Update from Kemerovo

It's soooooo good to see Anya. She has a new close friend, Ira ( Ivonka) and they have come to visit us every day. The housekeeper here at the gustinitza is being rude and told Anya she cannot sleep here, but we are going to try to have her stay for a night before we leave. I forgot how crazy things are in this part of the world!  Seeing everything through Kim & Bridget's eyes is reminding me how very different it is here.


Some things that I had forgotten that are pretty ridiculous: we are alloted one roll of TP for 4 people every three days. And these are Russian rolls of TP that last maybe a day for one person! So, of course, we went to the market to buy TP for our hotel room...lol. Our bed is a pullout couch from the Soviet Era. Not exaggerating. IT is old. It has never been used as a bed before. It is hard as a rock and the most uncomfortable thing I have ever slept on in 46 years...including all camping experiences. I didn't want to complain, but the first night I couldn't sleep at all, so I explained to the housekeeper about it and asked for a blanket to soften it, and she said no! So, back to the market to buy a comforter. Ah, Russia.


Aside from seeing Anya, the best part of the trip thus far was seeing my Shakespeare students yesterday. I love them so much. No, I ADORE THEM. I took Bridget and Kim to the school  (Nastia slept in) and Bridget was treated to a full tour of the school AND an impromptu question and answer session in an 8th grade English class! Bridget was soooo shy, it was adorable. But she did answer a few questions and quickly became the school celebrity! As we left the classroom, a group of 6th graders swarmed her, all bellowing "Hello! Hello!" and wanted photos with  'the American' and when she told them she had written her email address on the board in the 8th graders room, they all rushed in there to write it down! She already has at least one penpal:)


We then took all my students out for lunch at our old haunt, The Travellers Cafe. I had already decided I would use my work credit card to buy them a 'celebration dinner' as most of them are graduating this week.  (They are my Shakespeare students, after all!)  I'll post photos when I figure out how to move Kim's photos into my archives. I've never done that before.


On the orphanage front, things are in limbo, but I am refusing to give in to despair. Tomorrow, God willing, I will go with Svetlana before the Regional Director of Orphanges and request permission to visit. This delay is all due to one woman, who shall remain nameless here, to be safe. This woman decided, although it is her job, that she would refuse to issue us the invitation because  she is 'tired of all this work' and she 'shouldn't have to do it.' This is the woman who has held up our Host program for going on 8 months now. It is within her power to approve it, but she 'doesnt like the work involved'. So we wait and wait and wait. Can you believe there is such a heartless person in the world? Believe it...she is the one who issues all referrals for adoptions in Kemerovo, too. Maybe now you understand why adoptions in this region are nearly at a stand still these past few years.


Well, just keep praying. The Orphanage Director and all the kids are so disappointed we are not there today as planned.  But we're going to figure this out. I didnt come 6,000 miles with 450 lbs of gifts to be turned away. I hand it all over to God, who has a FAR better perspective than I do. He will do what He deems best.  More in a few hours, with photos!


Please comment while I'm here. It motivates me to post when I know there are readers. Otherwise, exhaustion makes me too lazy! Comments please!