Encouragement!

The whole way to our visit today we prayed that we would at least be able to come away encouraged and not discouraged. Our prayers were definitely answered. We walked in the baby house and asked for Oksana. As we waited for them to bring her out we heard her in her room chanting "Ma-Ma, Ma-Ma"! They brought her out and she actually had on a cute flowered dress and her hair was brushed! She immediately pointed at my bag that I bring her fun stuff in. We got out a new toy that is blocks of different colors and shapes that you string onto a piece of string. I really wondered if she could do it but was pleasantly surprised that she did very well with it! The video shows her working on it. Then we had a snack of wafer cookies. Sandie told us that she noticed the children were often thirsty so we brought water this time and I'm glad we did because she loved it. Ellen, you are right, she is a very messy eater! Every now and then a worker will come in to check on us and just ask if everything is OK. Each time they do that Oksana waves to them and says "Paka" which is Goodbye! It cracks all of us up. Even the workers get a kick out of it. After our snack we got out bubbles and we would make her say "bubbles" before I would blow them which sounds more like "guh-bosh" coming from her but oh well, we know what she means. That is in the video too so I hope you can hear it. Each time we would blow the bubbles she would sing, dance, talk, etc. It was very funny. During our time doing bubbles two workers came in to use the desk in the room (you can hear them in the background of the video).

Shortly after the workers came in, the doctor came in with her daughter who was able to translate for us. She asked if we were enjoying our time with Oksana and if she was being good. She told us that they are keeping her legs covered because she just had a massage. Then Oksana started talking and I asked what she was saying. We were told that she said she wants to go home with us! We were surprised but thrilled. She then asked if we would like to take her for a walk and they got her all ready and gave us a stroller. We had ours in the car but didn't feel it was worth the translation when they were already on a mission to get theirs. When we went outside we were thrilled to see lots of people on the grounds. A mission team is here from Michigan and they were playing with the kids from the baby house next door. We got to talk to a few of them and loved speaking English to someone there! Yesterday on our walk one little girl who was playing in a gated area would come to the edge of the gate, smile at us, watch us, and try to interact with us, only to be sternly told "Nyet!" by the worker which means "No". Today she was out with one of the mission team women and she ran over to me, grabbed me, and started saying "Mama, Mama". After that they put her back in the gated area. I've heard this is a common thing that many families experience when they go to these orphanages but experiencing it is hard, very hard. I still tear up thinking about her. A little boy later ran up and grabbed onto Larry and wouldn't let go.

When it was after 12:00 we knew lunch would be coming so we carried her inside and they took her from me and told her to say "Paka". She waved and off she went. Next thing I knew I heard crying. I don't know her voice well enough to know if it was her but I heard a worker speaking and saying "Mama" so I'll just let myself believe it was her and she was finally sad to see us go, even if it wasn't ;). Overall it was a very encouraging visit. We will visit her Tuesday and Wednesday and then court is Thursday.


This girl is obsessed with cars! She was thrilled to see one right along our walking path. Every time we passed it she would say "Machina!" over and over and over again!

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