New Birth Certificate and ID for Yuri

Yuri with the new "birth certificate" stating his name as, "Yuri Paul Berger" with Paul and Renee listed as his parents.

The building housing the office where the new birth certificate was issued.

The building housing the register's office which issued Yuri's new identification card. Paul and Natlayia had an appointment at 6:10. The official was about an hour late. (Typical Ukrainian time.) We left this office at 7:30 this evening. Renee and Yuri waited for us in Sasha's taxi.

Today turned out a little differently than we had planned, which, as we all know by now, is normal for adoption trips to the Ukraine. We thought we would make a trip to a bank this morning to close out Yuri's account and transfer the funds to his Babushka (per Yuri's wish). This did not happen.

Instead, the "official" part of our day began about 3 p.m. when Natalyia called to ask us to meet her and Sasha downstairs in five minutes. We jumped in the van headed to an office to sign documents and pick up Yuri's new "birth certificate". (This was the office that was "closed" until 4 p.m. due to the city-wide meeting.) Mission accomplished. By 4 p.m. we were on our way to the notary to have the birth certificate notarized. Check. By 4:35 we were en route to the registers office with notarized birth certificate in hand to request a new citizen identification number for Yuri. (Kind of like our Social Security number.) Check. With our request made, we were to return about 1.5 hours later (or, 6:10 p.m.) to sign for and pick up the new ID card.

At this time, we ran an errand to the airline ticket office to change the departure date of our tickets to Kiev from Saturday morning to Monday night. Check. We ran back to the registers office and entered the building at 6 p.m. for our 6:10 appointment. After a long wait, we were out the door by 7:30 and headed to Afina Mall to Mario's (6th time) for dinner.

Monday is the next key day. With the updated ID card and birth certificate in hand, our facilitators will obtain a new passport for Yuri which we need before we can fly to Kiev and the US Embassy. There are now two issues which remain open and each require their own unique protocol. First, is the issue of Yuri's property. Ukrainian law requires parent's to deed property to their children. When Yuri's mother died, the deed to her apartment was transfered to Yuri and his brother, Viktor. Yuri desires to transfer his share to Viktor. The second open issue is closing Yuri's bank account and transferring the funds to Babushka.

About that countdown we had going regarding the number of days left in Odessa... never mind. ;-)

Prayer Request - With regard to the property and bank account issues--that everything that needs to be satisfied is satisfied and we can get his new passport and depart for Kiev Monday night. Thank you!