Debi's Russian Journal (Final Trip)

The following is an email sent by Debi to many friends related to our final trip to Russia in November.

T o our praying family and friends: Many have asked for some details as to our trip - I have found that calling and emailing are harder for me right now because of the demands on our family. Thus - I am taking this time before our girls are up to write you some of the highlights and lessons learned from the trip - feel free to ignore or delete this...for it is written for those who have asked and in order for me to not have to repeat everything over and over again. Thank you, thank you, thank you for your prayers and encouragement...we realize anew how broad our circle of friends is - from Mark's office to relatives all over...to friends of friends in prayer groups who have prayed us through the process. We are more than grateful, and humbled, by your caring for the story God is writing in our lives right now. Mark and I desire there to be little of us - and all of HIM as we share with you. It seems as if the best way to share is through snippets of my journal during these last two weeks...I will give you some of the highlights and struggles during this stretching time in our lives. Long ago I read a book that called about having a "God watch" to see what God is doing each day --- this is my "God watch"... I don't think anyone who hasn't done it can quite understand what it is like to be in a foreign country (especially one that is somewhat hostile to the US) and be "at the mercy" of that governments officials who can "at whim" affect the life of a child - and you - just because they can! Our earlier trips had been forthright and smooth, this trip was to be another story. Daily we went before the Lord to ask Him to smooth what seemed to be a mountain in our path - and daily He intervened on our behalf. That did not mean that we didn't get frustrated, or wander some at night "worrying" but it does mean that we learned a bit more of depending on Him minute by minute and trusting the results to Him.

Sat/Sun Nov 8-9: We made it once again! This time a different route - Dallas/Chicago/Moscow/St.Petersburg. Everything went smoothly, no hitches...and we were able to travel with a couple who have been working to adopt their daughter for 2 1/2 years and were going for their referral visit. We felt blessed that our process has taken less than a year and we get to bring Oksana home this time. How is it that Russia almost seems like a second home now? Things are familiar and welcome to us. We were grateful to find out that we have our same driver - Andre - who speaks English and will have Julia as our interpreter again as well.

Mon - Nov 10: Today we experienced the craziness of getting things done in Russia. It was to be a simple and straightforward day - until the first official from whom we were to pick up Oksana's new birth certificate and adoption certificates decided that she didn't want to "believe" our interpreter as to the paperwork and insisted that we get everything notarized. Simple you say? Not in Russia. After a 90 minute drive to the region where Oksana was, we had to turn back around and drive back to St. Pete to get this done...so 4 plus hours later we returned with the notarized court documents! This time she approved. When we asked as to her reason, our rep said "because she can, and she has little power other than something like this to exercise"...legally the notary was not required, but if we refused she could stall things for as long as she chose! This was the beginning of "things to come". Because of this delay - we got to the passport office minutes too late to file for Oksana's passport. Come back tomorrow they say! (did they know it would involve 4 more hours of driving?--or did it matter that they were supposed to be open, but decided to close because of a policeman's holiday?) The highlight of the day was picking up Oksana and having her with us for the afternoon...she continued to be sure of her decision and happily went through the ordeal of the afternoon. At one point, Mark leaned over and said: "How is it that this child - whom we haven't spent a full week with, could already be so ingrained upon our hearts?" It is amazing to us. It is God's doing.

Tue - Nov 11 - Here we go again - a long drive to pick up Oksana and go to the passport office - this time they take the paperwork but say that they cannot possibly process it until the following Monday as they have another holiday tomorrow and they are doing us a favor to get it done in less than 7 working days. Unknown to us, Julia leaves the customary "gift" behind the counter. Oksana came back to the city with us and we spent time working on English during the traffic filled drive. She is to see a friend and then take the bus back to Nicolsky...we enjoy our time with her. Our evening is spent changing plane tickets due to the information from the passport office. At 10 pm or so...we find out that the passport office has mysteriously decided to allow us to come and get her passport at 10 am Thursday morning. Why the change we ask? Because they liked the gift, our rep tells us. We debate on changing tickets back - but decide to wait to see what tomorrow brings.

Wed - Nov 12 - We have a day off...much needed after the turmoil of the days before. We shopped in a little outdoor market, walked to St. Isaacs (but it was closed due to another holiday!) and rested. That evening we have the pleasure of taking some sweet Russian friends out for dinner - we find the faith and simplicity of their lives so refreshing. Mark and I have repeatedly walked away from times like this convicted of the excess in America...and our hearts are encouraged and at the same time burdened for these dear friends who are carrying a heavy burden --- yet who express such joy in the Lord.

Thurs - Nov 13 - Finally something went right - we were able to secure Oksana's passport! One snapshot from today is that once we got back in the van, Oksana just leaned her head on my shoulder and stayed there for the longest time - apparently relieved to have this behind us. Talk about worming her way into my heart?!? After planning to spend the weekend in St. Pete - our rep encourages and almost insists that we fly to Moscow tomorrow (Fri). I personally believe she likes to move you along quickly so her part is complete - and nothing else can happen on her watch! So our quiet afternoon changes - and we spend the day securing plane tickets to Moscow and applying for her travel passport; once again changing our flights to the States...and end up driving Oksana back to the orphanage (making this another 6 hours plus day in the van)...in order to say our good-byes and thanks to those there. The snapshots from today are twofold: Oksana getting sick when she found out we were leaving tomorrow instead of Sunday...can you imagine if you were in her shoes and you can't say the good-byes you planned? The other was the "ordeal" we had to go through to get the $30 out of her bank account. In Russia, a child is not allowed to leave the country with an open back account. So we had to go close and withdraw her money. Simple, you say? NOT! The teller that yesterday said that she needed the adoption cert and altered birth cert - said today that she couldn't close the account as that paperwork had Oksana's new name...not the same asher Russian name which was on her bank account! She asked us to go back and get the original - and we had to explain (rather Julia did) that it no longer existed ...and an hour plus later we walked out with the precious $30...but not after 60 nail biting minutes wondering if another "official" would somehow block our plans for a mere "pittance"...we went home that night very burdened for our sweet Oksana and what she was facing, neither of us slept well. My forever memory from today: after we thanked Yuri (the orphanage director) for his wonderful care of Oksana - he simply said "Please tell others in America that I have more children who need homes!"...oh my! (Consider yourself told!)

Fri - Nov 14 - Andre arrives with Oksana - telling us of the ordeal of leaving the orphanage ---he had never picked up a teen before! Oksana amazes us with her strength...we expected a basket case this morning - and she was "ready" to go! Her "sponsor" Yana met us at the airport for lunch (the women who had Oksana for the weekend fairly regularly) and we got on the plane. I cannot express the emotions to know that the adoption was official and we were headed to Moscow and simply had to deal with the US Embassy! I will never forget Oksana leaning over to look out the window and winsomely saying as we took off "I love Russia"...we assured her that we did too. Another memory is her quickly learning to use the handheld translator we bought - and upon returning from the restroom bringing up the phrase "long time no see!" Mark then whispered to me "That kid is going to make it!" I am overwhelmed by what God has done in the last year - from a simple morning of sewing with a sweet teenage girl. We rented a flat for our time in Moscow - and Oksana immediately checks everything out and announces that she wants to cook dinner...which she did - VERY well after we walked to the nearby grocery store and she snuck the first of her now famous Snickers bars into the cart. She even cleaned up - shooing us out of the kitchen. Wonder how long that will last?

Sat - Nov 15 - God gave us a special gift to make Oksana's transition easier - free long distance in our flat - so she spends some time talking with friends. It s a crisp, clear, cold day as we walk to the Kremlin...it almost seemed as if we were in a movie set. God provided a wonderful guide whom we hired - who spoke fluent Russian and English and told us even more than we needed to know about the grounds and cathedrals there. It is a beautiful place. We went to MacDonalds afterwards (Oksana's fav) and then to the biggest bookstore in the world - where we let Oksana buy some Russian books to read on the plane and once we are home. She is a quick study - no lingering shopping with this kid. We went to bed with the sound of rain - grateful for the clear day earlier.

Sun - Nov 16 - Oksana requested soup and wanted to stay indoors today and read (I think she got chilled yesterday) - so Mark and I trekked to the store and got the makings for soup - Oksana said she didn't like beets(which is the staple of the Russian borscht)---so I made a veg soup with no beets. Then she proceeded to tell me that it was very good, but the wrong color, not maroon! I told her that beets are what make Russian soup maroon! A touch of homesickness hit her in the afternoon - as I came out from tflathe kitchen and observed her going through her photo album with a few tears making their way down her cheeks. I sat next to her and asked her to tell me about her friends and assured her that she was lucky to have such good friends. We arranged for her to call one of our translator friends and then suggested going back to the bookstore as she had already read through one book. Oksana then perked up and led us on an energetic chase for books, hairbands and more snickers! Did I tell you that she walks faster than Mark!?!

Mon - Nov 17 - Today we were picked up to head for Oksana's required physical for the US immigration - UGH! We really went down to the wire with this one - the Drs. office taking their time to do the xrays and all - so that we literally made it to the US embassy to apply for her visa 5 minutes late - but they held it open for us. The US embassy only does intake apps from 10-11 each day - so you can imagine our concern when we left the Drs. office at 10:55! Oksana immediately made friends with the embassy officials and chattered away like they were long lost friends! Crazy girl, she is! She was amazing with the 5+ other children who were having exams for their adoption proceedings...what a gift she has with children! We celebrated the next to last hurdle by another round of McDonalds at Oksana's request. Our "restful" day was complicated in the evening when we found out that a mistake had been made in our flat reservation and they had shorted us one day - we had to move out in the morning! So - once again we scurried to find a new place to rent and packed up things to leave in the morning. NOTHING has been easy this trip!

Tues - Nov 18 - We moved to our new flat before we headed to the Embassy to pick up Oksana's visa. The new place is nice - but it certainly would have been easier to stay put. My memory from today is our daughter going from child to child who was waiting with his/her new parents for a visa and making them smile. A particularly poignant moment was her immediately going up to 11 year old Paulina and Paulina's face just lighting up! Paulina was being adopted by her Aunt and Uncle (living in the US)as her mother had been murdered, and they had gone through incredible difficulty to get her. We spent the hour at the embassy swapping stories with the other families - what a joy filled place it was! Once again - I had a strong sense of God's pleasure in seeing these little ones finding homes...when the same official from yesterday handed Oksana her travel passport with her US VISA - we rejoiced! This time we convinced her to switch from McDonalds to Hard Rock Cafe on a quaint street called Arbat - where she got what she likes and we got something SPICY! (russian food is bland). I cannot tell you the relief we felt to be "done! Oksana spent time back at the flat calling a few friends and then we all watched an American detective show (dubbed in Russian) before bed.

Wed - Nov 19 - At 2:30 pm in Moscow we take off for the US!...Oksana is primed and excited and we are thrilled to be heading home! At 5:00 pm in Chicago we clear immigration - Mark and I both breath a very audible sigh of relief! We laugh as Oksana observes the family before us and grumbles about the ink she will have to put on her finger for the required fingerprint! At 9:30 we land in Dallas - Mark's parents meet us with fudge for our choc-o-holic and take us to our car at the office. Oksana asks us question upon question in the dark about where she is and what is this or that. We arrive home to the girls waiting with a banner across the kitchen arch that says "welcome" in both Russian and English. Hannah made Snickers brownie cupcakes for her new sister - I think everyone has figured out she likes chocolate! We have fun introducing our new daughter to her home and sisters - and then head off to bed (finding out later that Hannah and Oksana stay up till 2 "talking" using the free translation available on the computer! :)

Once home... Oksana has brought much laughter and fun! She has moments here and there of loneliness or wanting to immerse herself in "all things Russian" instead of English - but she has amazed us with her joyful attitude and how she is adapting. A couple of highlights: * Mark nicknamed Oksana "soul-she-nee-ska" (sunshine) while we were in Moscow - much to her delight. So when Hannah and Marin found that out - they proceeded to sing "You are my soulsheneeska" to Oksana on Saturday morning - Oksana just laughed and laughed at that. * Her typing in the translator that Tori had "good taste" when they went shopping one day * God's special provision of a teacher at Prosper High who already speaks Russian whom she met when we visited - not to mention a couple here in Prosper from our church, a gal at Mark's office, and adopted teen in Allen - and so many more! * Watching our world through her eyes...especially when I took her to the pep rally at the high school Friday morning to see Tori's dance team...she didn't know what a band was, a drum line...etc....she laughed, participated and appeared to think we were a bit crazy here in America * upon meeting Jordan and Emily Oksana types on the translator that Emily is "delightful" and Jordan is a "merry fellow" *The girls teaching her body parts in English by singing "head and shoulders, knees and toes.." * Oksana telling our adoption rep (who is from Russia) yesterday that she is happy and living in a fun,crazy, family * The crazy way Hannah communicates with her - by parroting back any of Oksana's Russian (not at all accurately) and the way Oksana just laughs and laughs * Oksana refusing to try some garlic/cheese bread...and Hannah "making" her try it: a big smile on Oksana says "da (yes)...ymmmm.ymmmm!" as she takes another bite This is more than you need to know. We covet your prayers - for as Mark said - one adventure is over and another is beginning. Oksana will be home here working on English until the new semester starts in January. We see her English growing daily - it is amazing to us, but she has a LONG journey ahead. Pray for patience for all of us, for strength to work through all the changes here at home...and for God, most of all, to allow our lives to be a witness to her of His love and that she would come to faith. Mark and I are both amazed as to how this winsome, very independent, and incredibly brave young lady has wormed her way into our hearts...it is definitely from Him. Pray for the friends left behind...and that God would use Oksana to further His kingdom...we love each of you - thanks for sharing the journey! If not for your prayers for us - I am sure this challenging journey would have been - and would continue to be - far more difficult.

Blessings! Debi

"Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us..." Eph. 3:20