasha where there too. As we were waiting for Maxim to return from the same circus it was interesting to wonder if they would see one another there.
When we met Maxim, within a few minutes we found out that he had in fact seen and talked to Christina and Sasha. It was also told to us that Maxim had heard from the children’s caregiver that the three younger kids were going to be adopted and going to America.
We were so amazed at the situation (imagining what Maxim went through that day, as he no doubt wondered, “what about me”, throughout watching the circus and on the bus ride back to his orphanage). Maxim had been taken to the special needs orphanage three years ago and his siblings remained together and taken to Serverdonentz Internat. For Maxim to then return to the orphanage at five p.m. and have several people waiting for him in the director’s office to be asked do you want to be adopted and go to America?
What was so amazing was to see him standing in the doorway, walk in and begin to introduce himself. It was then so profound to see his expression when he was asked to be adopted and to go to America! He began to smile so big that he was caught up with so much emotion and was so overwhelmed that he began to cover his smile and his face with his arm, and he lowered his head to his chest. He soon began to respond with a head nod and later with words of agreement to be adopted and go to America.
When we showed Maxim the photos we had taken and developed in the last two weeks he really enjoyed the photos. We soon learned through translation that he wanted to be in the photo (that is why he is holding the photo of the three kids and Erik and I and he is photographed in it too).
The next day we returned to the orphanage where Maxim was and the Inspector joined us as she wanted to hear Maxim agree to go to America. A long conversation began and from it we learned that Maxim did in fact want to go to America and be a part of our family. We also observed Maxim as he was required to write a statement to the Director that he wanted to be adopted and travel to America. He told the Inspector that he could not write the statement himself so it was agreed that she would write the statement and Maxim would copy it on another piece of paper. We then watched Maxim struggle through all the words (including both Erik and my full names) as he wrote out the statement two times (to have two original copies) that were signed, and stamped accordingly by the Inspector and Director.
Our time with the three kids continue and yesterday we were greeted by the two older ones with Good Morning, “My name is _____” in English and we were pleasantly surprised. The two girls later went through an English/Russian Mickey Mouse book and Tania was writing the words in English and Christina was writing the answers in Russian. They both were saying the words in English too which was pretty neat to see considering that both of them were very resistant to learning English two weeks ago.
So the story continues!
Erik and Heidi
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