Monday-Friday, May 2-6
We visited the orphanage every day. Some things are universal. Ukrainian dogs put cats up trees. Mischievous Ukrainian boys chase screaming Ukrainian girls with lizards. Etc. Something new for us was that we ventured onto public transport in an effort to save money. The first day, Monday, we took the right bus/van to the orphanage, but the wrong bus back to town. At the end of the route, we were basically evicted from the bus at a location we had never visited before. About that same time, our new friend, Kyle, also from the states happened to call—a God thing to be sure. He had his friend, Helen, give us a call. Helen had me give my phone to a pedestrian nearby who was able to tell Helen where we were. A cab arrived in 5 minutes to take us to our apartment. Thereafter, we took the right bus back to town.
Saturday, Sunday, Monday May 7, 8, and 9
The adoption court order became effective on Saturday, May 7. Praise the Lord! Yvan became Jonathan Evan Jones. It was really anti-climactic though. We went to the orphanage to pick him up for a 3-day weekend. That weekend was great. On Saturday, Oleg, our cab driver, took Jonathan and me to a children’s arcade/play center. Jonathan and I had a good time. We rode bumper cars, played arcade games, shot air rifles. He bowled and played in big play station. Oleg shot better than I did in the air rifle gallery. Saturday night, we visited New Hope worship center in town. This is basically a nondenominational worship center led by Pastor John from the Vancouver area. Many internationals attend there and many locals. The room was filled with people.
On Sunday, Oleg delivered a dozen roses to Lisa for Mother’s Day that was a gift from Jared and Jason. (Lisa was quite surprised at this!) Also, Jonathan drew her a card and presented her with some chocolate candy. Later, Lisa, Jonathan, and I went to the Baptist church near the orphanage at Matveevka. There we dedicated Jonathan to the Lord. Pastor Nikolai was gracious enough to let me preach again. Dr. Vladimir from the seminary in Zaporizhzhya was visiting also, and he translated fabulously for me. The church presented Jonathan with a Bible Story book that is in Russian. A few ladies served a wonderful meal at lunch downstairs in the fellowship hall. The table was beautifully set and it was a meal of several courses. Pastor Nikolai and I discussed a ministry to provide transitional assistance to orphans who age out of the system into the real world.
On Monday, Jonathan, Lisa, Sergei and I walked the street in Zaporizhzhya. It was Victory Day. This day marks the anniversary that the German surrender in WWII took effect in Moscow. This is a big deal because Ukraine was occupied in WWII. Afterward, Lisa returned to the apartment, but Sergei, Jonathan and I walked to the Neipr Ricca (Neipr River). It is huge like the Mississippi, and it dissects the country from North to South. Basically, the region to the West is more pro-Western and the region to the East is more Pro-Soviet. There was a red tent with red communist literature on the street and a few people were adorning their insignia but most were wearing memorial ribbons to commemorate the soldiers who fought during WWII. There were many old gentlemen dressed sharply wearing their medals and few old ladies who were donning some too.
So there were 3 significant days in a row. Adoption Day on the 7th, Mother’s Day on the 8th, and Victory Day on the 9.
Tuesday-Saturday, May 10-14, 2011
On Tuesday, we went to Vondansk to file papers for a name change on Jonathan’s national registration. Everyone has a national ID# and his name had to be changed now that he is a Jones. This has proven to be a hold up on everything. He was born in the Zaporizhzhya region but now lives in the Vondansk region. So the office in town could NOT file his name change, but the one about 40 minutes away had to do so. (This was supposed to take only 3 days, but today is Saturday, 4 days later, and the change has not posted in the Ukrainian system, and we cannot get his Ukrainian passport without this change being posted and we cannot be processed at the US Embassy without his passport.) We also tried to get his passport pictures taken and make application for his passport but the office would not oblige us. We had to have a notary/advocate prepare the application. Everything has to have a notary/advocate (basically an attorney) prepare it. By Friday, the registration change had still not transpired.
On Friday, we made a wasted trip to pick up the name change but it had come in. We also had a going away party at the orphanage for Jonathan (something I missed because of the wasted trip to Vondansk.) We took 2 cakes, potato chips (a big hit), fruit juice, and candy sufficient for 25 as we had been instructed, but we had twice as much. So left the balance with his class. When he was telling his class goodbye, he hugged all the boys, and shook all the girls’ hands. There was a big group hug. The cab driver said that Jonathan seemed to him to be a leader in his class. We took pictures. Jonathan Evan Jones left the orphanage for good. He seemed very glad—not sad at all.
On Saturday, we looked at books together, played with pillows making a huge cave on the sprawling living room sofa, and took a long walk to buy some things. Later, we will catch a train from Zaporizhzhya to Kiev around 7:30. We told our cab driver, Oleg, farewell. This man has been a tremendous help. He not only shuttled us most places we needed to go, he also translated and smoothed over some situations for us. He understands Americans pretty well, and he knows the culture here. He has done this many times and it shows. His expertise, though he said he had none, was priceless. He has been a God send in this process. By the way, it is thundering outside today for the first time. When we arrived in April, we arrived in snow and ice and bare trees. Today, it is thundering, trees are covered with leaves and blossoms, and the weather has warmed considerably.
We have delegated authority to our agents in Zaporizhzhya to pick up documents and process paperwork for us here so we can proceed with travel to Kiev. I doubt that our goal of flying out on Saturday, May 21, will be realized. But with God all things are possible!
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