It has been a long hard wait for this ten days to be up. Actually, when all is said and done it will have been SEVENTEEN days, so that’s really why is has so been long. When you factor in the weekends and all the holidays our wait period will have beenk much longer than for most people. I know in my mind why we must wait for these places to be open, because if they are not open and some family member wants to come and file a dispute against you they could not. But then my heart says, if a child has been in the orphanage for a long time and no family has visited, then do they really want the child? Or is it that they don't want you to have the child? In either case, it is hard. We will get our court decree on May 5th. I am looking so forward to May 6th so we can go break Kristina out forever.
Alyona and I have had a good time together. I do wonder if she thinks her new mama may have lost it a few times along the way since Papa left. We have shopped and went to downtown to sightsee some more with a friend we made who is here from Sweden. She is 21, so it has been a little like having Christopher here with me. Well, kind of. She is a girl; and he is not, but they are the same age. I am sure people look at me like I have my family with me. A lot of people ask Alyona if I am her babushka, which is grandmother in Russian. I am not sure I ever heard anyone ask Tim that. It just gives me a push to get back home and lose the rest of this weight so I can go buy cute twenty-one year old clothes. Not!!! But it would be nice to be at a healthy weight and not carry the extra around on me.
We have friends from the states that are in Kiev right now doing their SDA appointment; and she said that one week at the YMCA was not enough to get ready for all these hills and walking. She is so right. So all of you out there who will be following in our footsteps start hitting the pavement now. Your feet will love you for life if they are in better shape.
On Tuesday we had quite the day. Alyona wanted to go to the park, which to her is the two swings just outside the flat, in the dirt. I said I had heard of a really cool park. We just needed to take the bus, as if we were going to church, but stay on it; and go to the end. She looked at me and said, “191, right?” “Yes, 191. It will be an adventure.” So we boarded the bus. I had not even gotten the door closed when the driver took off; and I almost became close friends with the pavement. Luckily the driver and Alyona caught me. So we ride almost an hour to get there, to get off; and all we see is trees, and trees, and more trees. Alyona says to me, “I don't want this park.” I told her it would be OK. We just needed to walk a ways to find the playground. So we start off on the path to the entrance. We walked about a mile before we finally found it. YEAH for me! She looks at me and says, “Army tanks... ugh!” I said, “Look, you can climb on them.” She responds, “OOH LA LA!” It is her new saying. I think she thinks she is going to Paris. Anyway, she climbs all over everything she could get onto, then we head back to where the bus dropped us off. As we’re walking I keep trying to explain to her we are going to go around the corner to see the Black Sea. So we start down this hill; and we walk, and we walk. There is a car coming up the hill, but it does not make it to the top, and then it goes backwards down the hill to try it again. After three tries it finally makes it to the top. We get to the bottom and look back up the hill and Alyona says, “We live here now. I NO go back up. I NO do it three times.” In America, if you live overlooking the water you will most likely live in million dollar homes. Not here. They may be HUNDRED dollar homes! I was quite shocked, to say the least. We enjoyed the view, then decided we needed to head back up. Now, I was thinking I am not sure I wanted to see the Black Sea that bad. We get to the top and get a drink.
At that point the adventure really does begin. The driver pulls up. We get on. I am still learning my way around on the buses so we sit right behind the driver, across from the door, as I know we need to see out on that side and did not want to have to make our way to the front of a crowded bus. We are sitting there; and this man gets on and has a funny look in his eyes. I will say, I was a little scared, but did not tell Alyona that. Then he starts making these funny noises and Alyona is moving closer to me. I am moving closer to the window, but the metal will not give, I can't get us away from him. Then he falls to the floor and has a full blown seizure. All I could do is sit there and pray for safety for this man. The bus driver and this other man who each weigh may be 130 pounds try to get this THREE HUNDRED pound man off the bus to the ground. I tried to tell the bus driver things he needed to do. It was like a weird game of charades. We wait for help to come. Thank God the man is fine. Then, next, this lady gets on the bus; and she has THIRTY-SEVEN kids with her. The bus only seats TWENTY-EIGHT, but this is no surprise. The passenger limits are only recommendations here anyways! So we ride on, and on, and on. At one point I think we had about close to FIFTY people on this bus. When it came time for us to get off the driver would not accept our fares. Instead, he said, “Thank you for your help.” I responded, “Have a blessed day.” He just smiled. Yeah! A smile. We don't see many of them around here, nor do we hear much English. We get back to our flat and Alyona asks go to a park with swings. All I really wanted to do was go take a nap, but how could I say no? So, off we go.
Yesterday we went to the market so we could get things to put in the bags for the girls’ “Gotcha party”. The kids love getting things from Americans as most never receive anything. Even just a bottle of shampoo; and they think you gave them the world. It makes you think about all the Christmases we have had, and how much we spent, and how little our kids appreciate what we got them. Last Saturday night Oles took us to a park down by the sea and he was talking to Alyona about Christmas and what she might like. He asked about a bike, a doll, clothes, or games. She said she already got what she would want: a family to love her and get her & Kristina back together. She did say to give money to a family so they could come get her friend who was nice and needed a family. WOW! She is so young, but knows what is truly important. I hope she will keep that perspective forever.
There is so much I would love to tell, but I need to go. I hope you all have good week.
Prayer needs:
1.) That nothing goes wrong in getting our court decree on May 5th.
2.) Everything goes fast with our passports, so we can leave to get out of here and on the plane on the 13th, as on the 14th summer rates go into effect and the cost of our tickets will go up significantly.
3.) Alyona starts eating better. She can't live on potatoes forever.
4.) A smooth transition for Kristina into her new family.
Prayer Requests: Please feel free to email us your prayer needs or put them in the comments so we can pray for you.
1.) Mrs. Doris - She fell and broke her nose and bruised up her face. For quick healing.
2.) Friends that are here from the States ready to adopt two girls, non-siblings.
3.) Friends in the States that will be starting their adoption process. That everything goes quick and smoothly.
Lynn
Friday, April 30, 2010
Friday, April 23, 2010
If something is worth doing it probably won't be easy. As much as Jesus called to us to take His yoke upon ourselves is straightforward, the path of discipleship isn't always easy to follow. Many of Christ's instructions contain elements of difficulty. For instance widows and orphans: James 1:27 – “Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.” Will it be easy to do this? No. It may be God just calling you to pray for these, or to help a missionary working with them, or could God be calling you to pray about adopting one of these less fortunate than you? The only way to know for sure is to seek after God, in how He wants you to help. There are many ways to help the less fortunate.
I truly feel God has placed the Yankova family into our lives (Kristina’s & Alyona’s extended family). We mentioned in a previous post about the generational curses that have been on this family; and we know Jesus will break these through our intervention in the girls’ lives. Will it be easy? Assuredly not. Will it be worth doing? Absolutely, yes. Anything that God has His hand in will ultimately turn out for good.
Tim left from Odessa at 10:40 Wednesday night to head back to the States. He took the train to Kiev so that he could go and fill out his share of the paperwork for me to be able to finish everything else here. We already miss him a lot. That night, when we went to go to bed, Alyona and I had watched a movie, then when I went to turn out the lights, she looked up and me and said, “Alyona misses Papa. Where is he?” She did not understand why Papa had to leave. She of course has no idea why he had to go back to go to work. I am not sure what kind of work her biological father did, even if he did work, so this will be adjustment for her to get use to. Then, when Mama gets home, she has to go back to work, too.
Tim left Kiev Friday morning. He has a two and one-half hour flight to Munich, Germany, and a three hour layover, then a nine hour flight to Charlotte, NC, followed by a four hour layover. He will arrive home in Jackson tonight at 8:45pm CDT, which will be 4:45am (Ukraine). I am sure he will be very tired, but how good to be able to sleep in our own bed tonight. I am very jealous! (Note: Once he got to Charlotte he learned his last flight was delayed, first for two and one-half hours, then for another hour, so now he’s not going to get into Jackson until almost 1:00am!!)
Since he left, Alyona and I have been out for a couple walks. We went to the store for the first time all by ourselves. We made cookies this morning for the first time as mother and daughter. I so wish Kristina was here with us. We will have to do a lot of making up when we get home. I am not sure what else the next few days has in store for us, but I know we will venture out to church on Sunday. Also, there is a real interesting looking old cemetery I would like to check out, so we will take the bus to go do that. I will also need to go to the market to buy things for the girls’ “Gotcha Parties”. I think Alyona would like to make some cookies to take to the parties, too. We will stay busy for at least a few days. Also, I am getting some much needed rest, as I am sure that once our feet hit the States we will be moving nonstop! Alyona's birthday is June 2nd. I am planning on doing a combined party for her and my mom, as my mom’s birthday is June 4th. I know we will have lots of pool parties this summer; and of course just getting use to being a new family will be work. I can't wait, though, to see how God works in and through our lives.
I am sure I won't post now for a few days as we are in the waiting period and won't have much to say.
Lynn
I truly feel God has placed the Yankova family into our lives (Kristina’s & Alyona’s extended family). We mentioned in a previous post about the generational curses that have been on this family; and we know Jesus will break these through our intervention in the girls’ lives. Will it be easy? Assuredly not. Will it be worth doing? Absolutely, yes. Anything that God has His hand in will ultimately turn out for good.
Tim left from Odessa at 10:40 Wednesday night to head back to the States. He took the train to Kiev so that he could go and fill out his share of the paperwork for me to be able to finish everything else here. We already miss him a lot. That night, when we went to go to bed, Alyona and I had watched a movie, then when I went to turn out the lights, she looked up and me and said, “Alyona misses Papa. Where is he?” She did not understand why Papa had to leave. She of course has no idea why he had to go back to go to work. I am not sure what kind of work her biological father did, even if he did work, so this will be adjustment for her to get use to. Then, when Mama gets home, she has to go back to work, too.
Tim left Kiev Friday morning. He has a two and one-half hour flight to Munich, Germany, and a three hour layover, then a nine hour flight to Charlotte, NC, followed by a four hour layover. He will arrive home in Jackson tonight at 8:45pm CDT, which will be 4:45am (Ukraine). I am sure he will be very tired, but how good to be able to sleep in our own bed tonight. I am very jealous! (Note: Once he got to Charlotte he learned his last flight was delayed, first for two and one-half hours, then for another hour, so now he’s not going to get into Jackson until almost 1:00am!!)
Since he left, Alyona and I have been out for a couple walks. We went to the store for the first time all by ourselves. We made cookies this morning for the first time as mother and daughter. I so wish Kristina was here with us. We will have to do a lot of making up when we get home. I am not sure what else the next few days has in store for us, but I know we will venture out to church on Sunday. Also, there is a real interesting looking old cemetery I would like to check out, so we will take the bus to go do that. I will also need to go to the market to buy things for the girls’ “Gotcha Parties”. I think Alyona would like to make some cookies to take to the parties, too. We will stay busy for at least a few days. Also, I am getting some much needed rest, as I am sure that once our feet hit the States we will be moving nonstop! Alyona's birthday is June 2nd. I am planning on doing a combined party for her and my mom, as my mom’s birthday is June 4th. I know we will have lots of pool parties this summer; and of course just getting use to being a new family will be work. I can't wait, though, to see how God works in and through our lives.
I am sure I won't post now for a few days as we are in the waiting period and won't have much to say.
Lynn
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Please join us today in celebrating God’s amazing favor!
Court went well; and we were proclaimed the proud parents of Kristina Lee & Alyona Karen Loecher!!! I am actually drafting this note on my laptop as we are headed back from Balta to Odessa. Then, I’ll quickly pack to catch the train to Kiev. Tomorrow I will go to the U.S. Embassy to process some paperwork in preparation for when Lynn and the girls get to come, then I will catch a flight for home on Friday morning. Barring any unanticipated volcanic ash delays, I should arrive back in Jackson on Friday night.
Lynn will have to remain in Ukraine for three to possibly four weeks. The first ten business days are a normal waiting period to allow for potential appeals to the court decision. Then, in between several Ukrainian holidays, Lynn and Oles will be working to finish processing all the paperwork necessary to bring the girls home.
Thank you for all your prayers to date! Many days have been trying for us, but it has been almost surreal to live through this experience and observe God’s hand moving in & through the multitude of situations. Even today, we went into court wondering if the prosecutor might choose to object to this adoption. Once more, though, we were amazed when we learned that the girls’ father had actually drafted a petition to the Ukrainian government, before he died, expressing his desire for the girls to be adopted. No one: social workers, prosecutor, not even our facilitator, knew of this existence of this formal petition. Everyone was surprised when the Balta Orphanage Director pulled it out of Alyona’s official file and read it in court. Coupled with the letters from Grandma and the uncle, we had a very compelling case. We were absolutely astounded when the prosecutor stood up and even she said she felt it was in the best interest of the girls for the adoption to occur. As the judge was reading her decision Lynn starting crying tears of joy, which caused the judge to start crying, too. She ended by wishing us health & wellness. She also remarked how much the girls resembled Lynn & I and said maybe that was confirmation God had intended us to be a family all along.
Praising JESUS from Ukraine!!!
Tim, Lynn, Kristina, & Alyona
Court went well; and we were proclaimed the proud parents of Kristina Lee & Alyona Karen Loecher!!! I am actually drafting this note on my laptop as we are headed back from Balta to Odessa. Then, I’ll quickly pack to catch the train to Kiev. Tomorrow I will go to the U.S. Embassy to process some paperwork in preparation for when Lynn and the girls get to come, then I will catch a flight for home on Friday morning. Barring any unanticipated volcanic ash delays, I should arrive back in Jackson on Friday night.
Lynn will have to remain in Ukraine for three to possibly four weeks. The first ten business days are a normal waiting period to allow for potential appeals to the court decision. Then, in between several Ukrainian holidays, Lynn and Oles will be working to finish processing all the paperwork necessary to bring the girls home.
Thank you for all your prayers to date! Many days have been trying for us, but it has been almost surreal to live through this experience and observe God’s hand moving in & through the multitude of situations. Even today, we went into court wondering if the prosecutor might choose to object to this adoption. Once more, though, we were amazed when we learned that the girls’ father had actually drafted a petition to the Ukrainian government, before he died, expressing his desire for the girls to be adopted. No one: social workers, prosecutor, not even our facilitator, knew of this existence of this formal petition. Everyone was surprised when the Balta Orphanage Director pulled it out of Alyona’s official file and read it in court. Coupled with the letters from Grandma and the uncle, we had a very compelling case. We were absolutely astounded when the prosecutor stood up and even she said she felt it was in the best interest of the girls for the adoption to occur. As the judge was reading her decision Lynn starting crying tears of joy, which caused the judge to start crying, too. She ended by wishing us health & wellness. She also remarked how much the girls resembled Lynn & I and said maybe that was confirmation God had intended us to be a family all along.
Praising JESUS from Ukraine!!!
Tim, Lynn, Kristina, & Alyona
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Nothing happened yestersday. After a 3-hour drive to Balta, court was rescheduled for tomorrow. Please, please, please keep praying. The spiritual battle is intensifying the closer we get to the end. Thank you, Jesus, for the encouragement found in my reading in Numbers 23 this morning!! (vv. 19, 21b, 23b -- “God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? The LORD their God is with them; the shout of the King is among them. It will now be said of Jacob and of Israel, 'See what God has done!”)
Tim
Tim
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Well, it has been an interesting day. We decided to try and find our way to church this morning by ourselves. So, we leave before Laura. We get down to the street; and Tim & I discuss which bus we are to take. I said #191. Tim said #197. (Me) “No, I am sure it is #191.” (Tim) “No, remember you said it was #131 yesterday to go downtown; and it was really #133? (Me) “I know I was wrong, but I know one of them had a “1” at the end.” Had we taken 131, I have no idea where we might have ended up. We got onto #197 and it follows the same route as the bus for #191 for quite a way. I am thinking I will hate to tell Tim he was right. I am not good at that. I very much like to be right. Then… it all goes wrong. #191 goes straight; and our bus turns. I don't remember turning before. I am pretty sure Tim is thinking the same thing. As we had only been on that bus two previous times, and last week was somewhat unfair as it was an overly crowded day on the bus. Well, it finally comes to the end of the line. The bus driver turns the bus off and looks at us like, “Well, are you going to get off, or what?” Now, for those of you who don't remember, we are in Ukraine; and they speak Russian. Tim goes up to the driver and in the best English he can says, “We got on the wrong bus.” I mean I cannot hold it together. He says this so perfect; and the driver just looks, “What?” So he gets the phone out and calls someone who at least speaks a little bit of English. Tim, the driver, and the person on the phone pass the phone back & forth until I was wanting to roll around laughing. Then, Alyona looks at me with the cutest face she could have and says, “Papa got us lost?” And of course I said, “Yes!” She laughs and says, “191, right”. (Me) “Yes, sweetheart, #191.” Then, I do lose it! So, we ride the bus back home and get off right at the same place where we started the morning at. So, this is why I thought today would be a great time to post the following. I had seen it several months ago and kept the link. I had no idea why, but I do now. I will say, we saw a lot more of the city this morning than we would have if we had not made this little mistake. I think we may have to do this again! :-)
Hope you enjoy; and for those of you who are following us soon, start studying now!
Lynn
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I am by no means an expert, but I have learned a few basics of reading Russian that have helped us tremendously on our journey. Continuing the caveat, I also cannot claim any of this to be 100% accurate, but understanding these simple basics (right or wrong) have helped us read street signs and business names, and most importantly food labels and menus.
Consonants are the key to basic understanding. If you can identify even half of the Cyrillic consonants, you’ll do just fine.
Learn Your Child’s Name
Learn to recognize a Russian stop sign
First of all, the most important advice I have is to learn to spell your child’s first name in Russian. If you memorize something simple that is dear to your heart, you are almost guaranteed to learn at least two Cyrillic consonants and at least one vowel. If you can’t or won’t learn to spell your own child’s name in Cyrillic, I believe you seriously have no chance to learn any Russian because you clearly aren’t motivated enough.
Examples: Anastasia = Анастасия; Anya = Аня; Marie = Мари; Masha = Маша; Vladimir = Владимир.
It certainly wouldn’t hurt to learn how to write your own name and your spouse’s name in Cyrillic. If nothing else, you can then sign your names onto the letters you will write to your daughter while she’s waiting for you at the orphanage. While you’re at it, practice writing out her current family name in Cyrillic so that the packages you send end up with the correct girl.
Common English first names: James = Джеймс; John = Джон; Michael = Майкл; Mary = Мэри; Jennifer = Дженифер or Дженнифер (more common); Helen = Хелен.
In just getting familiar with several easy consonants and vowels. Here are just a few:
-- Л = L, as seen at the beginning of Léna/Лена. Caution: the lowercase L in Cyrillic can be represented a few ways: λ, л, л, or an upside-down v.
-- Н = N, as seen within Léna/Лена.
-- Р = R, as at the beginning of Richard/Ричард.
-- И = the short I sound (‘ih’), seen in the middle of both Richard/Ричард and Kim/Ким. Just to confuse you, other similar short I sounds can be represented in Russian as ы or ы (single characters that look a bit like the number “61″), while Ukrainian is kind enough to sometimes use the standard Latin ‘i’. Technically, these all aren’t the same letters of the alphabet as they differ phonemically, but for our purposes it’s close enough to just accept them all as the short I sound.
-- Д = D, as in Richard/Ричард. Caution: a lowercase Cyrillic D looks familiar (or not!): д or g.
This All Looks Like Greek to Me!
Well, it should! The Cyrillic alphabet is based on the early Greek alphabet and still shares a few common letters. Here are just a few of the most useful to remember:
-- Г = G, the Greek letter “gamma”. Caution: a lowercase Cyrillic G is often displayed as one of the following: г or г.
-- Λ or λ = L, the Greek letter “lambda”. But you’ll see the capital L most often as Л, as mentioned above.
-- П = P, the Greek letter “pi”. Caution: a lowercase Cyrillic P can look like: п or п.
-- Ρ = R, the Greek letter “rho”
-- Φ, ф, or ф = F, the Greek letter “phi”.
Learn a Few Simple Words
There are a few common words you will see over and over that, once you understand them letter by letter, you will soon understand much more than you realize!
-- Ukraine = Украина (Russian) and Україна (Ukrainian) — oo-k-r-ay-ih-n-ah.
-- Kiev = Киев (Russian) and Київ (Ukrainian) — k-ih-ye-v.
-- bank = банк — b-ah-n-k.
-- stop = стоп, a sign seen at almost every street intersection — s-t-ah-p
With just being familiar with those few words, you’ll easily grasp the following Cyrillic letters:
-- У = the “oo” sound, as in “crew” or “Lou”, not like “book” or “cook”.
-- Р = R, just like at the beginning of Richard/Ричард.
-- Н = N, just like in Léna/Лена, so it’s reinforcing the recognition for us!
-- В = V, like at the beginning of Vladimir/Владимир.
-- Б = B, like inKimberly/Кимберли. Caution: a lowercase Cyrillic B can look like the number 6, б, or δ
-- C = S, just like the soft C’s in “race”, “mice”, and “Cyrillic”
A Few More Odd Characters
You’re just going to have to remember these:
-- Ж = sounds like “zh”, as in “massage”. If it helps to remember, the letter looks like a bug, and it makes a buzzing sound like a bug.
-- Я = sounds like “yah”, like the end of “Maria” or “Katya”
-- Ш = sounds like “sh”, like in “shoe” or “fish”
-- Ц = usually sounds like “ts”, as in “pizza”, or sometimes like “ch”, as in Richard/Ричард.
-- Щ = combines the two sounds above into something like “shch” or “sht”, as in “borscht” or almost as in the phrase “fresh cheese.”
Are We Done? Not Nearly!
In no way have I finished covering all the letters in the Cyrillic alphabet, but the few you’ve learned will help you figure out many Russian words. For practice, try reading the following common words or phrases using only what’ve you’ve learned above. A couple of the words below contain new letters not mentioned above, but you should be able to extrapolate the word from the letters you already know with just a little guessing.
-- минимаркет (seen on many non-residential buildings)
-- интернет клуб (many similar phrases seen on non-residential buildings in the city)
-- ресторан (very common on non-residential buildings)
-- аэропорт (you might notice this while traveling)
-- багаж (you’ll have some of this with you, hopefully physical and not mental! For another hint, if the English word was spelled phonetically, it would be more like “багадж”)
-- бульвар (seen very frequently on street signs. If you’re stuck, pretend to add a “д” onto the end.)
-- кальмары (on some menus)
-- пицца (surprisingly good.)
-- станция метро (the first word is a bit harder to figure out, but this is something often found in the most populous cities, most useful before and after work. For another hint, trying swapping the word order to see if that makes more sense.)
Friday, April 16, 2010
Yeah! We heard today that we have a court date. It is scheduled for Monday, April 19th, at 3:00pm. Praise you, Jesus! Let it all go smoothly...
Well, I have lots to tell, but at the moment I cannot. So I decided y’all need to know some important things when you come here. I hope you enjoy; and if you have any questions feel free to place them in the comment box and I will get them answered if I can.
Lynn
Ukraine (pronounced /juːˈkreɪn/)
Ukraine is the second largest country in Europe. It is located between Poland and Russia. It is slightly smaller than the state of Texas. Much of the southeastern part of the country borders the Black Sea.
Most of Ukraine's land is made up of fertile plains, or steppes, and plateaus. Mountains are found only in the west and extreme south in the Crimean Peninsula. This area's climate is subtropical. Winters vary from cool along the Black Sea to cold farther inland. The temperature inland ranges from 66°F in July, to 21°F in January. Northern and western Ukraine average 27 inches of rainfall a year. This temperate climate is ideal for growing crops. In fact, more than 57 percent of the Ukraine's fertile soil is suitable for growing such crops as sugar beets, wheat, and potatoes.
Territory http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukrain
- Area - 603,700 square kilometers(233,090 square miles)
- Land use - 56% cropland, 14% permanent pasture, 30% other (mostly urban)
- Coastline - 1,729 miles
Electricity - The standard electric voltage in Ukraine is 220 volts. Make sure to take a plug adapter as well as a converter, if you bring electric appliances.
Transportation - Public City TransportRuns from 6 am to 1 am. Bus, trolley bus and tram system is rather slow, but is a cheap way to travel within cities. Prices range from 60 kopecks to 2 hryvna.
Taxi - Taxi is comparatively cheap for Ukrainian/Russian speaking passengers. Probably everywhere situation with taxi is like this – if one speaks a foreign language price for a taxi immediately goes up. There are numerous taxi services, orders are taken via phone. There can be hired a taxi right on the street simply by putting out your hand. Be wary of taking a car having more than one passenger. Price is to be agreed upon beforehand.
Trains - Extensive network of railroad connects Ukraine with many European and Asian countries. Trains are cheap though slow and not very comfortable. First class compartments are mostly air-conditioned (very important in summertime) and have 2 berths (some trains do not have 1st class option), second class has 4 berths. It is advisable to buy tickets for the whole compartment, especially when traveling alone. Prices for foreign citizens and Ukrainians are the same. Trains are the most popular and easy way to make intercity trips in Ukraine.
Air - Most cities of Ukraine have air connection with Kiev, tickets for non-Ukrainians are more expensive than for Ukrainians for domestic flights. Best air connection with other countries goes via Kiev. Some domestic flights are not very reliable in terms of schedule - it is never too much to make sure that the flight you have chosen is made on a regular basis. Please, note most domestic train/air tickets can be obtained only in Ukraine
Things to do in Odessa
1.) Potemkinskaya Staircase with a statue of Duke De Richelien on the top. - It's the main meeting point of Odessa and vital part of the strolling route. Construction of the 193 Stairs was completed in 1837; the Potemkin Steps are the best place in the city to view the bay and busy harbors. The peculiarity of the staircase is that the length of the steps at the bottom is 10 meters wider than the ones on top, thus making the rising perspective more vivid.
2.) Odessa Theatre of Opera and Ballet - The Odessa Theater of Opera and Ballet, second best theater in Europe after the one in Vienna, heard the singing of Shalyapin and Sobinov, saw performances of Tchaikovsky and Rimsky-Korsakov.
3.) Interior of Odessa Theatre - Very beautiful from inside, absolutely fabulous acoustics and the stage is seen from any row, any seat!!!
4.) The Statue of Laocoon - The Statue of Laocoon located in front of the Odessa Archaeological Museum. This marble statue is a unique copy from the Rodoss artists.
5.) Arcadia district - It's a very nice district in Odessa: good sandy beaches, a huge park - Victory Park, green and tranquil.If you visiting Odessa, it's better to stay in that district, it's very close to the center of the city, just a few stops by tram, it has a lot of hotels and sea resorts, so it won't be a problem to find one.6.) Deribasovskaya StreetIt can be called the main street in Odessa. Shops and gardens located in the center of Deribasovskaya Street. Each year the Street gets more beautiful and of course, more crowded with tourists. There are many open-air shops, vendors as well as many fine shops.
7.) Belvedere of Vorontsov's Palace - The Colonnade gives Odessa, named after an ancient Greek colony, a look and feel of Athens.
8.) The Mother-in-Law Bridge.
9.) The Odessa Privoz is one of the biggest farmers' markets in the world and rivals those in Istanbul and Mexico City. As the saying goes, you can find anything up to and including nuclear devices at the Privoz, but a better description is everything that is edible and in season in the ClS, plus a whole lot more. Although lanes are devoted to construction materials, clothes and consumer goods, the Privoz is best shopped for food. Beware of pickpockets. Haggling is expected, but a lower-stress approach is to comparison shop.
10.) More than 400km of catacombs are buried beneath Odessa. Both partisans and smugglers have used them over the years, and the part of the catacombs which resistance fighters used in 1941 is open to the public. Located some 35km outside of town, the partisan catacomb bus leaves daily from the bus kiosk across Volzhynskij street from the train station at 10:00am, except weekends. An easier way to find the bus is to ask at the information window in the train station. The trip takes half a day and costs 5 hryvnas for the Russian-language version.
Things to do Kiev
1.) See St Sophia’s Cathedral: The oldest church in Kiev, St Sophia was built in 1037 by Prince Yaroslav the Wise, a majestic 13-cupola cathedral with golden domes, a turquoise bell tower and an interior adorned with elaborate frescoes and mosaics. A UNESCO heritage site, there’s also a museum inside the 18th century refectory full of archaeological artifacts. It costs just 2Hr to enter the grounds next to the bell tower, and 5HR for the Bell Tower itself.
2.) Go Underground in Kievo-Pecherska Lavra: This vast, sprawling monastic complex is home to a huge network of eerie 11th century caves, some of which are lined by the mummified bodies of monks. Buy a candle, descend into the depths, and see how the monk’s bodies have been perfectly preserved to this day. Admission is 16 HR, and English speaking tours can be arranged if you’re too afraid to navigate the caves solo! Women must wear scarves, which are provided at the entrance if you don’t have your own.
3.) The Mother Motherland statue is a memorial of the Great Patriotic War in Kiev. The statue itself is 62m tall of the whole 102m with the pedestal (450t!). It's similar to ones located in Kaliningrad and Volgograd. It's a beautiful socio-realistic relic and I recommend it to every amateur of Soviet gems. ;) It's located in the Pechers'ky Landshaftny Park (which is a bit Soviet itself), behind the Kyiv Pechers'k Lavra. Take the trolleybus #20 or a tube (to Dnipro) and walk south. It is not far from Independence Square, so if you are in shape take the walk and enjoy all the old buildings. Also be sure to and see the other sites while there. There are a lot of good gems hidden under her. Check them out for yourself.
4.) Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square) is the central square of Kiev. It is located on the Khreschatyk Street. The square got its name after the Ukrainian independence and the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Thousands of protesters gathered in the square during the Orange Revolution of 2004.
5.) Take a walk in the evening downtown, especially in Khreshchatyk and Independence Square and enjoy the views. - The fountains look beautiful and so does the 62-meters-high Independence Column. - The central square is full of people in the evening, too. - The square has an interesting history of development. It had several different names within its history. - The area used to be vacant land two hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages in was called Perevessishche ("hunting grounds"). - The area became a market square in the 19th century and was called Khrashchatyk Square. - In 1851 the first stone edifice was erected here. It was the Nobility House designed by architect A.V.Beretti. - In 1876 the square was renamed into Dumskaya Square ("City Council Square"). - The Bolsheviks renamed the square into Soviet Square in 1919. - In 1935 they renamed it into Kalinin Square. - From 1977 to 1991 it was called October Revolution Square.
6.) The street Yaroslaviv Val is famous for its architecture and beautiful buildings. This street was not destroyed during the Second World War. Prepare for a steep walk up from the main street, Khreshchatyk Street.
7.) Vladimirskaya Gorka is a green park on the bank of the Dnipro River. It's a kind of romantic place where just married couples arrive. It's also a place where people celebrate graduation from school.Kievo-Pecherskaya Lavra topped with gilded domes is situated here.
8.) National Opera building has been built in 1897-1901 and it's still in use. It's not 'a must', but it's just a nice building to pay the attention to, if you are strolling around this area. Check the performances in the Kiev Opera House
9.) Park Vichnoyi Slavy (Eternal Glory Park) is located near the Kiev-Pecherska Lavra. Inside you can see the Monument to the Unknown Soldier. It's a nice place for a walk, with a fabulous view of the Left Bank and Lavra.
10.) In 1961 Kiev was the select place for making of a movie that became famous all over the former Soviet Union. "In Pursuit of Two Hares" is a comedy by an Ukrainian writer who uses the set of Kiev for a story that plays in 1913
Packing Tips
1.) A bag with wheels is helpful because Kiev involves a lot of walking. The Metro stations and train stations don't have lifts usually, so you will have to walk a long way carrying a lot of stuff if you don't use something with wheels.
In summer, Ukraine can be very hot, so be sure to bring lightweight clothing that can be washed at night and dries quickly. In winter, be sure to bring very, very warm clothes because no matter what you bring it will never be warm enough. My most prized possessions in Ukrainian winter were my gloves, scarf, and then the boots I purchased there. I had brought very warm boots from the USA, but they just weren't warm enough. I don't really believe in wearing fur, but if you do, this is the place to wear it.
Public toilets don't have toilet paper, so be sure to bring little tissue packages or you will be stuck using a newspaper or something worse. Pack all prescription medications you may need. Things like band-aids and antiseptics can be purchased here, but it is very hard for them to understand you, and can be very expensive.
Film, batteries, cameras, all things can be purchased here at local photo shops.
2.) It's advisable that you take all important belongings in your carry-on bag. It will help in case your luggage is lost in the airport or on a train. Pack passport, tickets, itineraries, money, wallets and insurance cars in your carry-on bag.
If you're arriving in winter note: -5-+5C, in spring: +5-+20C, in summer: +18-+32C, in autumn: +23C-+7C
If you are taking shampoos, soaps, laundry kits, shaving creams and other things like that, take travel size products. Note also that such products can be purchased in Ukrainian stores or markets.
Are you digitalized already?!! Batteries, CDs, Internet cafes are easily available, and the rates are better 1.5-2 times than in other places; the same for photo-prints! Wish you excellent sunny weather! :)
Obviously you check your documents, visas, money and other important things prior to leaving home. Bring a good mood and positive curiosity :)
3.) Remember to pack only as much as you can carry for a mile, by yourself. Don't plan on anyone else to carry any of your bags. After you first pack everything, then, take out at least a third! After a couple of trips, you'll get it right first time! When the airport says 50# they do mean it. If it is 50.1# that will be an extra $250.
4.) There's a lot to see and do in Kiev and walking is the best way to get there, so bring some comfortable and sturdy walking shoes.
ELECTRICAL SUPPLIES
- Voltage converters
- European electrical adapters
- Surge protectors
- U.S. 3 prong to 2 prong outlet adapters
- Travel wind up clock
- Flashlights
CLOTHING
- Interchangeable
- Comfortable
- Coats and sweaters (loop sewn in neck)
- Swiss army knife (to be put in luggage)
- Bathrobe - Sewing kit
- Slippers
- Hat, gloves, and scarf
- Boots
- Swim suit (if in the summer)
TOILETRIES
- Bath towel
- Hand towel
- Dual voltage hair dryer
- Band Aids
- Chap stick
- Toilet paper
- Antibacterial hand gel (lots of it most bathroom do not have any soap)
- Rope or cord to secure train compartment door
MISC.
- English dictionaries
- Stamps
- MP3 player and charger
- Prescription meds (at least 3 months, you just never know)
- Non-prescription meds
- Aspirin
- Diarrhea meds
- Laxatives
- Antibiotic ointment
Well, I have lots to tell, but at the moment I cannot. So I decided y’all need to know some important things when you come here. I hope you enjoy; and if you have any questions feel free to place them in the comment box and I will get them answered if I can.
Lynn
Ukraine (pronounced /juːˈkreɪn/)
Ukraine is the second largest country in Europe. It is located between Poland and Russia. It is slightly smaller than the state of Texas. Much of the southeastern part of the country borders the Black Sea.
Most of Ukraine's land is made up of fertile plains, or steppes, and plateaus. Mountains are found only in the west and extreme south in the Crimean Peninsula. This area's climate is subtropical. Winters vary from cool along the Black Sea to cold farther inland. The temperature inland ranges from 66°F in July, to 21°F in January. Northern and western Ukraine average 27 inches of rainfall a year. This temperate climate is ideal for growing crops. In fact, more than 57 percent of the Ukraine's fertile soil is suitable for growing such crops as sugar beets, wheat, and potatoes.
Territory http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukrain
- Area - 603,700 square kilometers(233,090 square miles)
- Land use - 56% cropland, 14% permanent pasture, 30% other (mostly urban)
- Coastline - 1,729 miles
Electricity - The standard electric voltage in Ukraine is 220 volts. Make sure to take a plug adapter as well as a converter, if you bring electric appliances.
Transportation - Public City TransportRuns from 6 am to 1 am. Bus, trolley bus and tram system is rather slow, but is a cheap way to travel within cities. Prices range from 60 kopecks to 2 hryvna.
Taxi - Taxi is comparatively cheap for Ukrainian/Russian speaking passengers. Probably everywhere situation with taxi is like this – if one speaks a foreign language price for a taxi immediately goes up. There are numerous taxi services, orders are taken via phone. There can be hired a taxi right on the street simply by putting out your hand. Be wary of taking a car having more than one passenger. Price is to be agreed upon beforehand.
Trains - Extensive network of railroad connects Ukraine with many European and Asian countries. Trains are cheap though slow and not very comfortable. First class compartments are mostly air-conditioned (very important in summertime) and have 2 berths (some trains do not have 1st class option), second class has 4 berths. It is advisable to buy tickets for the whole compartment, especially when traveling alone. Prices for foreign citizens and Ukrainians are the same. Trains are the most popular and easy way to make intercity trips in Ukraine.
Air - Most cities of Ukraine have air connection with Kiev, tickets for non-Ukrainians are more expensive than for Ukrainians for domestic flights. Best air connection with other countries goes via Kiev. Some domestic flights are not very reliable in terms of schedule - it is never too much to make sure that the flight you have chosen is made on a regular basis. Please, note most domestic train/air tickets can be obtained only in Ukraine
Things to do in Odessa
1.) Potemkinskaya Staircase with a statue of Duke De Richelien on the top. - It's the main meeting point of Odessa and vital part of the strolling route. Construction of the 193 Stairs was completed in 1837; the Potemkin Steps are the best place in the city to view the bay and busy harbors. The peculiarity of the staircase is that the length of the steps at the bottom is 10 meters wider than the ones on top, thus making the rising perspective more vivid.
2.) Odessa Theatre of Opera and Ballet - The Odessa Theater of Opera and Ballet, second best theater in Europe after the one in Vienna, heard the singing of Shalyapin and Sobinov, saw performances of Tchaikovsky and Rimsky-Korsakov.
3.) Interior of Odessa Theatre - Very beautiful from inside, absolutely fabulous acoustics and the stage is seen from any row, any seat!!!
4.) The Statue of Laocoon - The Statue of Laocoon located in front of the Odessa Archaeological Museum. This marble statue is a unique copy from the Rodoss artists.
5.) Arcadia district - It's a very nice district in Odessa: good sandy beaches, a huge park - Victory Park, green and tranquil.If you visiting Odessa, it's better to stay in that district, it's very close to the center of the city, just a few stops by tram, it has a lot of hotels and sea resorts, so it won't be a problem to find one.6.) Deribasovskaya StreetIt can be called the main street in Odessa. Shops and gardens located in the center of Deribasovskaya Street. Each year the Street gets more beautiful and of course, more crowded with tourists. There are many open-air shops, vendors as well as many fine shops.
7.) Belvedere of Vorontsov's Palace - The Colonnade gives Odessa, named after an ancient Greek colony, a look and feel of Athens.
8.) The Mother-in-Law Bridge.
9.) The Odessa Privoz is one of the biggest farmers' markets in the world and rivals those in Istanbul and Mexico City. As the saying goes, you can find anything up to and including nuclear devices at the Privoz, but a better description is everything that is edible and in season in the ClS, plus a whole lot more. Although lanes are devoted to construction materials, clothes and consumer goods, the Privoz is best shopped for food. Beware of pickpockets. Haggling is expected, but a lower-stress approach is to comparison shop.
10.) More than 400km of catacombs are buried beneath Odessa. Both partisans and smugglers have used them over the years, and the part of the catacombs which resistance fighters used in 1941 is open to the public. Located some 35km outside of town, the partisan catacomb bus leaves daily from the bus kiosk across Volzhynskij street from the train station at 10:00am, except weekends. An easier way to find the bus is to ask at the information window in the train station. The trip takes half a day and costs 5 hryvnas for the Russian-language version.
Things to do Kiev
1.) See St Sophia’s Cathedral: The oldest church in Kiev, St Sophia was built in 1037 by Prince Yaroslav the Wise, a majestic 13-cupola cathedral with golden domes, a turquoise bell tower and an interior adorned with elaborate frescoes and mosaics. A UNESCO heritage site, there’s also a museum inside the 18th century refectory full of archaeological artifacts. It costs just 2Hr to enter the grounds next to the bell tower, and 5HR for the Bell Tower itself.
2.) Go Underground in Kievo-Pecherska Lavra: This vast, sprawling monastic complex is home to a huge network of eerie 11th century caves, some of which are lined by the mummified bodies of monks. Buy a candle, descend into the depths, and see how the monk’s bodies have been perfectly preserved to this day. Admission is 16 HR, and English speaking tours can be arranged if you’re too afraid to navigate the caves solo! Women must wear scarves, which are provided at the entrance if you don’t have your own.
3.) The Mother Motherland statue is a memorial of the Great Patriotic War in Kiev. The statue itself is 62m tall of the whole 102m with the pedestal (450t!). It's similar to ones located in Kaliningrad and Volgograd. It's a beautiful socio-realistic relic and I recommend it to every amateur of Soviet gems. ;) It's located in the Pechers'ky Landshaftny Park (which is a bit Soviet itself), behind the Kyiv Pechers'k Lavra. Take the trolleybus #20 or a tube (to Dnipro) and walk south. It is not far from Independence Square, so if you are in shape take the walk and enjoy all the old buildings. Also be sure to and see the other sites while there. There are a lot of good gems hidden under her. Check them out for yourself.
4.) Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square) is the central square of Kiev. It is located on the Khreschatyk Street. The square got its name after the Ukrainian independence and the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Thousands of protesters gathered in the square during the Orange Revolution of 2004.
5.) Take a walk in the evening downtown, especially in Khreshchatyk and Independence Square and enjoy the views. - The fountains look beautiful and so does the 62-meters-high Independence Column. - The central square is full of people in the evening, too. - The square has an interesting history of development. It had several different names within its history. - The area used to be vacant land two hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages in was called Perevessishche ("hunting grounds"). - The area became a market square in the 19th century and was called Khrashchatyk Square. - In 1851 the first stone edifice was erected here. It was the Nobility House designed by architect A.V.Beretti. - In 1876 the square was renamed into Dumskaya Square ("City Council Square"). - The Bolsheviks renamed the square into Soviet Square in 1919. - In 1935 they renamed it into Kalinin Square. - From 1977 to 1991 it was called October Revolution Square.
6.) The street Yaroslaviv Val is famous for its architecture and beautiful buildings. This street was not destroyed during the Second World War. Prepare for a steep walk up from the main street, Khreshchatyk Street.
7.) Vladimirskaya Gorka is a green park on the bank of the Dnipro River. It's a kind of romantic place where just married couples arrive. It's also a place where people celebrate graduation from school.Kievo-Pecherskaya Lavra topped with gilded domes is situated here.
8.) National Opera building has been built in 1897-1901 and it's still in use. It's not 'a must', but it's just a nice building to pay the attention to, if you are strolling around this area. Check the performances in the Kiev Opera House
9.) Park Vichnoyi Slavy (Eternal Glory Park) is located near the Kiev-Pecherska Lavra. Inside you can see the Monument to the Unknown Soldier. It's a nice place for a walk, with a fabulous view of the Left Bank and Lavra.
10.) In 1961 Kiev was the select place for making of a movie that became famous all over the former Soviet Union. "In Pursuit of Two Hares" is a comedy by an Ukrainian writer who uses the set of Kiev for a story that plays in 1913
Packing Tips
1.) A bag with wheels is helpful because Kiev involves a lot of walking. The Metro stations and train stations don't have lifts usually, so you will have to walk a long way carrying a lot of stuff if you don't use something with wheels.
In summer, Ukraine can be very hot, so be sure to bring lightweight clothing that can be washed at night and dries quickly. In winter, be sure to bring very, very warm clothes because no matter what you bring it will never be warm enough. My most prized possessions in Ukrainian winter were my gloves, scarf, and then the boots I purchased there. I had brought very warm boots from the USA, but they just weren't warm enough. I don't really believe in wearing fur, but if you do, this is the place to wear it.
Public toilets don't have toilet paper, so be sure to bring little tissue packages or you will be stuck using a newspaper or something worse. Pack all prescription medications you may need. Things like band-aids and antiseptics can be purchased here, but it is very hard for them to understand you, and can be very expensive.
Film, batteries, cameras, all things can be purchased here at local photo shops.
2.) It's advisable that you take all important belongings in your carry-on bag. It will help in case your luggage is lost in the airport or on a train. Pack passport, tickets, itineraries, money, wallets and insurance cars in your carry-on bag.
If you're arriving in winter note: -5-+5C, in spring: +5-+20C, in summer: +18-+32C, in autumn: +23C-+7C
If you are taking shampoos, soaps, laundry kits, shaving creams and other things like that, take travel size products. Note also that such products can be purchased in Ukrainian stores or markets.
Are you digitalized already?!! Batteries, CDs, Internet cafes are easily available, and the rates are better 1.5-2 times than in other places; the same for photo-prints! Wish you excellent sunny weather! :)
Obviously you check your documents, visas, money and other important things prior to leaving home. Bring a good mood and positive curiosity :)
3.) Remember to pack only as much as you can carry for a mile, by yourself. Don't plan on anyone else to carry any of your bags. After you first pack everything, then, take out at least a third! After a couple of trips, you'll get it right first time! When the airport says 50# they do mean it. If it is 50.1# that will be an extra $250.
4.) There's a lot to see and do in Kiev and walking is the best way to get there, so bring some comfortable and sturdy walking shoes.
ELECTRICAL SUPPLIES
- Voltage converters
- European electrical adapters
- Surge protectors
- U.S. 3 prong to 2 prong outlet adapters
- Travel wind up clock
- Flashlights
CLOTHING
- Interchangeable
- Comfortable
- Coats and sweaters (loop sewn in neck)
- Swiss army knife (to be put in luggage)
- Bathrobe - Sewing kit
- Slippers
- Hat, gloves, and scarf
- Boots
- Swim suit (if in the summer)
TOILETRIES
- Bath towel
- Hand towel
- Dual voltage hair dryer
- Band Aids
- Chap stick
- Toilet paper
- Antibacterial hand gel (lots of it most bathroom do not have any soap)
- Rope or cord to secure train compartment door
MISC.
- English dictionaries
- Stamps
- MP3 player and charger
- Prescription meds (at least 3 months, you just never know)
- Non-prescription meds
- Aspirin
- Diarrhea meds
- Laxatives
- Antibiotic ointment
Monday, April 12, 2010
Thursday, April 08, 2010
Luke 11:33 -- "No one lights a lamp and then hides it or puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where its light can be seen by all who enter the house. "Your eye is a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is good, your whole body is filled with light. But when it is bad, your body is filled with darkness. Make sure that the light you think you have is not actually darkness. If you are filled with light, with no dark corners, then your whole life will be radiant, as though a floodlight were filling you with light."
As I read this verse today it reminds me that we are currently in a dark place. They have religion, but not a relationship with the One True Living GOD. They don't know the joy of having JESUS in their life. They do everything at the church because that is what they were taught, not because from reverent desire. I am learning to be the light and to shine for Jesus. Tim & I had to go to the store to buy a gift one day. As we were going across the street my prayer had been for GOD to lead us to where he wanted us to make the most impact on someone that night. We walked through all the little kiosks there and ended up going back to buy some cologne. The lady was very nice to us. She worked very hard to understand us. Now, whenever we go by her “shop” she always smiles. The other day she saw me in line and came out to meet me and to say, “Hi!” to her American friend. She had the biggest smile of anyone I have seen here. I want to be the light to shine for Jesus. I hope you can find someone today to be a light for.
Again, I am sorry I have not updated as often as I would like. It is a crazy life one leads when going through the adoption process. I have read many blogs (My family teases me that I am addicted to them!) so that I would have an idea of what to expect, but nothing will prepare you for this journey. Not a single blog I have read is the same, so that leads me to tell you that ours is not in any way the same as others. It is like reading a new book, only each time the ending is the same. You go home changed, with an addition to your family, and you have a deeper walk with the Lord, as there is really no way to accomplish this without HIM. I know there are some families who do it without depending on God, but I am not sure how they have not gone crazy.
Let me fill y'all in on some of what has happened over the week. On Thursday last week we only had to go to the notary's office to sign some paperwork. After that we had lunch; and then went to some friends’ flat. They are also from Mississippi, and are here adopting from Balta, so Alyona and Yura knew each other. It made for a fun day. We laughed and played. After that, we got to take our first bus ride here. I will tell you, if you don't do well in small places, you will not do well on the bus. The people pack in until there is no room for anyone to move. Luckily we got on the back row so it was not so bad.
On Friday, we got up at the crack of dawn and headed for Kiliya. It is a day I will never forget. Alyona and Kristina would get to see each other for the first time in over two years. Kristina saw Alyona from across the courtyard; and she came running as fast as her legs would carry her. Alyona just stood there with her arms full and me telling her put the stuff down and to go meet Kristina, but of course Alyona had no real idea what I was saying. At last Kristina was up the steps and into Alyona’s arms. Hugs, kisses, crying, it was amazing. It all happened so fast that Tim nor I were really ready for much of the hoped for “photo moment”. We did a get couple of shots. The girls spent most of the day walking, talking, and playing together. They had so much to get caught up on. I was afraid when we went to leave that Alyona might possibly have a meltdown, but she walked out like a big girl. I am the one who had a small meltdown. It was so hard to go off and leave Kristina there.
On Saturday, we slept in for a little while. Then we all got our showers and headed downtown on the bus again. We went and bought a stuffed kitten for Alyona. Then we went to lunch. We went to a Ukrainian cafeteria, similar to Picadilly, as we thought Alyona could find something to eat she might like. Some she did, and some not so much. Papa got to eat half of her food. I will say, I thought I might not like the food here, but it is very good. I have not been as adventurous as Tim, but I am trying. I have gotten a few things I thought was one thing, but turned out to be something totally different. It has all ended up okay, though. After lunch we walked around the downtown letting Alyona pictures. Before we left home, we had invested in a camera for the girls to use while we are here, so they can take pictures, and we can see life through their eyes. Alyona is actually a lot like Papa in taking pictures. She knows what she wants and will work to get them just right.
Sunday, we got up and went to church with a friend from here. It was a neat church, as it was conducted in both English and Russian. Praise and worship was great, but then it is always great when you are with other believers. After church, we went and had lunch with our friend, and did some last minute shopping for Easter dinner. We were at another friends’ place for dinner. There were thirteen of us. We had a blast, ate way too much, played games, and did the Resurrection eggs for the kids. It was in English and in Russian as we had some of both. I am thankful for the friends we have made here as it was strange not being with our family back home, but we did get to Skype with them; and that was good.
As good as Sunday was, it was also sad. We were supposed to go to visit Kristina that day, but we were unsuccessful arranging transportation. We tried the bus, but all the tickets were sold out. We had reservations to get home. We just couldn’t get there! We looked into taking a taxi, but that was 2000 grivna, $250. Not a chance! Then we checked into renting a car, which was also out of the question. So we decided we would call the director to ask about rescheduling for Monday. I am not sure he fully understood how much it would cost and that we weren’t prepared to spend that kind of money for a three to four hour visit. So, we went on Monday. We spent about 3 1/2 hours there playing ball with the girls. Papa and I decided we are much too old to join a soccer team! Hehehe!
We went back to Kiliya again on Tuesday. Wow! What a ride. I would like to take a moment and thank Sasha our other driver. I am not sure I could do this trip without him. We had to rent a taxi driver, on Tuesday, which cost more than Sasha and was not near as nice as Sasha. It was okay, but we could we could definitely tell we were in a taxi, not Sasha’s newer car, as we felt every bump; and there are many, many, many of them! There are quite possibly more potholes than road. We spent all day there with the girls. We left Odessa about 7:15 am and got there about 11:45 am, then we did not leave Kiliya until 6:00pm. It was very cold and windy that day. We had spent most of the time outside as we were not sure if we were allowed to go inside the buildings. Oles was in town all day doing paperwork. When he did finally come back to the orphanage to check on us, we asked him to see if we could go inside. They did allow us to go sit in the lobby at the dorms. Warmth, it was good! We got out some flash cards and worked with Alyona on numbers and colors. A lot of the kids wanted to learn also, along with one of the workers. These kids want so bad for someone to come and take them home. Just to love them and give them a good home. One of my new friends there came and asked me if she could go to America and me be her mama. Oh, how I could scoop them all up and bring them home, but I know I cannot. I am not sure now when we will go back to visit Kristina, and that hurts to know she is there in limbo, wondering when we will come back.
We thought we had a free day on Wednesday, but that only lasted until 10:00am. Oles called and said we needed to meet him downtown and for Alyona to rewrite her petition to be adopted, as he was concerned the SDA might not accept the format of her first one. So we all scrambled to get cleaned up and we were off on the bus again. I had a bad headache and slept most of the bus ride. While we were waiting for Oles our friends came walking down the street toward us, We ended up going and having lunch with them. It was a lot of fun again. Later, we came home, did some shopping, then I took a nap to see if the headache would go away. Nope! It didn't work, but thank goodness for nighttime, as the sun went down the headache went away. Alyona helped make dinner with one of our friends. We had hoped that by helping to make it she would want to eat it. At the last minute, our friend had put some seasoning in; and Alyona then would not even try it. Too bad for her. It was good. Alyona left the table hungry. We explained to her we would be having ice cream & strawberries for dessert; and she would not get any until she ate her dinner. She still choose not to eat. Our friend speaks Russian, so we know it was not that Alyona didn't understand. She was just being stubborn. We tried to get her to eat a few times throughout the evening, but no luck. Finally, at about 8:20pm, I told her that if she ate one bite before 9:00pm she could still have ice cream. I showed her on the clock when it would be too late to get ice cream. Well, she consciously waited until 8:59pm to put the bite into her mouth. She did get her ice cream, but we also learned a little more of how much she understands and how she is going to try to manipulate us!
Poor Tim. He has been lost for the almost two days we were without Internet access. Okay, not just poor Tim, poor me, too! We were both lost without contact to the outside world, but we called Oles this afternoon. He called the Internet provider and within a half hour we were back on line. Oh, happy days are here again!
Well, you are all caught back up on the life of adoption and the things that can go on. Oh, yeah, one important part of the story… all the initial paperwork is compete and is on the train to Kiev for submission to the SDA office. We now wait to learn of their approval so that we can schedule a court date. YEAH! I wanted to save the best for last.
Y'all have a good day. I will write more once I know more as we will now be in a holding pattern for at least a few days. Love y'all; and remember to keep the SDA in your prayers. We need a speedy report so we can set a court date.
Lynn
As I read this verse today it reminds me that we are currently in a dark place. They have religion, but not a relationship with the One True Living GOD. They don't know the joy of having JESUS in their life. They do everything at the church because that is what they were taught, not because from reverent desire. I am learning to be the light and to shine for Jesus. Tim & I had to go to the store to buy a gift one day. As we were going across the street my prayer had been for GOD to lead us to where he wanted us to make the most impact on someone that night. We walked through all the little kiosks there and ended up going back to buy some cologne. The lady was very nice to us. She worked very hard to understand us. Now, whenever we go by her “shop” she always smiles. The other day she saw me in line and came out to meet me and to say, “Hi!” to her American friend. She had the biggest smile of anyone I have seen here. I want to be the light to shine for Jesus. I hope you can find someone today to be a light for.
Again, I am sorry I have not updated as often as I would like. It is a crazy life one leads when going through the adoption process. I have read many blogs (My family teases me that I am addicted to them!) so that I would have an idea of what to expect, but nothing will prepare you for this journey. Not a single blog I have read is the same, so that leads me to tell you that ours is not in any way the same as others. It is like reading a new book, only each time the ending is the same. You go home changed, with an addition to your family, and you have a deeper walk with the Lord, as there is really no way to accomplish this without HIM. I know there are some families who do it without depending on God, but I am not sure how they have not gone crazy.
Let me fill y'all in on some of what has happened over the week. On Thursday last week we only had to go to the notary's office to sign some paperwork. After that we had lunch; and then went to some friends’ flat. They are also from Mississippi, and are here adopting from Balta, so Alyona and Yura knew each other. It made for a fun day. We laughed and played. After that, we got to take our first bus ride here. I will tell you, if you don't do well in small places, you will not do well on the bus. The people pack in until there is no room for anyone to move. Luckily we got on the back row so it was not so bad.
On Friday, we got up at the crack of dawn and headed for Kiliya. It is a day I will never forget. Alyona and Kristina would get to see each other for the first time in over two years. Kristina saw Alyona from across the courtyard; and she came running as fast as her legs would carry her. Alyona just stood there with her arms full and me telling her put the stuff down and to go meet Kristina, but of course Alyona had no real idea what I was saying. At last Kristina was up the steps and into Alyona’s arms. Hugs, kisses, crying, it was amazing. It all happened so fast that Tim nor I were really ready for much of the hoped for “photo moment”. We did a get couple of shots. The girls spent most of the day walking, talking, and playing together. They had so much to get caught up on. I was afraid when we went to leave that Alyona might possibly have a meltdown, but she walked out like a big girl. I am the one who had a small meltdown. It was so hard to go off and leave Kristina there.
On Saturday, we slept in for a little while. Then we all got our showers and headed downtown on the bus again. We went and bought a stuffed kitten for Alyona. Then we went to lunch. We went to a Ukrainian cafeteria, similar to Picadilly, as we thought Alyona could find something to eat she might like. Some she did, and some not so much. Papa got to eat half of her food. I will say, I thought I might not like the food here, but it is very good. I have not been as adventurous as Tim, but I am trying. I have gotten a few things I thought was one thing, but turned out to be something totally different. It has all ended up okay, though. After lunch we walked around the downtown letting Alyona pictures. Before we left home, we had invested in a camera for the girls to use while we are here, so they can take pictures, and we can see life through their eyes. Alyona is actually a lot like Papa in taking pictures. She knows what she wants and will work to get them just right.
Sunday, we got up and went to church with a friend from here. It was a neat church, as it was conducted in both English and Russian. Praise and worship was great, but then it is always great when you are with other believers. After church, we went and had lunch with our friend, and did some last minute shopping for Easter dinner. We were at another friends’ place for dinner. There were thirteen of us. We had a blast, ate way too much, played games, and did the Resurrection eggs for the kids. It was in English and in Russian as we had some of both. I am thankful for the friends we have made here as it was strange not being with our family back home, but we did get to Skype with them; and that was good.
As good as Sunday was, it was also sad. We were supposed to go to visit Kristina that day, but we were unsuccessful arranging transportation. We tried the bus, but all the tickets were sold out. We had reservations to get home. We just couldn’t get there! We looked into taking a taxi, but that was 2000 grivna, $250. Not a chance! Then we checked into renting a car, which was also out of the question. So we decided we would call the director to ask about rescheduling for Monday. I am not sure he fully understood how much it would cost and that we weren’t prepared to spend that kind of money for a three to four hour visit. So, we went on Monday. We spent about 3 1/2 hours there playing ball with the girls. Papa and I decided we are much too old to join a soccer team! Hehehe!
We went back to Kiliya again on Tuesday. Wow! What a ride. I would like to take a moment and thank Sasha our other driver. I am not sure I could do this trip without him. We had to rent a taxi driver, on Tuesday, which cost more than Sasha and was not near as nice as Sasha. It was okay, but we could we could definitely tell we were in a taxi, not Sasha’s newer car, as we felt every bump; and there are many, many, many of them! There are quite possibly more potholes than road. We spent all day there with the girls. We left Odessa about 7:15 am and got there about 11:45 am, then we did not leave Kiliya until 6:00pm. It was very cold and windy that day. We had spent most of the time outside as we were not sure if we were allowed to go inside the buildings. Oles was in town all day doing paperwork. When he did finally come back to the orphanage to check on us, we asked him to see if we could go inside. They did allow us to go sit in the lobby at the dorms. Warmth, it was good! We got out some flash cards and worked with Alyona on numbers and colors. A lot of the kids wanted to learn also, along with one of the workers. These kids want so bad for someone to come and take them home. Just to love them and give them a good home. One of my new friends there came and asked me if she could go to America and me be her mama. Oh, how I could scoop them all up and bring them home, but I know I cannot. I am not sure now when we will go back to visit Kristina, and that hurts to know she is there in limbo, wondering when we will come back.
We thought we had a free day on Wednesday, but that only lasted until 10:00am. Oles called and said we needed to meet him downtown and for Alyona to rewrite her petition to be adopted, as he was concerned the SDA might not accept the format of her first one. So we all scrambled to get cleaned up and we were off on the bus again. I had a bad headache and slept most of the bus ride. While we were waiting for Oles our friends came walking down the street toward us, We ended up going and having lunch with them. It was a lot of fun again. Later, we came home, did some shopping, then I took a nap to see if the headache would go away. Nope! It didn't work, but thank goodness for nighttime, as the sun went down the headache went away. Alyona helped make dinner with one of our friends. We had hoped that by helping to make it she would want to eat it. At the last minute, our friend had put some seasoning in; and Alyona then would not even try it. Too bad for her. It was good. Alyona left the table hungry. We explained to her we would be having ice cream & strawberries for dessert; and she would not get any until she ate her dinner. She still choose not to eat. Our friend speaks Russian, so we know it was not that Alyona didn't understand. She was just being stubborn. We tried to get her to eat a few times throughout the evening, but no luck. Finally, at about 8:20pm, I told her that if she ate one bite before 9:00pm she could still have ice cream. I showed her on the clock when it would be too late to get ice cream. Well, she consciously waited until 8:59pm to put the bite into her mouth. She did get her ice cream, but we also learned a little more of how much she understands and how she is going to try to manipulate us!
Poor Tim. He has been lost for the almost two days we were without Internet access. Okay, not just poor Tim, poor me, too! We were both lost without contact to the outside world, but we called Oles this afternoon. He called the Internet provider and within a half hour we were back on line. Oh, happy days are here again!
Well, you are all caught back up on the life of adoption and the things that can go on. Oh, yeah, one important part of the story… all the initial paperwork is compete and is on the train to Kiev for submission to the SDA office. We now wait to learn of their approval so that we can schedule a court date. YEAH! I wanted to save the best for last.
Y'all have a good day. I will write more once I know more as we will now be in a holding pattern for at least a few days. Love y'all; and remember to keep the SDA in your prayers. We need a speedy report so we can set a court date.
Lynn
Monday, April 05, 2010
Here are links to several more photo albums:
Balta
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=168318&id=732820665&l=0b85a82536
Kiliya
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=168323&id=732820665&l=f3f1f28a1d
Odessa
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=168334&id=732820665&l=5c6d514ea5
Fun with the McNeills
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=168330&id=732820665&l=6adc1e8f28
Kristina & Alyona
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=168332&id=732820665&l=a070515c32
I've not had time to annotate the photos, yet, but at least you can start looking at them!
Tim
Balta
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=168318&id=732820665&l=0b85a82536
Kiliya
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=168323&id=732820665&l=f3f1f28a1d
Odessa
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=168334&id=732820665&l=5c6d514ea5
Fun with the McNeills
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=168330&id=732820665&l=6adc1e8f28
Kristina & Alyona
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=168332&id=732820665&l=a070515c32
I've not had time to annotate the photos, yet, but at least you can start looking at them!
Tim
Sunday, April 04, 2010
Wow! What an Easter! Praise JESUS! HE IS ALIVE!!!
First, we got up and went to church with our friend, Laura. It was a church plant, here in Odessa, focused primarily toward university students, and conducted in Russian & English. We had a really sweet time worshiping with our Ukrainian brothers & sisters in Christ. They sang contemporary worship songs in English & Russian, then the pastor led a Bible study. He spoke in English and had a Russian translator.
Afterwards, we went to lunch at a very nice cafeteria, on the second floor of a large grocery store. Lynn & I have both really enjoyed the Ukrainian foods. Lynn has not been near as adventurous as I, but she definitely has gotten outside her normal box. Following lunch, we shopped for a few last items for evening dinner; and looked for some new shoes for Alyona.
Once we arrived back at our flat, we had the pleasure of watching our home church service, LIVE, via Internet streaming. It was so absolutely awesome to be more than 4500 miles from home, yet we were able to participate in celebrating resurrection Sunday with our dear friends at home, in Brandon, MS!!
Later on, we enjoyed Easter dinner with several Americans who live here in Odessa. It was so fun to dine & fellowship & play games together.
One other incredible "event" occurred today. We had heard a few days ago about a change to the tax laws regarding adoptions. Today, we learned more specific details regarding the changes. For at least the last few years, adoptive parents have been eligible for an ~$12,000 tax credit for each adopted child. While that in itself is good, it is of little benefit to families which normally already receive income tax refunds. Well... just recently, Congress just revised the tax credit in three very important ways. 1st) They extended the credit for another year. It now is valid for adoptions finalized by Dec 31st, 2011. 2nd) They increased the credit amount from ~$12,000 to $13,170. And 3rd) They changed it from a plain ol’ "tax credit" to a "refundable tax credit". This is a very significant change. What this means is that, “if your tax liability for the year of your adoption is less than the amount of credit you are applying for, the IRS will refund the portion of the unused credit. This means you could receive some or all of the balance as a refund on your federal taxes.”
This news regarding the tax credit is especially significant to me because not only was it was an answer to prayer regarding financial provision, it also was an amazing demonstration of God’s sovereignty and divine timing. See, when we started down this road of adoption, not only did I feel God’s calling to adopt. I also felt His prompting to truly trust Him to provide the finances to accomplish it. He kept impressing on me that we would not have to pay for the expenses from our own funds. Some may say, “OK, so what?” But as we started looking at the details it quickly became apparent the total adoption was going to cost us northwards of $30,000; and THIRTY THOUSAND DOLLARS is a whole lot of money for this humble Network Operations Supervisor. We had absolutely no clue where we would ever come up with that kind of green stuff. As the months progressed, our human side continually wanted to rise up and “help” God with various fundraising activities. We even had a few friends offer to plan & coordinate fundraisers for us. While I still couldn’t see how the funds would come in, I definitely did not have a peace about pursuing these various activities. So, we waited. As we completed all the paperwork and submitted our dossier, and the date for travel approached, our human logic absolutely insisted we needed to be doing “something” to raise funds. Still, I felt Him asking us to trust Him. Because significant money was not arriving prior us leaving, I was really, really questioning if I had truly been hearing from God at all. The Spirit within me, though, kept saying, “Wait… Wait… Wait…” A few weeks before we left I even mentioned to Lynn that I felt we were being challenged to demonstrate our faith by figuratively “stepping into the river Jordan”. In other words, we were being asked to purchase the tickets and actually leave for Ukraine before the funds would become available. Now, with the donations received to date and this information regarding the newly refundable tax credit, it appears that all of our anticipated adoption expenses will be covered!!! Praise JESUS!! When I realized the significance of this I literally broke into tears. God so wants to work in our lives and bless us. If only we will allow Him to work through us to share those blessing with others...
Tim
First, we got up and went to church with our friend, Laura. It was a church plant, here in Odessa, focused primarily toward university students, and conducted in Russian & English. We had a really sweet time worshiping with our Ukrainian brothers & sisters in Christ. They sang contemporary worship songs in English & Russian, then the pastor led a Bible study. He spoke in English and had a Russian translator.
Afterwards, we went to lunch at a very nice cafeteria, on the second floor of a large grocery store. Lynn & I have both really enjoyed the Ukrainian foods. Lynn has not been near as adventurous as I, but she definitely has gotten outside her normal box. Following lunch, we shopped for a few last items for evening dinner; and looked for some new shoes for Alyona.
Once we arrived back at our flat, we had the pleasure of watching our home church service, LIVE, via Internet streaming. It was so absolutely awesome to be more than 4500 miles from home, yet we were able to participate in celebrating resurrection Sunday with our dear friends at home, in Brandon, MS!!
Later on, we enjoyed Easter dinner with several Americans who live here in Odessa. It was so fun to dine & fellowship & play games together.
One other incredible "event" occurred today. We had heard a few days ago about a change to the tax laws regarding adoptions. Today, we learned more specific details regarding the changes. For at least the last few years, adoptive parents have been eligible for an ~$12,000 tax credit for each adopted child. While that in itself is good, it is of little benefit to families which normally already receive income tax refunds. Well... just recently, Congress just revised the tax credit in three very important ways. 1st) They extended the credit for another year. It now is valid for adoptions finalized by Dec 31st, 2011. 2nd) They increased the credit amount from ~$12,000 to $13,170. And 3rd) They changed it from a plain ol’ "tax credit" to a "refundable tax credit". This is a very significant change. What this means is that, “if your tax liability for the year of your adoption is less than the amount of credit you are applying for, the IRS will refund the portion of the unused credit. This means you could receive some or all of the balance as a refund on your federal taxes.”
This news regarding the tax credit is especially significant to me because not only was it was an answer to prayer regarding financial provision, it also was an amazing demonstration of God’s sovereignty and divine timing. See, when we started down this road of adoption, not only did I feel God’s calling to adopt. I also felt His prompting to truly trust Him to provide the finances to accomplish it. He kept impressing on me that we would not have to pay for the expenses from our own funds. Some may say, “OK, so what?” But as we started looking at the details it quickly became apparent the total adoption was going to cost us northwards of $30,000; and THIRTY THOUSAND DOLLARS is a whole lot of money for this humble Network Operations Supervisor. We had absolutely no clue where we would ever come up with that kind of green stuff. As the months progressed, our human side continually wanted to rise up and “help” God with various fundraising activities. We even had a few friends offer to plan & coordinate fundraisers for us. While I still couldn’t see how the funds would come in, I definitely did not have a peace about pursuing these various activities. So, we waited. As we completed all the paperwork and submitted our dossier, and the date for travel approached, our human logic absolutely insisted we needed to be doing “something” to raise funds. Still, I felt Him asking us to trust Him. Because significant money was not arriving prior us leaving, I was really, really questioning if I had truly been hearing from God at all. The Spirit within me, though, kept saying, “Wait… Wait… Wait…” A few weeks before we left I even mentioned to Lynn that I felt we were being challenged to demonstrate our faith by figuratively “stepping into the river Jordan”. In other words, we were being asked to purchase the tickets and actually leave for Ukraine before the funds would become available. Now, with the donations received to date and this information regarding the newly refundable tax credit, it appears that all of our anticipated adoption expenses will be covered!!! Praise JESUS!! When I realized the significance of this I literally broke into tears. God so wants to work in our lives and bless us. If only we will allow Him to work through us to share those blessing with others...
Tim
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