Today we visited the Notary to make our application for Slava's passport. After that we went to the central passport office in Kiev. Irina went in alone and then came out to say the girl in there is very nice. Another new law requires that we get some document from the passport office in Borpka since that is where Slava's residence is. However, the office is only technically open on Tuesdays! The girl in the passport ofc in Kiev called ahead to her friend in the office in Borpka and she agreed to let Irina into the office and help us. While we waited the hour we enjoyed a nice lunch in a cafe in town. We had Solonka which is a soup with something that looked like little hot dogs cut up in it. It was very good. And then there was this episode of me, Jordan, and the squatty-potty that had us belly laughing but I'll spare you the details! Back at the passport office Irina got our documents. Then we got to pick up our dear little Slava for a whirlwind ride to the central passport office in Kiev for his passport photo. He actually did pretty well in the car. He was thrilled with all the "machinas" on the road and all the "lampas" (lights) since it was getting dark. It probably was his first ride in a car. We got his picture taken for his passport, but then Ira learned that now the application has to have a photo of him on it. So we quickly found a place to take his picture. We had to get his picture taken for his visa anyway so we got that done too. Then since we were in Kiev and it was 5pm rush hour traffic, Ira & Slava dropped us off at our apt and they made the long drive back to Borpka to return our Slava to the orphanage. By this time he was sitting on Ira's lap instead of Papa's. She and big Slava carry much authority since they speak his language. We prayed for them anyway since it will be a long ride back in traffic with a bouncing little boy. The good news is Irina is hopeful that we will have the passport on Monday (please pray that we do)!
Yesterday while Irina was at the tax office she felt like she should stop at the SDA and check the bulletin board where they post important info regarding adoptions. There she learned that very soon international adoption will cease in Ukraine. They urged all families in the country right now to notify their embassy that they are here and at what stage of the process they are in. Ira says we should be fine since we already have our birth certificate and will have our passport soon. But for other families who are not so far along this could be heart breaking news. Luda, another facilitator on our team, currently has an American family who have been here 8 weeks and they are not as far along as we are. This might not be good news for them. Apparently 8 weeks is the new average in country time according to Irina. So we see how God has been moving on our process in ways we did not even know to pray. If we did not come now, we might not have ever been able to adopt our Slava and our kids would not have their biological brother. And God is very merciful to get us out of here in 4 weeks instead of 8. Thank you, Lord!
We contacted the US Embassy to let them know that we are here and almost finished. We requested an appointment with them for Tuesday 11/23 to do the final step in the process so we can then come home! Please pray that we get Slava's passport on Monday and that we can go to the Embassy on Tuesday. Our return flight is scheduled for 5am on Thursday 11/25 and we'd really like to be on it!
Irina does not want us to pick up our Slava until we have his passport. She says there is a family here now who took their little girl right at the end of the 10 day wait and she got sick and has been in the hospital for 3 days. Orphanage children are very regimented and once you take them they get off their sleeping/eating schedules, and the change in diet and all can make them sick. She does not want this to happen to us, so she says to wait. Of course this did not happen when we took our other 3 kids, but we will wait until Monday as Ira suggests. She has been facilitating adoptions for 10 years and before that she was a school teacher. This year she started taking classes at the University because she may need to find a new job soon since adoptions may be shutting down. At lunch today she shared with me her idea of bringing Ukrainian students to America for 2 weeks in the summer to stay with families and learn the culture, and then bringing American kids to Ukraine to do the same. It reminded me very much of what Dawn does with the Japanese exchange program. Not orphans but teenage students with families building relationships with American kids and families. She's excited to talk more about it with me after our adoption. I even volunteered Melissa to help with the program! Oh how I would love to bring my friend Irina to the States for 2 weeks to take care of her as she has so graciously helped us.
Thank you for faithfully praying for us. And we thank our faithful Lord for answering. We are in awe of how He has moved on our behalf through this whole process. God accomplishes His purposes! ...so please keep praying!
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