Bringing Yuri Home

Translator, Tour Guide, English Tutor and Taxi Service

2007-04-24T13:34:00.000-05:00

Julia Yarovoy, jbaskova@yahoo.com
Your adoption facilitator will offer translation services during your stay in Ukraine. However, a translator will not be able to be with you all day every day. If you find yourself in need of a good translator or need advice about getting around Odessa, we recommend Julia. She is a Christian with a caring heart and excellent translation skills.

Julia and her husband, Sergey, are natives of Odessa and know the city very well. Julia was Paul's translator and tour guide during his first trip to Odessa. On our current trip, a group of American families wanted to go out on the town one Saturday evening but,we were without our normal translators. So, we called Julia and hired her to interpret and guide the group around the city center. At the end of the evening, Julia helped each family find a taxi or the correct bus home. Huge help!

Julia also works as an English tutor. We hired her to provide English lessons for Yuri which was a huge help in jump-starting Yuri's English skills.

Sasha Finenko - 80671831558
Sasha Finenko - 80671831558 If you need a reliable, safe taxi driver, call Sasha. We used him as our primary driver during our stay in Odessa. He operates a 7 passenger van which is a big advantage over eating your knees as you cram your travel party into the back seat of a small car. So many taxi drivers seem to operate their cars with vengeful aggression. By comparison, Sasha is noticeably more calm and safe. We also found his rates to be fair (compared against other vans). Sasha speaks very little English so, an interpreter will have to call him for you. Tell Sasha Paul & Renee sent you. ;-)

We Made It Home!

2007-04-23T17:43:00.000-05:00

Together at last!

Sorry for the delay in making this post. Since we arrived home, it has been a whirlwind of activity. Two soccer games, a family birthday party in Lincoln, church, shopping, laundry, unpacking.... you get the picture.

We touched down in Omaha at 11:35 p.m. Friday night. What a day. We had to run to catch each flight on our trip home. Due to short notice, our travel agent pieced together flights from three different airlines in order to get us home by Friday night. AeroSvit (Ukrainian airline) from Kiev to JFK. Delta from JFK to Chicago. United from Chicago to Omaha.

Friday began smooth enough. We arrived early at Borispol airport in Kiev. However, a customs agent prevented us from boarding the flight. We had to present the original court documents givng us the right to adopt Yuri. We were not informed we needed to present these documents in order to board the plane and had them packed in a suitcase which was already checked. Long story short, all four of our bags were pulled off the plane. We retrieved the documents, had them stamped and ran through security and down the jet way to a plane full of passengers waiting our arrival. (They held the plane for us.) We had tight connnections in JFK (customs) and Chicago. In fact, in Chicago, United had already given our seats to "stand by" passengers and had to pull them from the plane.

Tip to future adoptive parents: keep all your original documents in your carry on bag. You will need to present them in order to leave the country. ;-)

Dad, Mom and Yuri on the flight from Kiev to New York City. A sigh of releif.

The Weddingtons: Sasha, Suzette and Katya. In additon to the Berger and Weddington families, there were two other families on the plane who had also adopted kids from different regions of Ukraine. One of those kids is, Christina, the girl sitting at Katya's left.

The welcome comittee at the airport. I apologize for the quality of this photo. I was a little tired and excited when I snapped it. Liz, Christina and Andrew are holding a sign in the center of the photo, surrounded by members of Paul's family. Grandma Rose and members of Renee's family are to the right. The people on the left are good friends from our church who have also adopted kids from Ukraine. There must have been about 25-30 people to provide a warm welcome home. It was pretty cool.

The kids constructed "Welcome Home" signs. The sign in the bottom photo was posted in our front yard.

Upon our return home, we presented the kids with souvenirs. Christina, Andrew and Yuri show off their new "Ukraine" soccer jerseys.

Andrew and Yuri play a little hoops on the drive way.

Cole Lennard and Yuri get reacquainted. Cole is Yuri's good friend from Internot #4. Cole has been in the US almost two years and lives near our home.

Success in Kiev. Next step... Fly Home!

2007-04-19T10:54:00.000-05:00

Safe arrival in Kiev last night--check
Successful Medical Exam Thursday morning--check.
Successful Appointment at US Embassy--check.
Embassy computer network functioning properly today--check.
Yuri, Sasha and Katya issued Visas late afternoon Thursday--check.

The Berger and Weddington families make it through Kiev in one day!

It is 7 p.m. local time and tonight's post comes to you from an internet cafe in downtown Kiev.

We are absolutely thrilled! Praise God and thank you all for your prayers and support. Thanks also to the facilitators and translators who worked so hard to get us out of Ukraine this week. We are "extra" thankful because as of last night, we were pretty much resigned to the fact it would take two-days to get through Kiev, mainly due to a problem in the computer system. Meaning, we could not fly home until Saturday. Bummer. So, you can imagine our surprise and joy when an official at the Embassy said the network was working and they expected to have our Visas ready by end of day!!

All that is left to do now is find a flight home on Friday. As I write, we have a travel agent working on options. We will call/email once we know our arrival time back home--most likely Friday evening. Sorry, kids. You will not get to miss school. ;-)

We Depart Odessa Tonight!

2007-04-18T09:47:00.000-05:00

It is 6 p.m. in Odessa. We received a favorable decision today from the child protection board re Yuri's property. We have Yuri's passport and airline tickets to Kiev. Our plane departs at 9:40 p.m., Odessa time and arrives in Kiev at 10:50 p.m.. We also had success closing Yuri's bank account. It was worth it, Yuri is providing funds to both Babushka and his brother, Viktor.

In Kiev, we are sharing a large apartment (3 bedrooms, living room) with the Weddington family. We plan to have Yuri's medical examination in the morning. We hear the US Embassy is having issues with their computer connection to Washington D.C. We pray this does not interfere with getting out of Kiev by Friday.

We lost our internet connection today and so, I am borrowing the Becker's internet to make this post. I am uncertain what kind of internet access we will have in Kiev. We will post when we can. If you don't hear from us via the blogg, keep checking back we will offer more picture posts as soon as we regain high-speed access--even if that means posting from home after we return. ;-)

Prayer Request - For safe travel tonight to Kiev. For computer system at the Embassy to function.
Praise - For everything!

People We Would Like You to Meet:

2007-04-18T04:30:00.000-05:00

A good friend of ours, who adopted two kids from Odessa, put it best when she said, “… they knew our kids and loved our kids before we did. And, we love them for it.”

We are amazed by the work God has done and will continue to do, through the ministries of each of the people listed below. We respect them, love them and count them as friends. We would love to tell you about their work and go on about their stories but, we thought we should let their respective websites/bloggs do the talking instead.

Lela Steel
“Babushka” Lela already lived one full and complete life in Florida. Then, God showed her the desperate needs of children in Odessa and at age 71, a her new “life’s work” began. http://www.harvestinternational.org/HeritageHouse/ You may email Lela at lelasteel@normaplus.com

Paul and Tanya Becker
By occupation, Paul is a dentist and Tanya is President of a theological seminary. Boy, is that only scratching the surface. http://www.heritagehouse.blogspot.com/

Michelle
Michelle’s role is “volunteer” at the orphanage. The title itself is so basic yet, Michelle fills it with so much love and meaning. Every child needs a friend like Michelle. You may contact Michelle at michellevonjoy@juno.net

Julia and Sergey Yarovoy
On my first trip to Odessa, I knew Julia only as a very skilled translator and her husband, Sergey as a nice guy who polished cars. During my second trip, I learned a lot more! http://www.youthofukraine.org/ click on the "Sergey and Julia" tab. You may contact them at jbaskova@yahoo.com

One More Day in Odessa... again.

2007-04-17T12:34:00.000-05:00

We are not leaving Odessa tonight. At one point this afternoon, we thought we may not be able to depart Ukraine until next week! (That was the dark and angry moment of the day.) However, that was only a misunderstanding. Our people tell us they will have us out of Odessa Wednesday night and out of the country by no later than Friday. We should be happy at this news but, honestly, we are so worn down and disappointed over events from this last week that we are kind of numb right now.

To recap, we did not get Yuri's passport today, we did not get a decision on his property and we were unable to close out his bank account. We expect to have all three of these items accomplished tomorrow. Our facilitator and translator are working very hard and doing everything they can for a quick resolution to our problems. FYI... Yuri has been great through all of the waiting that we have had to do lately. He has not asked us "Are we there yet?" even once!

Prayer Request -I think the prayer request should remain the same. That Renee and I have patience, understanding and wisdom. For efficiency in both Odessa and Kiev. Safe travels and for decent lodging in Kiev. And, tonight, I want to remind you to pray for our kids back home and Grandma Rose who is caring for them. Thank you.

One More Day in Odessa?

2007-04-16T10:54:00.000-05:00

The Nutshell - As I write this post, it is 8 pm. Monday in Odessa. We had hoped to depart for Kiev tonight but could not get Yuri's passport today. 37 days in country and counting! Today started out so promising and then we hit a road block this afternoon. However, we made some headway on all fronts and are very hopeful we can wrap it all up Tuesday. We moved our flight reservations to Kiev back to Tuesday night.

Today, was a long one in the van as we criss-crossed the city. Driving and waiting. Driving and waiting, etc. Yuri was so tired (from his recent overnight) and so bored, he spent much of the time curled up in the back seat napping. Paul's knees ache from so much sitting. We like our driver Sasha, but after today, we are less enthusiastic about his van. ;-)

When will we get home? - It is likely we will have two days in Kiev for Yuri's physical exam and to process him through the US Embassy, although, we will do our best to get it all done in one day. We hope to be home Thursday or Friday depending how quickly we can get through the process in Kiev. Sorry, we can't be more specific. Everything hinges on when we are able to leave Odessa.

Thank you! - Thank you for your thoughts, prayers and encouraging messages. I think we had a break-through today and feel a degree of understanding, peace and optimism that we did not have Sunday night. There is so much more we would love to share with you now but, now is not the time.

Prayer Request - Please keep praying for us. That Renee and I have patience, understanding and wisdom. For efficiency in both Odessa and Kiev. Safe travels and for lodging in Kiev. With the current political difficulties in the capitol city, there are few hotel rooms and apartments available. Thanks!

What happened on Sunday? - We attended Sunday services with Michelle and the Weddington's at the Presbyterian church. The service was in Russian but they provide English translation via head phones. However, the sermon just happened to be preached by an American pastor in English . After church, the Weddington's and Berger's walked to Afina Mall to eat lunch at Mario's (7th meal at Mario's for the Berger's).

After lunch, the Weddington's invited Yuri to "Playland" for more arcade games. Renee and Paul walked to the Becker's apartment where we traded Renee's computer expertise for free laundry service (using machines!). Sunday evening was spent at home. Our friend, Michelle, came over and borrowed the internet while Renee and I packed. We ate supper, bloggged, checked email and passively watched bits and pieces of the movie, "Troy" with Brad Pitt (in Russian). OK, now you are all caught up with our Sunday.

Sasha and Yuri mess around after church as they wait for their parent's decision on where to go for lunch. The boys are very good friends and enjoy each other's company. Watching them interact is like watching a couple puppies wrestling. They can't leave one another alone for 10 seconds without physically picking on each other.

Interior views of renovated Presbyterian Church. There are several Americans who attend or are members. The Church will soon host a group of Americans who will be here on a two-week project working on the church building and orphanages around Odessa.

Glimpse of Internot #4

2007-04-15T10:37:00.000-05:00

Before continuing with another one of our daily posts, we wanted to pause and give you a little wider glimpse of Internot #4.

Michelle Maly, volunteer at Internot #4 (gray shirt), shows the fourth grade class how to make make a mobile.

A couple of the boys show off their mobiles.

Looking at the main building from outside the fence. This building houses offices, classrooms and play rooms. Other buildings include the cafeteria and dormitory. All buildings are connected by long corridors.

Loynia guards the front door. ;-)

The foyer.

Kids often hang out in the foyer looking out the front windows at who is coming and going.

Renee and Yuri pause to talk in one of the corridors.

Yuri's 8th grade classroom.

Yuri and Mom hang out in the 8th grade playroom.

Another view of the main building.

Playground tucked between the main building and dormitory.

Soccer field sits behind the complex of Internet buildings.

I couldn't leave Ukraine without showing a photo of a local tradition, painting the bottom 3 or 4 feet of a tree trunk white. Perhaps you've noticed this in other photos. One reason we've heard for doing so is to protect the tree from pests. Some Ukrainian say freshly painted tree trunks are a sign that Spring has arrived. ;-)

Property Deed, Souviners and Arcade Games

2007-04-14T15:55:00.000-05:00

The official part of our day happened Saturday afternoon. Natlayia, Paul and Yuri went to Babushka's apartment to meet Viktor and Babushka. There, we picked up the deed to Yuri and Viktor's property (a small flat in Odessa) and made copies of it for a special hearing set for Monday.

In the morning, Renee worked while Paul and Yuri went shopping in the park for souvenirs. Originally, we hoped to complete our souvenir shopping in Kiev but, with the extra time on our hands in Odessa, we thought we should get it done now.

This evening, we got together with fellow adopting Americans, the Weddington and the Bratz families. We met at McDonald's for supper. Then, we walked to a fancy new bowling alley only to find out they did not have any lanes for us this evening. So, we walked back to the Greek Square where we found arcade games inside a large toy store. The Ukrainian kids had their fill of games and "window shopping" for cool toys.

The Weddington's invited Yuri to stay overnight with them so their son, Sasha, and Yuri could spend a little more time together before we go our separate ways. Sasha and Yuri are buddies from the Internot going back 4-5 years. The Weddington's are staying at Lela Steel's home and have plenty of room for an extra kid. I guess this is Yuri's first over night as a Berger kid.

The Weddington's walked with us back to our apartment. Yuri packed a bag and then we all walked to the bus stop where the Weddington's caught a bus for Lela's house.

Prayer Request - Keep praying for Monday. That the property issue be resolved and we are able to obtain Yuri's passport and depart Odessa.

New Birth Certificate and ID for Yuri

2007-04-13T14:02:00.000-05:00

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!

Tips to Prepare You for Ukraine

2007-04-13T05:02:00.000-05:00

The following tips are based on our experiences while in Ukraine. We are not experts. If you come to Odessa to adopt, you may have different experiences but, our list will at least help prepare you for your trip.

Cell Phone – we rented from Lonnie Rowland (Rowland Enterprises) travel@rowlandent.com or http://www.rowlandent.com/ The phone is delivered to you soon after arriving in Ukraine. At the time that we used the phone, our calls cost $0.20 per minute to call to the US. Handy for use to contact facilitator and other Americans that are in Ukraine. We also tried to use the cell phone to access the internet, but found it was too slow.

Internet – we used IPTelecom as our ISP in both Kiev and Odessa. To use IPTelecom you have to first purchase an internet card from a vendor on the street in either city. The card contains the telephone number that is used to make the dial-up connection. You also have to set up the network connection via Windows to access the IPTelecom telephone number. We did not need to use the dial-up service in Odessa very much because we had a high-speed cable connect at the apartment that we rented from Paul Becker. This was great!

Internet Cafes – Also referred to as, “Internet Clubs”. We only saw the inside of two cafes in downtown Odessa and both were in dark, smoke-filled basements, crowded with teenage kids playing games. The cost is cheap, only 1 Gryvna (.20 cents) for 20 minutes of use. The only issue was finding an open computer and the age of the machine (slow processing speed). But, it is good enough to send basic email if you have no other option. FYI, we could not open our blog at the café because it contained so many pictures.

Apartment – Please see the post on this blog titled, “Our Apartment in Odessa”

Airport VIP Service – We loved it. A representative meets you as soon as you get off the plane and escorts you through the customs process including, express service through waiting lines and guiding you through the custom forms (printed in Russian). When Paul visited Odessa last year, he went through the customs on his own. This can be a lengthy and uncertain process, especially if you don’t know the language or the culture. The cost for VIP service is $65 per person and we thought it worth every penny for the peace of mind and efficiency it offers. You may set it up through Rowland Enterprises, see contact info above.

Skype – Internet phone service. You can use it computer to computer for free or, computer to US phone for $0.17 per minute. If we tried to use Skype using dial up access, computer to computer, we found there to be a delay and/or echo. Also, when calling computer to computer, the machine you are calling has to be on and “open” (that is, someone needs to be waiting by the computer when you are trying to call). We called home every night using Skype or the cell phone (see above). Skype.com

Games – Card and board games are a great way to break the ice and get to know your new son or daughter. It also helps to pass the time. The games you choose will depend on the age of your child. Our favorites are; UNO, Tower (aka, Jenga), Sorry!, and Dominoes.

Books/DVDs – You will have some time on your hands, so don’t forget a novel or a couple movies. In an effort to pack light, we let both behind! We found English books at three different book stores in the city center. We borrowed a few movies from our American friends and played them on our laptop.

Normal schedule and rules – When you have your child living with you, it is tempting to lavish them with clothes, gifts, treats, eating out and sight seeing. This desire is only natural and certainly you have to provide your child what is necessary and have some fun along the way. However, a piece of advice we received was try to maintain your regular schedule and family rules as best you can while living in Ukraine. It is easy for kids in the orphanage to view America as a country where everyone is rich, the streets are paved in gold and you can have all the stuff you want. And, their new American moms and dads are simply walking ATM machines.

For example, we let Yuri choose video games in a store. Soon, he had his hands full of games to take to the check out counter. I said to him, “no, only two” and let him select which two he wanted to keep. Cost was not the issue but, setting a false expectation was. Also, we asked Yuri to do his part cleaning our apartment in Odessa. His job was to vaccum and take out the trash. We set time limits on his computer games and what programs he could watch on TV, just as we would at home.

The point is, while you are in Odessa, you are planting seeds and expectations that will be assumed at home. Your view point may be different than ours. Obviously, this is a big subject that has to do with the differences between living in an orphanage and a family structure, as well as, the differences between Ukrainian and American cultures.

Clothes – Pack light. Two pair of jeans and a pair of khaki pants (for court date) was all Paul needed. Don’t bring anything that needs to be ironed. You can wear a suit to court, if you desire, but it really isn’t necessary. We traveled in early spring so we had to be prepared for winter and spring temps. A few long sleeve shirts and t-shirts, one sweater and a sweat shirt. We did not buy anything for Yuri in advance as we were not sure of his sizes. We shopped for a few things for Yuri in Odessa but held off on most of our purchases until we get home. Clothes here are not cheap and styles that are acceptable in Odessa are different than what is “normal” back home.

220 adapters… Buy Round - You already know Europe uses 220 voltage outlets so, you will need an adaptor. We bought one in the US (flat-face style) and it did not work. The 220 wall outlets have a round, recessed cavity where the adapter or plug fits. The flat-face adapter did not reach into the recessed cavity. We bought our adaptors in Odessa. They have a round extension that fits into the recessed cavity of the wall outlet. If you purchase adaptors ahead of time, make sure they are “the round” kind.

Watch your step - Sidewalks are often broken, uneven or in various stages of construction or repair. There are all sorts of hazzards to step into or trip over if you are not constantly paying attention as you walk. Pigeons, stray dogs and cats leave their mark. It is acceptable and quite common for locals to spit on the side walks... as in every few meters. Wear comfortable shoes. You will do much more walking here than what you are accustom to in the US.

Food – Of course, you probably already know that you should not drink the tap water. Bottled water is plentiful in stores and restaurants. The average Ukrainian prefers soda water. If you prefer your water without bubbles, be sure to ask your waiter for “water-no gas” everyone knows what that means. In stores, look for bottles with light blue lids, this is kind of a code for “no gas”.

The average Ukrainian prefers tea, water and fruit juices over sodas so you will find those beverages in greater supply on the shelves. However, it is still easy to find soda. Coke, Sprite and occasionally Pepsi. The only “diet” soda we have found is “CokeLight” it tastes a lot like “Coke Zero” back home. If you are like us, you will find yourself lugging home 2 liter bottles of drinking water and soda to your apartment on almost a daily basis.

Ukrainians use dill in or one everything. They mix it in salads, they rub it on meat, sprinkle it over vegetables and bread. They also love mayonnaise and use it often in place of ketchup or salad dressing. They use it on french fries instead of ketchup or mix it directly into a salad. If you don’t care for mayo, be sure to ask for it on the side.

About Ketchup. In restaurants, you can order ketchup in packets. Be prepared to pay a little extra for it—this goes for McDonald’s too! Ketchup tastes a little different here than what we are used to the States. In one restaurant, we found ketchup to be referred to as, “Mexican Sauce”.

About salads. Ukrainians do not use green leaf or Romaine lettuce in their salads; we’ve only seen it used as a garnish. Here, a dinner salad usually consists of diced cucumber and tomato with perhaps a bit of ice berg lettuce or red pepper tossed in. If you must have your Ranch, Italian or French dressing, bring your own bottle, they do not have it here. Ukrainians also eat a variety of vegetable salads mixed with mayo and dill.

Fruits and vegetables can be very good here when they are in season. If you are coming in May/June, they tells us the strawberries and cherries are awesome!

For authentic, traditional Ukrainian food, “Kumanets” restaurant on “Gavanna” street in downtown Odessa is the place to go. The food is terrific and the menus are available in English. The wait staff wore traditional costumes and the walls are covered with art and crafts.

The following tips are not ours. They are those of a person who works as a volunteer in Ukraine. Based on our limited experience in Ukraine, we found these tips to be pretty accurate and helpful to our understanding of the culture. For the most part, these tips have been corroborated by other Americans we’ve met who have lived and worked in Ukraine for several years.

Tips for Americans Coming to Ukraine

I have had the benefit of a three month in-country training program to prepare me for the differences that I have encountered. In the notes below, I have tried to give you the highlights of my training and observations over the past 18 months. It is my hope to help get you geared up for your adventure—for that is certainly what it will be at times.

Cultural ConsiderationsPolychronic vs. Monochronic: This facet of Ukrainian culture causes Americans who work or do business here to go absolutely insane if they can't adjust. Ukrainians will almost always be 15-20 minutes late for an appointment. It is completely acceptable here. For events, expect them to start 30 minutes late. Another way that this polychromic nature is affecting and will further affect you is that Ukrainians don't make appointments more than one week in advance. It really doesn't matter how high up you go, it is rare to find a Ukrainian willing to solidly commit to a meeting a month out. They laughed at me when I suggested that we set up meetings for Kevin with the local city government last month. You would think that important people would have such busy schedules that they would have to budget their time. They are busy, but they don't schedule more than a couple of days in advance. So, while the conference is more or less set, meetings that you need to have with organizations and individuals will not happen until the week before. Sorry.

Collective vs. Individual: This society places far more value on the group than the individual. This difference becomes apparent to the American in a number of places. The most noticeable to you will likely be in the amount of personal space maintained between people, getting a solid commitment from someone, the way people think about business and competition, and how people treat the land.First, personal space will be immediately apparent to you. Ukrainians stand much closer to one another when they speak than most Americans. You will likely find people speaking to you at a distance that is just inside your comfort zone. Men, don't automatically assume that she likes you. It may just be the culture. If you are fortunate enough to ride the buses here, you will also experience a new level of closeness with strangers. Being pressed up against a stranger is not stressful for this culture. Second, this culture values saving face over confronting the truth. This will affect you when you ask a potential project partner if they can play a certain role or perform a particular task. Whether they can or not, they will always tell you "yes". You have to read between the lines and ask specific questions that don't require yes or no.Third, you will see vendors in the marketplace selling exactly the same types of fruits and vegetables right next to one another. If, one day, they don't have a particular item that you want, they will send you to the nearest competitor to get it. I have even had my produce lady tell me that her tomatoes were not very fresh. She recommended another vendor who had the best tomatoes that day. Heart warming in a way….Finally, visiting farms, primarily grazing lands, you will notice that farmers do not improve fields. Many pastures will be choked with weeds. This is because no one technically owns the land on which people allow their animals to graze. Farmers believe that if they make improvements to the land, someone with influence and money will come along and take it from them.

Gender Roles: It is sort of like 1940-50s in America. But, it will likely only affect your visit in the following ways:--It is important for men to shake hands with every man in a group. (Never shake hands through a door or entry way) --Ukrainian men will likely not offer to shake hands with women. So, ladies, don't be offended. Those Ukrainian men who have spent any time with me will shake hands with you because they understand the cultural difference.--Some men may not take the female presenters seriously.--Men will be asked what they think of the beautiful Ukrainian women.--Infidelity is acceptable for men and participated in by both genders. They don't perceive it the same as Americans do. You might encounter more flirting than you are comfortable with.

Fatalism: People here do not feel empowered to do anything. They believe that whatever happens will happen and they have no power to change it. The Orange Revolution was a huge step for this country but already people feel like it did no good because their lives are much like they were before the Revolution.This will affect those of you looking to do cooperative projects here. You may see an easy solution to a problem. Most Ukrainians will not believe that it will work here until they see it happen. You have to find the right people to work with and help them along until they see it does work.

Food and Drink: You would never know that Ukraine was a developing country from looking at the dinner table when guests are visiting. You will be treated to more food here than you can possibly consume. Ukrainians are very proud of their national dishes and their ability to provide for guests. They really roll out the red carpet when you visit their homes. If you have a chance to eat in a private home, you must know that to empty your plate is to ask for more food. The same goes for your glass. Alcohol is an integral part of life here. You will see beer, wine, and vodka in places that you won't see it in the States. It is normal to have a drink at almost any time of day if the reasons are right. Please be careful to understand that I don't mean getting drunk. Often Americans hear "have a drink" and they think "get drunk". While that does happen here, Ukrainians use alcohol in a symbolic way as well. To begin a business relationship, Ukrainians expect to have a toast over vodka. In the office at work, colleagues will toast to each other on birthdays. You will be offered alcohol here—no doubt about it. It is not necessary to drink if that is your policy. Let them fill your glass a little. Tell your host that you have a medical condition or religious conviction. Whatever you decide, be consistent. Don't refuse to drink on one occasion and let them see you drink in another. Most Ukrainian men would see this as a sign that you didn't think enough of them to drink with them. Women, you get the easy road out. Women aren't expected to knock them back with the men. They will still pour you a little.

Personal Appearance: This is much more important in Ukraine than most places in the States. Women wear more make-up and high heels, and men wear suits more often than in the States. Many women and girls here dress in a fashion that makes most Americans drop their jaws. Don't make assumptions about the women based on their clothes. It is normal and acceptable to see skin here.

Toilets: I apologize for the blunt nature of this category. I know it seems weird to have a line item for this, but it is shocking to Americans to see Ukrainian toilets. Most public restrooms, if they are available, are Turkish toilets (hole in the floor, sometimes plumbed, sometimes not). Bring some toilet paper or Kleenex and hand wipes.

Walking as a group in public: Particularly important in Kyiv, watch the volume level of your voice. The fact that you speak English makes your voice stand out. This also makes you a target in some places. Try not to walk as one ten-person group. People will know you are a foreigner before you ever say a word, but you can keep from being a target if you are quiet on the street and walk in groups of four or less. I have never had any problems. I feel very safe here, but as a rule, my husband and I don't speak English much in the street or on public transportation. It just draws attention to us that we would rather avoid.

Packing: Most important note: PACK LIGHTLY. Ukrainian infrastructure is not set up for door to door service. You may need to carry your luggage farther than you'd like. Clothes: First, you should know that many people here wear the same outfit many days in a row. You don't need to pack a shirt and pants for every day of the week. I would recommend that men wear khaki pants and dress shirts or polos, weather permitting. There is no expectation that you will wear a suit for this type of conference, but if you want to wear one, no one will find it strange. Women, it is your choice, obviously, I choose not to wear clothes or, more importantly, shoes like the women here. I stick out like a sore thumb, but I have been here long enough for people to get to know me. They may still think, "There goes that oddly dressed American woman." But they take me seriously, I think. Second most important note: PACK REALLY COMFORTABLE SHOES. You will walk more here that you can imagine and the sidewalks are not smooth when they exist.

Incidentals: -- The best piece of advice I was ever given was to never leave home without toilet paper. You may want to bring a roll from the States. Common toilet paper here is like crepe paper. --I also suggest you bring wet wipes. Soap is often lacking in the restrooms.--You need to bring a converter for blow dryers and razors. --You can buy a large assortment of hair and skin products here. --Carry money and your passport in an inside pocket or close to your body. Don't leave your wallet in your back pocket or carry a purse.--It is customary to give token gifts to your hosts (translators also). Last year, the group brought ball caps and T-shirts. Other things you might consider: bottle of American whiskey, a small picture book about your state, pens with logos, shot glasses with logos, maple syrup with pancake recipe, barbecue sauce with recipe, etc.--You can buy bottled water here. Make sure you tell your translator "without gas" for non-carbonated water. Don't drink tap water.

Traveling On the plane: I am sure that most of you know this already. Just in case…. Do your best to sleep on the plane. I have a terrible time getting any sort of rest in populated, cramped spaces, so I understand how this advice may sound. Do what you can, drink wine or take benedryl, sleep will help you adjust to the surroundings when you get here. Once you arrive in Ukraine stay awake until it is bedtime here. Your body will hate you for it, but it will lessen your chances of waking up at 2 a.m. and not being able to get back to sleep.

I realize that this was a rather long and drawn out set of tips. There are so many wonderful and interesting things to notice here. Try to keep an open mind about the cultural differences that you notice—it will keep your blood pressure down.The most important thing for you to do while you are here is relax and enjoy meeting people. Schedules will change at the last minute, people will ask you questions you can't answer, administrators won't show up when they said they would…be flexible.

Prayer Request

2007-04-12T11:56:00.000-05:00

At 6:00 p.m. Thursday we learned that we may have trouble changing Yuri's name on all of his documents (birth certificate, passport, apartment title, etc...) tomorrow because a meeting has been scheduled for all of the officials that usually process these documents. The meeting is supposed to be done at 2:00 p.m. If we cannot start the changes until 2:00 p.m. we will have to stay in Odessa until Monday evening. We would not be able to start processing at the US Embassy until Tuesday morning, and thus delay our departure for home another day.

Please pray that we are somehow able to get Yuri's name changed on all of his documents on Friday. Also pray that we are given God's peace about the situation, even if we need to wait until Monday to finish the documents. Thank you!

Wednesday, April 11, Yuri's Class Party

2007-04-12T05:55:00.000-05:00

As I write, it is about 2 p.m. Thursday. No, we did not make the trip to the castle ruins today. We will save that tour for another time. (Whatever that means.) Our facilitator is working on our documents and running an errand to the court today. We decided to stay close "just in case". This morning, Paul did "laundry", Renee cleaned the bathroom and Yuri vacuumed. Now, Renee and Yuri are involved in a game of checkers while I make this post.

The Party

The menu, created by Yuri, was fit for a guest list of 8th graders. Three kinds of cookies, hard candies, chocolate candy, fruit and soda--"real" Coke and Sprite, not that generic stuff. ;-) I think the fruit was the adults idea. We are told the kids do not get a lot of fresh fruits at the Internot.

In the playroom, the tables are set and ready for guests. Paul and a few 8th grade boys hauled in extra chairs from the 8th grade class room. Yuri and his buddy, Sasha, peeled the oranges, squirting each other with the occasional shot of juice. Mom cut the fruit while Paul and Sam Weddington set the table.

Paul pours a second round of soda.

Sasha (who is being adopted by the Weddington's of Florida), Dima, Pasha, Yuri and Daniel, who appeared with Yuri in the basketball photo the other day. You might recall from a previous post that we bought a basketball in Odessa so we could shoot hoops at the Internot. We told Yuri we already have 3 or 4 basketballs in the garage at home and gave him the choice to keep this ball or leave it at the Internot. Yuri decided to give the ball to his friend, Daniel who really enjoys hoops. ;-)

Artyom, Yuri and Maxim. Yuri tells us that Artyom is a very good artist. Artyom does well enough academically to attend a different school in the city but he lives at the Internot.

Lyosha and Yuri. There are girls in the 8th grade but, Yuri didn't seem to want to have a picture taken with any of them. ;-)

Roma... he gave Paul a hug before we left.

Tatyana (translator), Tatyana (supervisor), Yuri, Svetlana (supervisor), Lela Steel (American and sponsor of 8th grade class) and Ludmila (supervisor).

Svetlana, supervisor at left, was nice enough to share a couple letters written by Yuri when he was a young boy. The letters were fifth grade class assignment and the purpose was to write about your future goals or wishes. Tatyana, left, translated them for us. A partial transcript is as follows:

"I like to build houses, I think it's a very good job.... I will have a normal wife whose name will be Svetlana. I will have two kids. A boy, Oleg and a girl, Lida.... I also will have two dogs, a male, Bolto and a female, Tina."

Parties like this can be a little awkward for all involved. Joy mixed with sadness. The supervisors are happy for the child to be adopted but they will miss them. As for the kids, not every child in the Internot is eligible for adoption. They might be jealous of those who can leave the country. Others, who are eligible, hold on to the hope they too will have a going away party and a family to love them.

Note to First Covenant Sunday school kids: many months ago, you made gift bags for the kids at the Internot. We carried all 28 bags with us to Odessa and gave them away at Yuri's party. Sorry, we do not have pictures of the kids with the bags. You made so many bags, we had left overs that we gave to Lela Steel to give to other children as she sees fit. The kids loved the bags and say "Thank you"!

"You guys receive blessings fom above!"

2007-04-10T14:00:00.000-05:00

Ukrainian flags were displayed all over the city today in recognition of the Odessa's liberation from the Nazi's on April 10, 1945.

Yuri with his classmate and friend, Daniel.

Today turned out differently than we had planned. Instead of touring the ruins of an ancient castle fort, we ended up running an errand to court! OK, it's not that bad really. It was a good day. Our facilitator, Nataliya, called this morning to inform us we have an appointment at the Notary's office at 4 p.m. This came as a surprise to us as nothing official was scheduled until Friday. However, the powers that be thought it a good idea to get a head start on the documents required to change Yuri's name. Anything to help us complete all our work in one day on Friday sounded like a good idea to us!

We called Lela Steel this morning to schedule a going away party for Yuri's classmates. Lela suggested we meet at the Internot at 2 p.m. to talk to the officials about the party. We arrived at 2 p.m. sharp. Natalyia, Lela and Renee went inside to get permission and a date for the party. Yuri and Paul went to the basketball court to shoot hoops. Later, Yuri's friend, Daniel joined us. The party is set for 3 p.m. Wednesday. We departed the Internot and ran an errand to the Court building where Natalyia made a request for a document we need on Friday. We ended up at the Notary office a bit early and had time to run an errand at a market and have refreshments at a local cafe.

We are not sure what provoked the following comment from Nataliya (maybe it is best we don't know the details) but, as we drove to the court, Nataliya remarked emphatically, "You guys receive blessings from above! Doors open, miracles happen. It must be all your positive thinking!" We replied, "Actually, we are praying hard and a lot of people back home are praying for us also." So, to you back home we say, thank you and please keep it up!

Once at the Notary, everything was going smoothly until the power went down taking the computers with it of course. The woman who was processing our document had some kind of auxiliary power supply for her PC and was able to continue work on our behalf. We signed a document and at 4:30 p.m. we walked to the railway station to inquire about train and bus schedules for the castle fort. We might make this trip Thursday.

This evening, we had dinner at, "Pizza City" about a block north of Afina Mall. They have a light, fresh menu with much more than just pizza. On the way home, we stopped at the grocery store to pick up party supplies and treats. Tonight, we all enjoyed the renewed access to high-speed internet access. And... we did a few more loads of laundry!

Only three more days in Odessa!

Prayer Request - For tomorrow's party--that it go smoothly and without difficulty. That Yuri and all the kids enjoy themselves and are able to share some meaningful time together. And, for a successful day Friday, processing the final documents needed for our departure. Thanks!

Four days left in Odessa

2007-04-09T13:53:00.000-05:00

We think it is time to begin counting down the days!

Paul retrieved Yuri from Babushka's apartment and he had a very nice weekend with family and friends. Babushka appreciated the Easter Cakes and flowers. While Paul picked up Yuri, the Becker's invited Renee over to work on their high-speed internet connection and do a couple loads of laundry in their machine (very nice). Paul did a little more laundry at home and then, fit in a work out at the Ptomkin Steps. The sun was bright and the air was crystal clear so, the sea looked beautiful today! We had dinner, cafeteria style, at the Afina Mall then shopped for more groceries. Paul and Yuri paid a visit to the Becker's this evening and Renee enjoyed a novel.

Tomorrow, we plan to travel to a neighboring town to tour the ruins of an old castle that dates back to four centuries before Christ. Yuri and Paul are looking forward to it--must be a guy thing). Renee might be happier at home with the laptop enjoying the return of our high-speed internet connection. Maybe Paul can post more photos tomorrow night!

Prayer request - For an efficient day on Friday!

Easter Sunrise Service

2007-04-08T08:46:00.000-05:00

Last night, we decided we were officially tired—I mean really tired-- of being in Ukraine. To this point, we had always managed to stay positive and find ways to appreciate or enjoy our time in Odessa. But, last night we ached to be home. We miss our three biological children terribly and imagine how good it will feel to hug them tightly in our arms. Then, came Sunday morning.

Michelle invited us to sunrise worship service in Shevchenko Park with a small group of American worshipers. We met her on the street in front of our apartment and hailed a cab. On the way, we saw many local people carrying baskets draped with colorful clothes. We were told the baskets carried Easter bread and bottles of water or wine. The people were taking the baskets to their local Greek Orthodox Church to be blessed by a priest. Or, in some cases, the people might be returning home after an all night service at the church.

At the park, we gathered near a monument—a tall obelisk with an eternal flame and withered bouquets of flowers at its base. The monument honors Soviet sailors who gave their lives during WWII and over looks the Black Sea. A marble bench surrounds the obelisk. We spread our blankets over the cold marble and prepared for worship. The air was crisp, the water placid and the sun’s rays worked their way through the clouds. The setting was serene. Hopeful. Just the right spot for a sunrise service.

We listened to the Resurrection story and sang familiar hymns like, “Christ The Lord Is Risen Today,” “Where You There” and “Because He Lives”. The happy chirping of birds and the triumphant peal of the city’s church bells added their praise to the service.

After the benediction, we chatted with fellow worshipers, getting to know each other over a thermos of hot coffee. We walked home, making our way over cobble stone streets and up crumbling steps, enjoying the conversation and company of new friends.

We were reminded through hymns, God’s word and the fellowship of believer’s that God loves us more than we can know. We found enough peace and reassurance in to help us get through 10 more days or, until we are home. Thank you for the invitation, Michelle!

Cargo Ships on the Black Sea.

Fruit blossoms in Shevchenko Park.

Walking home after the sunrise service on a narrow, cobble stone street.

“Easter Cakes” and “Chariots of Fire”

2007-04-07T09:34:00.000-05:00

Easter Cakes and Red Carnations for Babushka

This morning, Paul and Yuri ran to the market to pick up a couple of “Easter Cakes”. Easter cakes are a Ukrainian tradition. The cakes look like round towers topped with frosting and sprinkles. They come in different sizes and you find them in all the stores before Easter. Renee and I did not try one but, like most Ukrainian cakes, they appear to be dry and a little hard.

On their way home from the store, Paul and Yuri cut through the park and bought flowers for Yuri to give to Babushka. There was no doubt in Yuri’s mind what color the flowers should be. Red is the favorite color of Yuri, Babushka, Renee and Paul. Yesterday, we bought an Easter card and we all signed our names in English and Russian.

Sasha arrived in his Taxi and Paul escorted Yuri to visit his Babushka one more time before he departs for America. Yuri’s brother, Viktor, lives in the same building as Babushka so, Yuri will spend Easter weekend with the both of them.

While Paul was out, Renee bought tickets for our flight to Kiev. (Yeah! We are getting closer to being home!) Renee also bought a couple novels (in English) to help pass time between now and our arrival back home.

This afternoon, Renee and I enjoyed the DVD of “Chariots of Fire”. Neither of us have seen it since it debuted in 1981. We forgot how good it was. Later, we ran to the market to stock up on groceries. We think the stores might be closed Sunday through Monday to observe the Easter Holiday and we did not want to get caught short on food. And, as always, we continue to do laundry in the sink!

Note, our high-speed internet is down, limiting our ability to post a lot of photos Paul had planned to post. So, we are making our posts the old fashioned way… dial up. We hope to be back up with high-speed by Tuesday.

As always, thank you for taking time out of your busy lives to post your comments or to send email. We love hearing from you!

Prayer Requests - For Yuri as he spends this weekend saying good-bye to his Ukrainian family. For our family back home spending Easter weekend without us. Finally, please begin praying for a productive day on Friday, April 13. That is the day when Yuri’s birth certificate will be updated with his new last name, notarized and registered. Each of these steps occurs at different offices across the city. Pray that we will complete all of these steps in one day so we can fly to Kiev on Saturday. Thank you!

The Russian Alphabet - Tips

2007-04-07T09:19:00.000-05:00

Good luck reading street signs (or any sign for that matter) if you don’t know a little about the Russian alphabet. Sure, you can make a successful adoption trip to Odessa without knowing Russian or how to read a street sign. Your facilitator/translator/driver will lead you around and take care of everything for you. However, I found it helpful to at least try and learn the Russian alphabet and pronunciation of each letter.

When you arrive in Ukraine, you are a stranger in a strange land. I found that if I could do something as simple as read a sign, suddenly, I felt a little less stress and a little more connected to my environment. Your facilitator will not be able to be with you every time you need to run to the market or go out to eat. For example, when you are hungry, it is nice to know the store with the sign reading, “Pectopah” is actually a “restaurant.” Or, when reading the name tag of the person waiting on your table, you understand their name to be, “Sasha” and not “Cawa”. ;-)

Tip
I went to rustran.com and found a cool cheat sheet listing the Russian letter (cap and lower case), how to pronounce it and an example as used in a word. I carried this sheet in my back pocket and referenced it quite often the first week or two of my stay. It became a game to try and read every sign I saw. Since I am a graphic artist, I like letter-types, logos and enjoy looking at signs in any language. By profession, I am predisposed to think this is fun.

Soon, my little game became more of an obsession. Holding the crumpled cheat sheet in my hands while riding in the taxi--eyes darting back and forth from sign to sheet, then sheet to sign. Eyes squinting. Lips moving without making a sound. I looked like Forrest Gump on a European Vacation. I finally had to leave the cheat sheet at home. (I’m past the obsession stage.)

Even if you don’t have a cheat sheet, here are a few tips to get you started.

The first thing you need to know: The Russian alphabet has nothing in common with our English alphabet. The fact that a few letters (A, K, M, O, T) of both alphabets look the same and are pronounced the same is strictly coincidence.

This next tip is a warning: Some letters of the Russian alphabet look familiar to us but are pronounced very differently. In Russian, a “c” makes a sound like an “s”. A capital “B” makes the “V” sound as in “vine”. But, a lower case “b” (with a flag pointing right) makes the “b” sound as in “bit.” What looks like an “H” to us is really an “N”. Or, a lower case “r” is really a “G”. It goes on…

The Russian alphabet appears to borrow a few letters from the Greek alphabet. For those of you who pledged Greek in your college days, you’ll see some old friends. The symbol for “Pi” is the letter representing the “P” sound and the symbol for “Phi” makes the “F” sound.

For added interest, the Russian alphabet throws in a few “picture-like” letters. For example, they have a letter that looks like a little Dutch house that makes the “D” sound as in “domicile” (get it?). And, a spider-looking letter called, “zheh” that makes the “zh” sound as in “pleasure”. For added confusion, the Russian alphabet takes some of our English letters and numbers and flips them backward! A backward “R” makes the “yah” as in “yard”. A backward number “3” makes the “z” sound as in “zoo”.

On second thought, maybe you are better off just ignoring the Russian alphabet and let a professional take care of it for you. If your facilitator is away and you need a translator in Odessa, contact Julia Baskova at jbaskova@yahoo.com

Oh, by the way, the street sign in the picture at the top of this post marks the corner of “Gretskaya" and “Preobrashenskaya" streets--or, something pretty close to that. My apologies if I am wrong. ;-)

Good Friday with Sergey and Julia

2007-04-06T09:15:00.000-05:00

Sergey and Julia Yarovoy, Renee, Paul and Yuri. Tea and torte for breakfast is a great way to start your day.

Yuri and Paul with fresh hair cuts.

This morning, we met with Julia and Sergey Yarovoy at a local cafe for late breakfast. When Paul visited Odessa in August of 2006, Julia served as his translator/tour guide. We used this meeting to become better acquainted with the Yarovoy's and to learn about their work with youth in Odessa, including a ministry to kids living on the street. Sergey does not speak English but, he understands quite a bit. Julia served as translator during our meeting.

Julia also works as an English instructor, tutoring kids at the Internot who have been selected for adoption. We hired Julia to work with Yuri for a few months prior to our arrival and found it very beneficial. If you are planning to adopt from Internot #4 and want to know more about Julia's tutoring services, send us an email and we can put you in touch with her.

Paul mentioned to Julia that he and Yuri both needed hair cuts and could she help us find a suitable salon? Sergey smiled and said, "I'm getting my hair cut today. Do you want to come with me?" We gladly followed Sergey to his stylist. We spent the next couple hours running errands downtown with Julia, who translated for us. Then we invited her to have late lunch with us at Mario's (We lost count but we think that is our 5th meal at Mario's.)

Now, it's back to the apartment to check email and make our post. Yuri selected a photo of himself with his new Mom and Dad. Paul will make duplicate prints which Yuri will give to his supervisors at the Internot. Bit-by-bit, Yuri is using more English and gaining confidence. Tomorrow, Yuri is off to Babushka's apartment to spend Easter weekend.

The Catacombs of Odessa

2007-04-05T10:43:00.000-05:00

On Wednesday, we took an excursion bus to the Catacomb Museum located on the north edge of the city. More on that below. Wednesday evening, we went to services at the Vineyard church plant. After services, Michelle came to our apartment and we baked pizza.

Today, (Thursday) we had a little scare... our laptop would not boot up! This would mean Renee could not work, no DVD movies and we would have to use an internet cafe for email and posting. Our ability to do both would be limited as finding an open computer with decent processing speed is a challenge in the cafes. Anyway, our little friend is feeling better and seems to be working fine now.

Nataliya did some checking for us today and as of now, everything seems to be clear for getting our paperwork completed on Friday the 13th. If this holds true, we will fly to Kiev over the weekend. Yuri would be processed at the US Embassy on the 16th-17th and we hope to fly home on Wednesday, April 18th. In other news, Yuri will spend Easter weekend with his Babushka. At this moment, Yuri is patiently watching his Dad while he creates this post. Hoping Dad will be done very soon so he can play "Need for Speed2". OK, back to the catacombs.

The Catacombs of Odessa

Odessa is said to have two cites. One above ground and the other below the surface. Odessa is built on a thick bed of limestone. For well over a century, the builders of Odessa mined blocks of limestone from below the surface to construct the city above the surface. Over time, the mine shafts formed a labyrinth of tunnels, or catacombs, below the city. There are three layers of tunnels. The first, or top most layer consists of softer limestone mined for roads. The second and third layers were comprised of harder stone and used for construction of buildings.

There are over 2,500 kilometers of tunnels under the city. If laid end to end, there would be enough tunnel to stretch from Odessa to St. Petersberg. Catacombs run anywhere from 12 to 20 meters below the surface. The third, or bottom layer has been flooded by water. At one time, the catacombs were mapped but, during WWII, the maps were destroyed to prevent them from falling into the hands of the Nazi’s. Today, the catacombs are sealed to prevent curiosity seekers from becoming hopelessly lost and to curtail criminal use.

In 1941, the Nazi army laid siege to Odessa. For 109 days, citizens could not receive food and supplies by either land or sea. Odessa's waterworks were destroyed by bombardment. The regular Soviet Army and citizens of Odessa used what ever means possible to hold off the invaders, including, the catacombs. The vast, network of tunnels were perfect to launch attacks and move both fighters and supplies.

Eventually, the city fell to the Nazis and for the next 3 ½ years, the resistance or, partisans, used the catacombs to harass the occupying force. Many children, some as young seven years old, fought against the Nazi’s. Odessa was home to many Jews and the catacombs were used to shelter them from Nazi patrols.The Nazis used specially trained dogs to pick up on the scent of the catacombs. Anyone on the surface who was identified by these dogs was assumed to be part of the resistance and killed immediately.

Entrance to the catacombs.

Bedroom. It appears as if bedding consisted of mats made from dried reeds or straw. Living quarters were divided into three sections: men, women and families.

Kitchen. The occupants of the catacombs ground flour using a small, stone wheel and baked bread in a 55 gallon barrel that was converted into an oven. Smoke from the oven would give away their position so the oven was vented into the first level of tunnels, directly above the kitchen.

Water collection. Run off from rain water would fall through shafts and collect into basins (bottom) where it could be stored and used by the partisans. You could actually see daylight through the shaft (see hole at top).

Looking up the well shaft leading to the surface.

Looking down the well shaft to the pool of water below.

The well was also used to smuggle supplies to the partisans who were living in the catacombs. Partisans who remained on the surface, would go to the village well at the prearranged time to draw water. They would lower food and supplies in the empty bucket to partisans waiting below who would remove the supplies and fill the bucket with water for the return trip to the surface. (Reminds me of something you might see on an episode of "Hogan's Heroes".)

A crude memorial to those who died from either direct military action, starvation or disease. Limestone carved into the shape of two hands, cupped together. A lantern rests in the open palms of hands.

As part of the memorial, the face of a weeping woman was carved into the tunnel wall. When enough condensation forms in the hallow of her eyes, it trickles down her face to appear as if the woman is weeping in sorrow.

Laundry Room. I bet it took a while for clothes to dry in the cool, damp air of the catacombs.

Hospital area. (Good luck with your treatment.)

All partisans were required to take a pledge to fight to the death.

The tour concluded by climbing a winding, limestone staircase to the surface where you exited inside a museum.

Tour group back lit from light of stain glass window.

Period photo showing a member of the resistance being helped from an entrance to the catacombs.

Exterior of the museum is fairly modest.

Views of city surrounding the museum and entrance to the catacombs. It appears much as it did in the 1940's. Though it might appear like a rural village, this area is within the boundaries of Odessa.

Everything is OK in Odessa

2007-04-04T02:36:00.000-05:00

Some of you might have heard on the news about political unrest in Ukraine. Ukraine's President dismissed the Parliament yesterday. One report on NPR apparently said the country is on the verge of anarchy. The unrest is limited to the offices of national government as officials determine what to do next. There is no rioting or protest in the streets. Everyday life is proceeding as if nothing as happened. We are assured by our facilitators that our adoption will proceed normally. The US Embassy in Kiev will remain open for business per usual. The only reason we did not post yesterday was we let a friend use our laptop to catch up on email (their connection was down). Then, we let Yuri play "Need For Speed 2" until bedtime! ;-)

Outside of the political news, it was a slow day. Nataliya was unable to get a train ticket out of Odessa until Friday so, she will be with us all week. We took Yuri to a photo store and had prints made for his passport and visa. We also had prints made of pictures we shot when we where with Yuri's brother, Viktor and Babushka Valya. We will give the prints to Viktor and Babushka before we leave the country. We ate a late lunch at "Fat Moses" a tavern downtown that has more American style food on the menu. American travelers are known to frequent the restaurant. When we walked in, an older gentlemen (obviously American) was sitting in a booth and he was wearing a "CATERPILLAR" cap. Just seeing that familiar logo made me feel more at home! In the evening, Sasha took Paul, Yuri and Nataliya to the Internot to retrieve Yuri's belongings.

Below, are a couple more photos from yesterday's court date.

Katya, Sasha and Yuri in front of the court building. One big step closer to becoming members of families and US citizens.

The front of the court building. Not far from the Internot.

A Successful Day in Court!

2007-04-02T12:11:00.000-05:00

Dad, Yuri, Mom and our facilitator, Nataliya, on the steps of the court building minutes after having our request for adoption approved. While it is not completely official, for all practical purposes Yuri is a member of the Berger family! We are told the only way to prevent our adoption from taking effect would be if an opposing party to challenged us in court. It is HIGHLY unlikely this will happen. The official 10-day waiting period starts tomorrow. We anticipate being home around April 18th. At one point, we talked about Paul flying home immediately after the court date. Paul decided to stay and see the waiting period through to the end and fly back home as one family.

This day was made doubly special because Yuri's friend from Internot #4, Sasha, (above left) is being adopted by the Weddington family of Florida. The Weddington's adoption is running on the same time line as ours so, the family's had consecutive court appointments today.

The Weddington's and Berger's "patiently" wait their turn before the judge. It takes a small army to appear before the court. Of course, there are the prospective parents. Add to them the facilitators, translators, sponsors and officials from the Internot who all have an interest or role in the proceedings.

The Weddington's adopted two children today. Sasha, from Internot #4 and Katya, from Internot #88. Above, the two happy families celebrate together over lunch. From left to right are: Suzette Weddington, Katya, Sam Weddington, Sasha, Paul, Yuri and Renee.

The rest of the day seemed a bit anti-climatic. This afternoon, Yuri and Dad took a two-hour shopping trip to the market while Renee worked on the computer. This evening we had pizza at Mario's and soon, Yuri will get his turn on the computer and celebrate with a couple hours of computer games. Yuri will live with us for the remainder of our time in Ukraine. Our facilitator will be in Kiev through Easter so, we will be on our own but, we have lots of help only a call away. By default, Yuri has already been forced into role of translator and bit by bit, we are prying more English words and short sentences from his lips. He is doing a good job. ;-)

Thank you! On this big day, instead of a prayer request, we simply say thank you to everyone who helped make this day possible. Grandma Rose (and Grandpa, too) for taking care of the kids and house back home. Employers, siblings, friends, facilitators, officials.... all of you who have contributed in some way big or small. Thank you!

Palm Sunday - April Fool's in Odessa

2007-04-01T13:18:00.000-05:00

Nataliya, our facilitator, wearing her April Fool's costume. Paul and Yuri took turns wearing this stuff and Nataliya took photos on her camera. Too bad we don't have access to her camera right now.

In Odessa, April 1, is a major holiday. It is called the "National Day of Humor" in Ukraine and Odessa is considered the "humor capitol" of Ukraine. They closed down streets and had a big parade downtown. There are people is silly costumes, beer gardens, outdoor concerts, etc. Kind of Halloween, Mardi Gras and April Fool's all combined into one. We avoided the crowds and stayed safely confined in our apartment this afternoon. ;-)

We attended Palm Sunday service with the Becker's at the Trinity nondenominational church. Since they do not have palm leaves in Ukraine, they substitute branches from weeping willow trees and call it "Weeping Willows Sunday". National Humor Day is so pervasive in Odessa, it even influenced today's church service. The worship leader pulled a cute, little April Fool's joke on the congregation. Then, when the pastor stood to deliver his sermon, he was wearing a big, red rubber nose (like a clown). He took the nose off to preach. His message was not focused on Palm Sunday but on the true meaning of joy using today's holiday as a starting point.

This evening we had dinner at the Becker's. We took time to begin to prepare Yuri for his new life in our family and living in the United States. Tanya translate a list of items we prepared for Yuri. Everything from our daily routine, to a list of family rules and what to expect at school and so on. Yuri had the opportunity to ask and answer questions.

That is it for today. Yuri is staying with us tonight and tomorrow we have our court appointment at 9 a.m.

Prayer Request - For a smooth meeting tomorrow with the judge. That the officials at the Internot will allow us to have Yuri live with us for an extended period of time.

We Meet Babushka Valya!

2007-03-31T12:44:00.000-05:00

We were late arriving at the Internot today. As we were driving, Renee received a call on the cell phone from our friend, Michelle, asking if we were on our way. Renee confirmed we were in route. Michelle said, "Good, because I was just at the Internot and Yuri and is waiting there with his Babushka and she wants to meet you." As our van pulled up to the Internot, we noticed an elderly woman wrapped in a coat and scarf sitting on a bench in the front yard, warming herself in the sun. Could this be Yuri's grandmother?

Yuri came out the front door to meet us and the woman got up from the bench and walked our way. It was Babushka! Nataliya helped us all to introduce ourselves. Yuri's grandmother stated her name, "Babushka Valya." Her voice was clear and strong. After a bit of small talk, we all piled into the van and headed for lunch. Valya asked if we could go to the same restaurant by the Black Sea where we dined with Viktor, Yuri's brother. It had been so long since she has seen the sea. So, we happily made our way back to the sea shore restaurant.

We chatted in the van. The first question Babushka asked us was about our faith. Renee explained we believe Jesus is God's son and he died on the cross for our sins, and was raised again. Valya was emphatic in her approval. I think she was relieved to know Yuri's new papa and momma believed the same as she does.

Over lunch, we exchanged addresses and phone numbers and set a regular time when Yuri could call her. Babushka Valya supports our adoption and she was pleased to find out we were very nice people who do not let our kids run around crazy all over the city. (With the occasional exception of Liz.) She thought Renee very pretty and that she must be much younger than Paul. (Thanks, Valya.)

Valya has a proud face and the perfect eyes for a Babushka. They are small slits and you think they might be weak but, then you realize they are quite sharp, full of spirit and twinkle when she smiles. Valya struck a more stoic pose when it came time for pictures but, she has a very pretty smile. Valya's hair is thick for a person of any age, let alone a woman of 80. She ran her fingers through her hair and said, "I see so many Babushka's dying their hair this color or that color... grandmother's hair should be gray!" We learned Valya has her share of health problems but they do not seem to hold her back. She told us she does not want to die too soon because she wants to see what type of man Yuri becomes. It has to be so hard to let him go.

Valya told us Yuri had a third brother, Oleg. He was the oldest and died tragically at the age of 19. Within a year, Yuri's mother, Lydia, died of an infection relating to diabetes. Valya told us Lydia was, "a tall woman with a nice figure who played basketball." Then she told us, "Yuri likes to play basketball."

Valya was born to a wealthy family in Chernigov, Ukraine. However, Stalin came to power and the government took everything. She said her father died during this oppression and that is all she would say about it. In America, we learn about these events in books and movies but they can seem so long ago or far removed to us. It is very poignant to actually meet someone whose life was directly impacted by them. Later, Valya married a military man and settled in Odessa. He husband, Nikoli, was a radar operator in the Soviet army. He died of cancer at the age of 40. Babushka Volya has known her share of hardship.

After lunch and photos, it was time for a walk along the beach. Knowing she had trouble walking, I didn't think Valya would be up to it. Nonsense. She motored over the sand with a quick and determined gate. Pausing only a couple times when she was out of breath. After she had her fill of sun, sea and sand, it was time to head back home.

We gave Yuri and his Babushka a ride to her apartment. Yuri will stay with her tonight and all day Sunday. Valya wanted to see Yuri as much as possible before he leaves. Tomorrow, we pick Yuri up at 6:00 p.m. so he can stay with us overnight Sunday in preparation for our court appointment Monday morning.

Friday: Long Day in Kiev

2007-03-31T04:31:00.001-05:00

It was not a "long day" in the sense that anything went wrong. In fact, everything went very well. I mean in a literal sense it was a long day filled with travel and sight seeing. We rose at 5 a.m. to make our 7:30 flight to Kiev. Alexy met us at the airport and drove us to the US Embassy, arriving at 10:00. We had our our fingerprints updated and were out of the Embassy by 11:15. Our return flight did not depart until 8:30 p.m. so, we had several hours for sight seeing in Kiev. Alexy delivered us to a shopping center where we ate lunch at a food court. Then, we set off on our own for some adventure.

We walked through the complex of churces and buildings at the "cave of the monasteries" where we took a tour of the underground cave complex with an English-speaking tour guide. The cave tunnels were tight and crowded with "pilgrims". We carried thin candles made from bee's wax. Essentially, it was a tour of the remains of 73 monks entombed in clear coffins. Renee and I can provide more details of this tour offline. When the 50 minute tour was over, Renee and I were very glad to reach the surface with its fresh air and bright sunshine.

Next, we continued our six-hour foot tour by visiting "Freedom Park". This contained impressive monuments and military/war museums honoring the "Great War of Independence" or, what we refer to as, WWII. The monuments and museums were created by Soviet Russia. So, the perspective of the exhibits through the eyes of communists and our view of them as Americans was interesting. Fighting to replace one evil regime (Nazism) with another, Communism. Kind of a lose-lose scenario. All in all, we were reminded in a very real way of the death, suffering and oppression suffered by the people of Ukraine over many decades.

Some exhibits did not allow photographs, never-the-less, Paul took a lot of photos of those things we did have permission to shoot. Too many photos to edit and share in a short post. Maybe we will get back to you on that in at later date. Alexi picked us up at 6:30 p.m. to take us to the airport for our 8:30 return flight to Odessa. We arrived at the apartment by 10:30, called the kids and made it to bed by 12:15 a.m. Saturday. A long day.

Saturday, we reconnect with Yuri and look for another possible meeting with Yuri's brother and maybe even his Babushka.

Slow day in Odessa

2007-03-29T15:54:00.000-05:00

Dad and Yuri mugging for the camera on the ride back to the Internot.

Today, felt like literally nothing happened. A couple trips to the market. Laundry. Renee worked. Checked email. We continue to bond with Yuri and I guess that is the most important thing at this time. Tomorrow, we fly to Kiev to update our fingerprints at the US Embassy then, return home same day. By the way, if you don't hear from us either by blog or email, we have been having trouble with the internet connection. So, don't worry, we will eventually get back to you.

Thank you for keeping us in your prayers.

Yuri Sends His First Email

2007-03-28T14:24:00.000-05:00

Yuri composed an email to his friend, Cole Lennard, who lives back home. Yuri wrote the message in English with the help of a Russian/English dictionary. Mom edited. Yuri and Cole were classmates at Internot #4. Cole was adopted two years ago. Yuri and Cole are looking forward to being together again in the States.

Today's highlights: for about the last 24 hours, our high-speed internet connection has been running very... very... slooooooooooooooooooow. Yuri and Dad hit the market this morning and picked up a few essentials for Yuri and some groceries for the kitchen. We have a 14 year old boy living with us now so, trips to the market will be even more frequent. This afternoon, Nataliya led us by foot on an excursion for a museum that we are not sure exists. We never found it. We will check our directions and try again later.

This evening, Renee and I attended the Wednesday evening service at the Vineyard Church plant. Yuri stayed home (under Nataliya's watch) to watch a live broadcast of the football match between Ukraine's national team and Latvia. Ukraine won 1-0. No, we didn't make Yuri go to Wednesday service. Paul knew if it was a Husker game on TV that he would have stayed home to watch it. So, it was only fair to let Yuri watch his soccer heroes.

I should mention it was a "home" game played in Odessa. The streets of downtown Odessa were similar to the streets of downtown Lincoln on a football Saturday. Men and boys strolling the streets wearing their soccer jerseys and scarfs (scarfs = some kind of local tradition). The atmosphere was a bit charged with pregame excitement. The game ended about the same time as church so, we walked home in the midst of soccer fans reveling in their team's victory. Horns blowing, cars adorned with flags with guys hanging out the open windows.

Yuri is getting to know his new family really well in a two room apartment! He is learning he has to wait his turn to use the computer to play his FIFA and WWII games.

Prayer Request - For Yuri's Babushka, who we learned today, arrived at the Internot on Monday about a half hour after we left. She wanted to meet us! We had no idea she was coming and we feel awful about missing her. We will arrange for a meeting next week. For upcoming court date on April 2. Our day trip to Kiev on Friday.

Lunch with Lela Steel

2007-03-27T10:00:00.000-05:00

Lela Steel, Dad, Yuri, Mom and Viktor, Lela's driver. Notice the "Husker" logo on Viktor's sweater! Yes, the influence of Big Red extends all around the world.

After an exciting day yesterday, today, was a bit more relaxed and low key. Renee ran her first errand on her own this morning. She walked to the travel agent to book airline tickets for a trip to Kiev. We have an appointment at noon this Friday at the Embassy in Kiev to update our fingerprints. We will depart bright and early on "South" airlines and return same evening.

We arrived at the Internot at 2 p.m. to meet Yuri and Lela Steel for lunch. We drove to "Express Sandwich" a short distance away. Yuri is one of "Lela's kids". She has known him since he was very young. Lela came to Ukraine in the early 90's on short term mission project and basically never left. She has a big home in Odessa and lives here most of the year. For the last dozen years or so, Lela has been pouring her heart and soul into the children of the Internots. Loving them. Praying for them. Improving their living environment.

Today, we were able to check Yuri out for the next couple days. Yuri will stay over night with us in our apartment Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. As part of her facilitation, Nataliya offered to tutor Yuri in English. They had their first lesson sitting in the kitchen of our apartment. As I write this, Yuri is sitting next to me on the couch proof reading my post. His English is good enough to catch my spelling errors!

Prayer Request - For Yuri, Renee and I as%

We meet Yuri’s brother, Viktor.

2007-03-27T03:29:00.001-05:00

Paul, Viktor, Masha, Yuri and Renee on the shore of the Black Sea.

We are so excited to share Monday’s news. Even after thinking about it over-night, my mind is still pouring over the emotions and details of our first meeting. I find it hard to know where to start or end. So, here is the short version: We met Yuri’s older brother, Viktor, for the first time and all went very well. Praise God. (Whew!)

We arrived at the Internot at 2 p.m. to meet Yuri. Little did we know, Yuri had arranged for Viktor and his girl friend, Masha, to arrive at the same time. Previously, we had told Yuri we wanted to meet his brother. I guess we forgot to tell him we expected a day’s notice to prepare ourselves. Oh, well. Back to the meeting.

Independent of each other, the two couples Viktor/Masha and Paul/Renee were looking for Yuri at the Internot. Yuri appeared and introduced Renee and me to Viktor and Masha in the hallway outside the play rooms. We nervously shook hands and exchanged names. I recall Renee grabbing Viktor and giving him a hug. Naturally, all parties were very nervous as to the intentions and motivations of the other with regard to Yuri. Lela Steel, her assistant Aloyna and Julia Baskova all “just happened” to come down the hall at this time and suddenly we were blessed with many translators and familiar, smiling faces. This was also the first time Lela had met Viktor so, she hugged him until his eyes watered. If you know anything about Lela, hugs are a part of her everyday vocabulary. Hugs seem to translate well in any language and make a decent ice breaker. OK, so far, so good. From there, we invited Viktor and Masha to lunch so we could discuss things and get to know one another.

Sasha, our driver, always manages to take us to the right kind of restaurant at the right time. For this special occasion, he chose a restaurant with good food and a quite, comfortable atmosphere where we could all gather around one table and talk. The restaurant was on the shore of the Black Sea over looking the beach and offered a terrific view of the Sea. It’s like God thought, “here, let me give you a calm, serene setting to help put all of you at ease.” Cool.

In conversation and by looking into their faces, it was clear Viktor and Masha were expecting to never see or hear from Yuri again. Imagine, Yuri told Viktor about his adoption and travel to America only days before. Viktor was still in shock. Naturally, they were quite excited and relieved to know we expected to have regular communication and visits when possible. We exchanged addresses and phone numbers and set up a routine time for the boys to talk by phone.

Viktor was concerned that Yuri be able to complete his education. We confirmed our expectations for completing not only high school but our desire to see Yuri attend college or trade school. From there, we talked and talked. We also showed them photos of home, Yuri’s new siblings and pictures of the Ukrainian kids from First Covenant. Viktor was relieved to learn there would be Ukrainian kids in Elkhorn and Omaha to help with Yuri’s transition to the US. Masha liked us and took to Renee right away. Yuri started to smile more and more as he saw that our meeting was going so well.

It was obvious to us that Viktor had played the role of father figure in Yuri’s life to this point... doing what he could to support his brother. Viktor also supports and cares for their Babushka, who lives in the same apartment building. Big roles for a 19 year old car mechanic. Viktor said, “I have a limited salary and there is no way I can provide everything Yuri desires from life--higher education, going to America. Yuri has prayed for these things and so, you are an answer to our prayers.” After lunch, we all walked the beach together. Of course, there is so much more to share but these are the highlights. We plan to see Viktor and Masha again next weekend.

It is interesting to reflect back and realize how God has kept us blissfully unaware of the meeting times of all these major “first” meetings. The first meetings with Yuri, Nataliya, the Internot director and now, Viktor, have all occurred out of the blue and off the cuff. That is not how we choose to conduct business in our lives back home. We like to know what’s coming and prepare for it. The good thing about these “surprise” meetings on this trip is that we don’t have the chance to worry the night before. The meetings are suddenly thrust upon us and we have no choice but to move forward in simple faith. Listening only to Gods’ voice and prompts of what to say and do next. Forgetting about “our” plan and any pre-arranged agenda. Maybe we are learning something?

Viktor and Yuri. The boys sat next to each other at lunch. While they have different appearances, it was obvious seeing them side-by-side that the boys share the same eyes and smile.

Back home, whenever we visit a beach, our family looks for pieces of broken glass that have been smoothed and shaped by the sand and surf. We call it "beach glass". Here, Renee introduces Masha and Yuri to the family tradtion of combing the sand for beach glass.

The sea and surf with large cargo ships on the horizon.

Sea shells by the (Black) sea shore.

The restuarant where we met for lunch.

Two Worship Services, A Concert and McDonald's

2007-03-26T13:44:00.000-05:00

Ukraine observes daylight savings time. We know this because we were one hour late to church this Sunday morning! That's OK, because this way the service only lasted 1 1/2 hours instead of the usual 2 1/2 hours. ;-) With the time change, please note we are now 8 hours ahead of Omaha.

Paul and Tanya Becker invited Renee and Ito the service at Trinity non-denominational church. The service was in Ukrainian and Tanya graciously translated. After church, we raced through McDonald's and slammed lunch on our way to a classical music concert. (Talk about extremes in culture--Big Mac to J.S. Bach.) Paul Becker's former voice instructor was performing. The concert focused on a collection of pieces from Bach's "Passion of the Christ" in recognition of the season of Lent. It was fabulous!!

We barely got home from the concert when Michelle came by to invite us to an all English worship service near our apartment. This service is not a formal church but simply a collection Americans in Odessa who gather most every Sunday in a home to worship, pray and share fellowship--all in English! Thank you, Michelle.

Michelle loaned us a few DVD movies (in English) from her collection. (Paul emailed Michelle and begged her for English speaking movies.) We were so desperate for entertainment in English that Renee and I watched two movies back-to-back last night. "A Walk in the Clouds" and "The Lake House" both featuring actor, Keanu Reeves. (I wonder if Michelle likes Keanu Reeves??)

Prayer Requests - For our kids back home--Liz, Andrew and Christina. They are in the expert care of Grandma and Grandpa Wenstrand and we are not really worried about them. But, we have been gone over two weeks now so, a little extra prayer their way would be much appreciated! Thank you.

Jefferey (the Ukrainian-Iowa farmer), Paul and Tanya Becker, Abigale Becker (in Tanya's arms) and Lora (special friend of the Becker's). These are the people who invited Renee and me to their home for dinner Saturday evening. They also invited us to church and a classical music concert on Sunday. If you have not assumed it already, the Becker's are really good at hospitality. Thank you, Paul and Tanya, for all you do and continue to do for us during our stay in Odessa.

The home of Trinity Church worship services (top floor). This building also houses a Christian University.

As I mentioned, services are on the top floor. So, we climbed a winding staircase located inside this tower. That was fun (really).

Ascending the steep and winding stairs.

Once you reach the top of the stairs, you are rewarded with a cool worship service. As you can see, a contemporary worship service in Odessa looks a lot like a contemporary service back home. The pastor used clips from the movie, "End of the Spear" during his sermon.

The recital hall is absolutely beautiful and the perfect setting for a classical music.

The vocalists were both sopranos. (Yes, a male soprano seems unusual.) They're pitch was perfect and every syllable precise. I don't know enough to identify world class vocalists but this pair has to be close. (Sorry, we didn't receive a program.)

Views of the grand stair case leading to the recital hall.

Our Apartment in Odessa

2007-03-25T08:20:00.000-05:00

The purpose of this post is to show you our living quarters. I'll cover Sunday's activities in a second note which I'll post later today.

Our current home away from home is a cozy little apartment in the city center. It has one large room that doubles as a living room and bedroom. A modern kitchen and bathroom. It is recently remodeled and features high-speed internet access. We are within walking distance to a variety of restaurants, cafes, markets, parks, museums, churches and historical sights.

There are 3-4 grocery markets only a short walk away. The "new" market (where you can get almost anything) is only five minutes on foot. There are two bookstores nearby that carry English titles. The friendly, English-speaking travel agent is down the street and around the corner. The Afina Mall is about 8 minutes away. The Opera House and Museums are about 10-12 minute walking distance. The Potiomkin Steps and Port of Odessa are only a 15 minute walk away. You are close to the train station and the Notaries office.

The only disadvantage of this apartment is that you have to drive to the Internot. You can reach the Internot by car in 15-20 minutes if the traffic is light and up to 45 minutes at peak traffic time.

If this sounds like an advertisement, it is. ;-) If you are traveling to Odessa for adoption or business, you may rent this apartment. To inquire, Contact Paul Becker at beck@real.ua. The rent for this apartment is used to help fund the Becker's ministry to orphans.

Coming through the front door and standing in the entryway. Kitchen is straight ahead. Bathroom to the right and living room through the double doors on the left.

Kitchen with large frig, small table with stools, tile floors and lots of cupboard space.

Entryway. Looking back to the front door. Bathroom is on the left. Living room on the right.

Looking into the large room that double as a living room and a bedroom. Like many old buildings in Odessa, it has beautiful wood floors.

View from bed looking back to the doorway. The couch is a pull-out bed to accommodate your children when they stay over night with you. The doors are 10 feet high. The ceiling molding begins at about 12-13 feet with the full ceiling height at about 14 feet above the floor.

Ceiling detail.

Looking to the opposite corner. Television and closet.

The communication center. Our link to the outside world: email, Skype phone, office, internet and blog. ;-)

Dinner at the Becker's

2007-03-24T16:43:00.000-05:00

This evening, we had dinner at the home of Dr. Paul and Tanya Becker. If you don't know about the Becker's, we'll tell you more about them in another post. Anyway, Dr. Paul was chef for the evening and prepared a wonderful meal. We talked for hours about everything from home renovation (Ukrainian style) and old episodes of M*A*S*H to the personal stories of kids at Internot #4. I'm sure we could have talked into the wee hours of the morning, however, we pulled ourselves away at a reasonable hour. Renee and I brought dessert to the dinner. We purchased what we thought was some kind of chocolate tort from the market. Turns out it was a traditional Ukrainian cake made with prunes! Actually, there were not that many prunes so, it was pretty good.

We were entertained by the Becker's charming one year old daughter, Abigale. She is very cute with bright eyes and a big smile. We also enjoyed the company of Jeff, a good friend of the Becker's and farmer from northeast Iowa. For the last 13 years, Jeff spends about half of every year in Ukraine helping to manage a huge farming operation between Kiev and Odessa. He brings modern farming practices to Ukraine and introduced the soybean to this country.

It rained all day in Odessa. Renee and I ventured out in the morning to a local travel agent. We checked price and availability for flights to Kiev (to remake our fingerprints) and were pleased to discover some very affordable prices. After that, we shopped at the grocery market in the basement of the Afina Mall. In the afternoon, Renee worked (again) and we checked email. Paul took advantage of the lazy, rainy day and took a Saturday afternoon nap. (Yes!) And we continued the daily habit of doing laundry in the sink. Believe it or not, Paul did not take a single picture today. (There must be something wrong).

Prayer Request - For all the kids who have yet to be adopted. There are so many good kids who still need a home and parents to love them. There is special urgency for older children to be adopted before they turn 16. There are too many names and stories to mention here. For the names and concerns of particular children that you can pray for, please email Dr. Paul Becker at beck@real.ua

Views of Odessa from a Mitsubishi Van

2007-03-23T11:26:00.000-05:00

We spend some time each day going here or there in Sasha's van. The route to the Internot has already become a familiar one, although, there is no way we would want to navigate it on our own! We see much of the city through the windows of the van so, here is a collection of images shot from the back of the Mitsubishi van.

Sasha (left) and Nataliya (right). Looking out the front windshield you see the cobble stone street and tracks for the trolley car.

In case you forgot what we look like. A self portrait from inside the van.

Average street scene in the city center. Car ownership is on the rise, adding more and more vehicles to Odessa's busy streets.

In an old city like Odessa, the streets are narrow and the side walks are wide. Combine this with the rapid growth of automobiles and you park your car where you can. Including the sidewalk. This might be unusual in America but a common site in Odessa.

Odessa's fleet of trolley cars are older models. Many people crowd into the various forms of public transportation.

Sweeping the side walk with a "stick" broom. Why purchase a broom when you can make your own with whatever sticks you find laying around? Stick brooms are a common site in Ukraine.

Detail of a stick broom.

An apartment or a store must be getting a renovation.

The three photos above show typical residential housing outside the city center. The Internot is in this neighborhood. All homes are surrounded by a fence or wall with a gate. Some are newly remodeled but most are in some state of disrepair.

Sunset from a bridge.

On Our Own For The Weekend

2007-03-23T11:21:00.000-05:00

With no official duties pending, Nataliya was given a couple days off. Her birthday is Sunday so, she took the train back to her home city to spend time with her husband. As you know, Yuri is visiting his Babushka for the weekend. So, with Yuri and Nataliya gone for the weekend, Renee and I have a couple days to ourselves. We plan to catch up on rest, reflect on where we've been, and do a little planning for the future--immediate and long term.

Fingerprints: We learned today we must definitely update our fingerprints. We hoped the Embassy might let us "squeak by" since our current prints expire so close to the day we hope to depart for home with Yuri. This means Renee and I will make trip to the US Embassy in Kiev to have our prints redone. We hear flights from Odessa to Kiev are very reasonable so, we'll check that out with a local travel agent. We hope to depart for Kiev as soon as we can after our court date on April 2.

Potential plans/schedule: Once the court date is over and we get our fingerprints updated at the Embassy in Kiev, Paul could fly back to Omaha, putting him home mid to late the week of April 2. Renee would return to Odessa and stay with Yuri through the 10-day waiting period. Then, bring him home via the US Embassy in Kiev where Yuri would be processed. Assuming the court in Odessa holds us to the full, 10-day waiting period, and depending on how quickly the Embassy can process Yuri (hours limited to: 9 - noon, M-F) we guess they could arrive in Omaha in mid April. We only share this with you to give you some idea of what we are thinking and what we might expect. We do our best to make plans but realize that ultimately none of this is in our hands. ;-)

Prayer Request - Continue to pray for Yuri and his family members this weekend. Patience and wisdom for Paul and Renee as we attempt to make plans in the coming days.

Below, is a photo of Yuri and his Babushka taken a two years ago when she visited the Internot. Thank you to Carolynn Lennard for emailing this image to us. The photo was taken by Kyle and Susie Lennard when they where here to pick up their adopted son, Cole. You can definitely see the family resemblance! Yuri looks so young only two years ago. (I love Babushka's hat.)

Today's Report - Yesterday, in rained lightly most of the day. Today, strong winds kicked up the dirt from the streets. The dust hung in the air like fog. Today's "to do" list was much like other recent days. Go to market. Check email. Do laundry. Compose blog. Renee works. In keeping with the cleaning theme, Paul tried out the Hoover vacuum today. It works, great! While Renee worked, Paul got in a quick work out then went for a two hour walk around the old city with camera in hand. Below, you can view our trip to the market.

Another Day, Another Market...

I don't recall the Russian name for this market but it translates into "new market". Judging by the photo above, it might not look new. That's because the "new market" is located behind a very old meat market.

Inside the meat market, is a large, pastoral mural showing farmers and their livestock. I guess it is appropriate subject matter for a meat market.

Ah, the meat market. I think you can find pretty much any kind of meat product you would ever want--or, not want. The vendors butcher their daily offering on counters right in front of you. It smells like it too. (Dr. Paul says the hams from the "smoked" section of the market are delicious.)

Mmm. Fresh ham hocks. Anyone hungry for lunch?

After passing through the meat market, you enter an open air courtyard. Here, you can shop for produce of all types. As well as, clothes, footwear, cleaning supplies, small appliances and housewares.

As you can tell from the images above, the produce looks great. I think Renee and I found a new source for fresh produce!

Yuri prepares his family for his departure

2007-03-22T15:20:00.000-05:00

Nataliya, Yuri and Renee pose with the official invitation to our court date on April 2.

We arrived at the Internot shortly after 5 p.m. to pick up Yuri and take him out for dinner. We had trouble locating Yuri. He wasn't in the usual places. Everyone we asked had not seen him. After 10 minutes of asking around, a gaggle of cute, little 8-10 year old girls led us to him. Yuri was alone, laying low--more on that in a minute. Sasha drove us to the Afina Mall on the Greek Square in the city center. We selected a safe, buffet-style restaurant in the lower level and the four of us settled our food trays on a table obviously built for two. The normally forced and trivial dinner conversation turned a bit more serious this evening.

Speaking through our interpreter, Nataliya, Yuri told us that he met his half-brother, Victor (same mother) at the Internot this afternoon. At this meeting, Yuri told his brother for the first time that he was going to be adopted and live in the US. Naturally, his brother was surprised. Victor is 19 and a car mechanic near the Internot. We hope to meet him before we depart. Yuri thinks we will be able to do this after his brother has a few days to process to the news.

Then, Yuri said he would be staying with his Babushka (grandmother) this weekend. Presumably to tell her of his adoption and to begin the process of saying good-bye. We don't know much about her. Not even her name. She is around 84 years old and we think her health might be an issue. Babushka has visited the Internot before and we hear she is supportive of adoptions. Babushka also lives near the Internot and Yuri has stayed with his Grandma before. We hope to meet Babushka but Yuri is a little more resistant to this idea at this time.

We try to imagine the emotions Yuri is processing at this time. We told Yuri it takes courage to make this decision for yourself. To leave all you've known and start an entirely new life with strangers in a foreign country. We told Yuri he could send letters to anyone in Odessa he wishes to write. And, for his benefit, we would like to take photos of Yuri with his brother and grandmother. We also let him know that in the future, he could return to Odessa for visits. Yuri appreciated all this and assured us he was quite certain that he wants to become a part of our family in the US.

Prayer request - For Yuri, Victor and Babushka. I'm not even sure what the specific request should be. Just pray for them as you are led. Thanks.

Wednesday's Post on Thursday

2007-03-22T07:26:00.000-05:00

We lost access to the internet Wednesday night so, we were unable to post or check email (in case you were wondering what happened to us). Thank you to Dr. Paul, Tanya and Timara for their earnest assistance in getting us back on the net today! Since we are playing "catch up" with email and work, I'll make this afternoon's post quick and post a longer entry later tonight.

It seems our court date is a solid April 2. Apparently, the judge will be out of the office all next week and will not return to review our case until Monday, the 2nd. Wednesday afternoon, we arrived at the Internot at 2:30. Nataliya worked with the Internot officials while Renee and I walked with Yuri to Michelle's apartment. We played three games of "Sorry!" and about a hundred and fifty games of "Dominoes" (Yuri likes dominoes). Gradually, Yuri is using a little more English bit by bit.

In the evening, Renee and I traveled back to the city center with Michelle, Julia and Olya to attend a worship service at the Vineyard church plant in downtown Odessa. The service was in English (with a little Russian). Actually, the man who led the service was from Sweden so, the service was English with a Swedish accent. It was our own version of "No Ordinary Wednesday". During the day, Renee worked on the computer in the morning while Paul cleaned the kitchen (it took a while since he was cleaning with cocktail napkins). ;-) And, we both continued with the laundry process.

Michelle, Julia and Olya. Julia is a translator who tutors Yuri in English after his regular classes are done. Olya is a translator who also works with the kids at the Internot. This picture was taken at the Vineyard worship service.

Domestic chores, dinner & dessert

2007-03-20T15:20:00.000-05:00

Exciting day in Odessa. With no official duties on the agenda, we took time to clean the apartment, wash dishes and do a few "loads" of laundry. We define a load of laundry has whatever item(s) we can fit in the kitchen sink. The spin cycle is our shower (drip dry) and the dryer itself consists of two, small steam registers. (We do not look forward to this routine for the next three weeks.) Renee spent a few hours working on the computer while Paul sought to escape "the four walls" and went for a workout on the Potiomkin Steps. Not sure that was a good idea. We'll see if he makes it out of bed tomorrow morning. After lunch we ran an errand to the market and strolled through the vendors in a nearby park looking for worthy souvenirs.

After school, Yuri had an English class until 5 p.m. with Julia, the English tutor we hired to help jump-start Yuri's conversion to English. After the tutoring session, we climbed into Sasha's trusty Mitsubishi and headed to the city center for dinner at a nice Italian restaurant (Sasha's recommendation). We all shared a pizza and left room for dessert so, we indulged ourselves on a variety of treats. About that drive to the city center. It was rush hour traffic so, Sasha decided to take a short cut down a dusty side street which resembled moguls on ski slope. We were bouncing from side to side and up and down. Paul referred to the street as, "The Oregon Trail".

Today we were told our court date is now April 2. We continue to challenge the reasoning behind this long delay. Other families have made it to court much quicker. Stay tuned.

Prayer request: You guessed it. The court date. Please pray for an earlier court date. There is a mandatory 10 day waiting period after the court date, placing us in Kiev April 12. If we don't make it back to the US Embassy in Kiev by April 10, our finger prints will expire and this will cause further delay. Also, pray for patience for Renee and me. Thank you!

Italian restaurant near Port of Odessa where we ate dinner this evening.

Yuri LOVES chocolate ice cream. He'll fit right in with our family!

Our formal request for adoption

2007-03-19T14:08:00.000-05:00

At 10:30 a.m. we arrived at the notary's office to process the documents that would make our official request for adoption. This took about 2 hours, in part, due to the late arrival of our notary who was attending to the birth of her new grand daughter! We presented our passports then waited for the documents to be drafted. We were allowed to leave the office and go shopping. We picked up some exciting hardware like a mirror and a couple new voltage adapters for the apartment. We also bought a new and improved basketball to replace the dud we bought yesterday at the container market!

With documents in hand, we ate lunch at a busy McDonald's near the central railway station. (Ketchup tastes different over her.) Next, we proceeded to the Internot to meet our "other" facilitator, Oleg "the younger". Oleg received the documents and conducted business with Internot officials on our behalf. We also met the director and were pleased to present her with a donation to help maintain and improve the Internot for the benefit of the children. Before entering the director's office, I joked with Nataliya that I should plop our new basketball on the director's desk and state firmly, "This is our donation!" You know, just to see the expression on the director's face. Nataliya laughed hard and then asked in her Russian accent, "You make joke, right?" ;-)

We met Yuri after school. Paul and Yuri took the new ball for a test run on the basketball court. Renee and Natalyia headed back to the city center to shop for an English/Russin dictionary to aid in Yuri's transition in the US. Later, we all met at Michelle Maly's apartment near the Internot and played a few games. We brought Yuri to the Internot about 6 p.m. Renee and I tried a new resturant tonight with American cuisine and English menu's. We retired to a nice, quiet corner in the basement away from the noise and smoke of the main floor. Ahhh. Then, Foom! Foom! Foom! on came the rap music to spice up the evening fare. I expected dance lights to come out of the ceiling. Oh well, just another eveing in Odessa.

Later, Oleg the younger, took our documents to the court. Nataliya informed us this evening that Oleg said our court date will be April 4. Add the required 10 day waiting period = April 14. Plus, 2 more days for travel to Kiev and to wrap up final details = flight out about April 16. We hope this is worst case. We would like to think our court date could be sooner and will press our facilitators. We will keep everyone informed.

Prayer Request - For a more rapid court date and return to the US. Also, Yuri's cold seemed a little better today, but please keep praying that he will continue to improve.

Yuri and another boy from the Internot, Sergei (sp?) play a little hoops with the new and improved ball.

After hoops, Yuri and Paul walked to Michelle's apartment and just happened to find a market along the way. We then just happened to find a freezer case full of ice cream treats and just happened to have enough money to buy one for each of us. ;-)

At Michelle's, we played "UNO" and "Sorry!" Yuri was a bit more open and relaxed today. We discovered playing games that Yuri clearly knows his numbers and colors in English.

The office of the notary in the city center near the main railway station.

The main object of today's efforts. The official documents making our formal request to adopt Yuri. (Don't worry, this JPG is too small to read.)

This bright yellow building is a monestary across the street from the McDonald's near the main railway station.

Beautiful onion domed church near the railway station.

Sunday - Container Market & Basketball

2007-03-18T10:25:00.000-05:00

Note: the blog is set up to display the seven most current entries on the main page (right column). If you want to view entries older than seven days, double-click on the titles in the left column.

We picked up Yuri at 10 a.m. and headed for the "container market". The market is an asphalt field about 7 or 8 kilometers long packed with thousands of cargo containers. This was not so much a shopping trip as a sight seeing experience. The aisles between rows of containers are packed with people. Some shopping. Some selling. Some pushing carts. Many pushing their way through the crowd as they press on to some other crowded place. Our quest was to find Yuri a basketball. Sasha, our driver, acted as trail blazer. He had no idea where he was going as we snaked, single file (one hand on my wallet at all times) between the bodies. Eventually, we found the "toy" aisle and located several vendors selling basketballs. After comparing quality and price, we settled on a choice ball and got out of there!

Containers are stacked two high. The bottom container is open to the aisle and acts as the display area. The top containers warehouse more goods.

For lunch, we trekked back to the city center and stopped at a restaurant that prepared traditional Ukrainian foods. The wait staff wore traditional costumes and the restaurant was decorated with samples of Ukrainian art and culture. Most of the food was fantastic. Renee, Nataliya and Yuri enjoyed the borsch (I must admit, it's good). We also sampled the Verenike (both meat and dessert types). After stuffing ourselves, we decided it was time to head back to the Internot to test Yuri's new basketball.

The waitress graciously allowed me to take a picture of her headdress.

Back at the Internot, Paul and Yuri shot hoops. Renee shagged the ball and "encouraged" our play.

Well, you get what you pay for. Our new ball does not hold air. We had to stop every 10 or 15 minutes and pump it back up. Sasha felt so bad he said he would return the ball to the container market for us and argue with the vendor. ;-) Even with a bum ball, Yuri really enjoyed himself.

Sasha, our driver, with his Mitsubishi van. We prefer Sasha as our driver because his van offers generous space and he is more reasonably priced than other drivers. Not to mention, he is just a nice guy and safe driver.

We left Yuri at the Internot at about 4 p.m. Yuri is still feeling the effects of his sinus infection. We'd love to get him home and placed on antibiotics! We noticed several of the Internot kids walking around with a sharp cough. No surprise given their close living environment. Before we left Yuri, Renee made sure he was supplied with Kleenex, lip balm, was taking his medicine correctly and drinking plenty of fluids.

It was a very pleasant day. Renee and I are tired from all the walking and the grind of being in what for us is a strange environment. As those of you who have been here know, nothing is easy in Odessa. Everything from safe drinking water, edible foods, laundry and communication come with considerable more effort and planning than they do back home. Tomorrow, we will create new Power of Attorney documents for Nataliya and Oleg. Nataliya will also help the Internot staff complete our paperwork, which we hope will be filed with the court on Tuesday. Thank you for your prayers and emails!

Walking Tour Part 2

2007-03-17T15:42:00.000-05:00

Saturday continued...

Yuri wanted to see a snake exhibit at a local museum. It was not Nataliya's or Renee's favorite display (in fact, Nataliya had to leave and wait outside) but, Yuri liked it a lot! Above, Yuri taunts a poisonous snake. ;-)

Nataliya, Renee and Paul pose with a copy of Michael Angelo's "Lacoon" outside the Archaeological Museum.

Yuri in front of a monument honoring the bravery of Odessa's troops who fought against the French invasion in 1854.The building behind Yuri is the seat of the local government where the offices of the mayor and city council reside.

Wrap up the day -We returned Yuri to the Internot about 4 p.m. after a quick stop at the "Anteka" or pharmacy. (Yuri has a cough and cold.) This evening, Paul shopped for water and groceries while Renee stayed home and worked on the computer. We ate dinner in the apartment tonight, washed a load of laundry by hand and settled in to check email and work on the blog.

What's next? Tomorrow, we head to a giant market made up of rows and rows of large cargo containers unloaded from ships. All sorts of goods are sold directly out of the containers at very low prices. Monday, Oleg and Nataliya will deliver Yuri's documents to the court.

Prayer request - As mentioned above, Yuri has some sinus trouble. When kids at the Internot are too sick for school, they pull them out of the Internot and place them in a "hospital" until they are better. Currently, many Internot kids are sick and in the hospital. Please pray Yuri will not be one of them as this would limit our time with Yuri and hamper our opportunity to get to know each other better. Also, pray Yuri will begin to feel less nervous and more comfortable with us. Thank you.

Walking Tour - Port of Odessa & City Center

2007-03-17T14:23:00.000-05:00

Today, we arrived at Internot #4 at 9:30, "checked-out" Yuri and headed for the Port of Odessa. Above, Nataliya and Renee approach the Internot. Not a very pleasant looking building is it?

Hotel Odessa dominates the skyline over the harbor.

At the port, we watched a cargo ship come into harbour. Odessa's port is expansive with docks and cranes as far as the eye can see.

Odessa sits on a high bluff above the harbor. The famous, "Potiomkin Stairs" (200 steps) lead from the port to the city center. Above, Nataliya, Renee and Yuri begin the ascent.

Nearing the top, city buildings come into view.

At the top of the stairs is a statue of Duke de Richelieu who was mayor of Odessa around 1860. The French Duke paved the streets of Odessa with cobble stones which were transported to the city as balast in the hulls of ships. The Duke also planted rows of trees flanking the boulevards and is credited with making Odessa the "most precious pearl of the Russian crown". This statue is considered a symbol of the city and the Duke is a popular cult figure with native citizens. Above, Renee and Yuri hang with the Duke.

Odessa has many beautiful examples of architechture including the Opera Theater (above). The opera, "Figero" is currently playing. In Odessa, you see glimpses of beauty, wealth and civic pride mixed against a backdrop of poverty, hopelessness and decades of neglect.

Detail of the Opera Theater.

Michelle’s Apartment – Lunch & Games

2007-03-16T14:16:00.000-05:00

Today, Renee spent the morning working and catching up on email while Paul bought supplies and searched downtown Odessa to purchase the correct phone and internet cards (a major accomplishment). In the afternoon, Renee, Nataliya and I met Yuri and Michelle at the Internot. We signed the appropriate papers granting us the right to “check out” Yuri for a few hours. Then, we walked to Michelle’s apartment where she served us lunch. Using Michelle’s laptop, Yuri was able to view the blog for the first time (Nataliya translated for him). We spent the next few hours playing games and had a great time while sharing several laughs and smiles. We had to return Yuri to the Internot by 6 p.m. Tomorrow, we get to check him out all day and plan a walking tour of Odessa’s historic sights. Tonight, we had dinner with Nataliya at Mario's, an Italian diner near our apartment. They have English menu's, familiar cuisine and friendly wait staff. This is why we have had three meals in two days at this fine establishment. ;-)

Michelle Maly, Renee, Yuri and Paul at Michelle's apartment. Michelle is a missionary from Omaha who volunteers at Internot #4.

We played several rounds of "Jenga". This game was a great ice breaker because it allowed for fun and laughs but did not require a lot of language translation.

Michelle invited a group of 10th graders from the orphanage to her home for an evening of games and a spaghetti dinner--where the kids prepare and clean up the meal. Sorry, I did not get all the names of the kids. Yuri is sitting at Michelle's right. There are many more kids, like Yuri, who need families to love them and help provide an opportunity for a brighter future.

We played a game with the 10th graders where you had to balance on one foot and bend over to pick up a grocery sack with your teeth. With each round, you cut about 2 inches off the top of the sack and make it shorter, and harder, to grab! Yuri demonstrates his technique (above). Sadly, this game was beyond my athletic skill as I only made it through the first round. Renee did very well and survived deep into the game. I have photographic proof that she played but, for some reason, she will not allow me to post it. ;-)

Happy Birthday Wishes!

2007-03-15T15:26:00.000-05:00

March 15–Renee’s mother, Rose.
March 16–Christina, nine years old.
If you talk to Grandma Rose or Christina, please wish them a Happy Birthday!

Arrive in Odessa-See Yuri!

2007-03-15T15:20:00.000-05:00

Today was a long day but a BIG day—the first time Yuri, Renee and Paul are together in one place! The photo above was taken outside Internot (orphanage) #4. We made the 5 hour drive to Odessa, arriving at noon. On the way, we passed through rich farm lands with black soil. The rolling fields were expansive--similar to driving through South Dakota. In Odessa, our driver spent the next 45 minutes looking for the Internot, stopping SIX times to ask for directions. (At least he stopped to ask, right?) Once at the Internot, we met Nataliya, our English speaking facilitator/translator, who will be our life-line for the remainder of the adoption process.

Yuri receives a middle name--Nataliya delivered our documents to the Internot and introduced Renee and I to the director and another official who will actually process our paper work. We had brief meetings with each official and they asked us the cursory questions. One of the officials asked us if we wanted to provide Yuri a middle name. (Middle names are not customary in Ukraine.) We asked Yuri if he wanted to keep his current last name, Sivtsov, as a middle name but he declined. Then, Renee asked Yuri if he would like “Paul” as a middle name, after Dr. Paul Becker. “Dr. Paul” has been a father-figure to Yuri during his years in the Internot. Yuri happily approved! (The other Paul, thinks it is a pretty neat deal too.)

Internot Tour--Later, Yuri gave us a tour including a lengthy stop at his classroom where we reviewed his text books. Of course, we took the most interest in his English work books. Yuri is very pleasant but also very reserved. (We do not blame him!) He was not very confident in his English and could not answer most of our questions. (No surprise.) After the tour, Renee and I hung out in “the play room” with Yuri and about a dozen other kids and watched “Open Season” in Russian. (It seems more humorous in Russian.)

New apartment--We also met up with Michelle Maly who showed us our Odessa apartment. It is quite humble on the outside but wonderful on the inside. Small, cozy, newly remodeled and very clean! It is about a 20 minute drive from the Internot. Tonight, we attempted to gain internet access, found a market to buy groceries and settled in to our new apartment.

What’s Next? We think our papers will be filed with the court on Monday. Then we wait (who knows how long?) for a court date. In the meantime, we get to see Yuri each day at the Internot. Soon, we will be able to take him off campus and visit our “home” at the new apartment or go sight-seeing.

Well, these are the highlights. More happened today than what Renee and I anticipated. We are very tired and seem to be in a dazed state of joy. We are so thankful to God for all the little and big things that have happened to bring us this far.

Seeing the sights in Kiev

2007-03-14T11:06:00.000-05:00

While waiting for our document to be processed by the SDA, we took in took in a few sights within walking distance from our apartment—that is after we slept in this morning. (Yes!) ¬We are a bit worn out after three days of walking a hilly city with broken side walks and cobble stone streets. (We better get used to it.) Like yesterday, today’s post features a lot of photos with captions only because we have more time on our hands to assemble it this way. Since we will be traveling to Odessa tomorrow and settling into new quarters we will probably be fortunate just to make a single paragraph post. So, enjoy today’s offering. ;-)

What’s next? Dima just called and said everything is “on” meaning the SDA issued our document so we will proceed with our trip to Odessa on Thursday. Our document will to travel to Odessa via an 11-hour, over night train ride where our facilitator will make sure it is delivered to the right hands. Renee and I will take a car to Odessa during daylight hours. This way we can see the country side and villages. In Odessa, we will meet our friend, Michelle, and Oleg, our facilitator in Odessa (not the same Oleg we worked with here in Kiev) then settle into a new apartment. If everything goes very well, we might even get to pay a visit to Internot#4 and see Yuri!(?)

Prayer request: Safe travel to Odessa and, if we see Yuri, that the meeting goes well, especially for Renee, who will be meting Yuri for the first time. Thank you.

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Saint Michael's Monastery of the Golden Domes - (above) sits upon a high bluff which over looks the the city and the Dnipro River.

Independence Square - (above) Sight of many public demonstrations including the student hunger strike against against the old Soviet socialists in 1990 and the "Orange" Revolution of 2004-2005. The glass dome in the foreground of the top photo is an underground shopping mall called, Globus.

Globus - (above) Globus is Ukraine’s largest, modern-style shopping mall. Two underground levels of the usual stores. (Liz, contrary to what you might think, jeans and shoes are not cheaper in Ukraine.) We perused a book store and found a large, heavy, hard-cover history of Ukraine printed in both Ukraine and English. The book is loaded with photographs has helped to interpret the sights we have seen. But, the real reason we purchased the book is to provide Yuri with a resource for his cultural history.

State Department for Adoption

2007-03-13T10:16:00.000-05:00

Note: For those of you who have already read today's entry, look again! At a later post, we were able to upload a few photos (with captions). To view, scroll down.

March 13 - Our facilitator, Oleg, and his assistant, Dima, drove us to the State Department for Adoption (SDA) for our 10 a.m. appointment. We presented our letter of approval and met with a psychologist and her young translator, Julia. The meeting was brief and to the point. The psychologist asked us a few basic questions, such as, how many biological children do we have? Why do we want to adopt? How did we select Yuri? She showed us his official paperwork. Clipped to the paper was a photo of Yuri as a young boy, just to confirm we were both talking about the same, Yuri Sivtsov. From the paperwork, we learned a few more details about Yuri’s life. At the end or our interview the psychologist informed us that we could return tomorrow between 5 and 6 p.m. to pick up our letter of approval. We will take this letter to the director of Internot #4 in Odessa. We plan to stay in Kiev through Wednesday night and depart for Odessa by car at 7 a.m. Thursday (about a 5 hour trip).

There is so much more we would like to display or write but in consideration of our Ukrainian friends, (and your time) we’ll refrain until a more appropriate date and forum. We are very thankful today’s meeting went so well. One step down, several more to go. ;-) Enjoy the following photos.

Prayer Request – For safe travel by car to Odessa on Thursday morning.

SDA (above) The official-looking building in the background houses the “Ministry of Ukraine for Family, Youth and Sports—State Department for Adoption and Protection of the Rights of the Child” or, SDA for short. The entry to the SDA is a rather small door on the left side. We stood in a crowded stair case with many other prospective adoptive parents and waited for our appointment. Notice the stands of souvenir vendors in the left foreground.

Paul and Renee (above) in front of Saint Andrew’s Greek Orthodox Church located next door to the SDA. I think every family who has adopted children from Ukraine must have a photo similar to this one in their family photo album. J This style of church architecture is common to the region. In 2000 (after the fall of communism), the Ukrainian government spent millions of dollars to restore these churches to their original glory to mark the 2,000th anniversary of Christ’s birth.

Souvenirs (above) Apparently, we were so elated our appointment at the SDA went smoothly that we felt like shopping. We spent the rest of the morning looking for souvenirs from street vendors strategically located just outside the SDA. (It’s all about location, location, location.) We would tell you what we bought but that would ruin the surprise for many of you who are reading this blog.

Our building (above) Today, I was able to get a picture of the outside of our apartment building in Kiev. Our apartment is on the second floor—the glassed-in balcony is ours.

We arrived in Kiev!

2007-03-12T12:30:00.000-05:00

March 10 - The Berger family at Omaha's Epply Airport. We said our good-byes and boarded the plane leaving Liz, Andrew and Christina in the care of Grandma Rose.

March 11 - We made it! All flights on time, no major problems. As we write this, we are not sure what day it is or whether or not we should be sleeping or trying to stay awake. We slept very little on the 9 hour trip from Chicago to Warsaw. Once we landed in Kiev, the “VIP” service met us at the gate and whisked us through the customs process. The VIP service was led by a man named Alex who spoke urgently and moved quickly. He waved his finger at us and commanded, “You! You! Follow me!”, while teasing and joking with us as we were overwhelmed with the commotion in the Kiev airport. We nearly had to run to keep up with him as he brushed people aside. Once out the door, a younger man who works with our facilitator, Alexey, drove us through the city to an apartment in downtown Kiev.

We have a comfortable, almost clean, little apartment in an old neighborhood of the city. I don’t know the address of our building or even the name of the street we are on. All we know is that we currently reside in apt. #8 in the ugly, gray building across the street from the pretty blue building. We have electricity (although, the lights dim whenever the refrigerator runs), a working cell phone but no access to the internet until sometime on Tuesday.

Since arriving at the apartment, we have been on our own (without a translator or tour guide) and survived so far. We exchanged money, found a pizza café for dinner and made two separate trips to the grocery store. We even managed to call home. Today was a beautiful, sunny day that gave way to a cold rain this evening.

March 12 – Today’s big accomplishment’s have been sleeping in, finding a McDonald’s for lunch and most importantly, finding free Wi-Fi in the lobby of a Radisson Hotel near our apartment. (Amy VP: the hotel staff told us there are no internet cafes around here. :-)

Prayer request: Our appointment with the ministry of adoption is Tuesday at 10 a.m.

Yuri and Paul

2007-03-04T18:12:00.000-06:00

Paul met Yuri for the first time in August 2006 while visiting missionary friends in Odessa.

Dear Family and Friends

2007-03-04T17:33:00.000-06:00

The long wait is over! After committing to adopt Yuri in August of 2005, we depart for the Ukraine on Saturday, March 10. Thank you for your encouragement and prayers over the past year and a half. Please keep 'em coming. We'll keep you posted on the latest developments, activities and prayer requests.