Hosting Orphans~2 Days and The Big Picture

Reflecting on today, the last week and and this whole month I cannot believe how things can change so quickly. So quickly! An instant. Words can be exchanged and relationships altered forever. Be it lovely vows or hurtful word. Maybe even an unintended, but wrongly taken look, smirk or tone of voice. One week we may be eagerly awaiting dinner out with friends on a much needed Friday night, and a few later we are watching an orphan teach our son how to pop wheelies in our driveway. Things, people, attitudes, lives, times; they all change. But can we trust the change? I don't know. Do I need to believe we can? I do.

The last month has brought bigger change to our house than we ever could have imagined! When we picked Denis & Lena up at the airport late on June 26th we had no idea 1 short, no long, no short, no long, no...WHATEVER! month later we would be so eager to ask them to join our family. We have had a month of getting to know each other, spending time, bonding, doing very normal family things. We had to do the necessary, but fun (except to our wallet) things, like shopping for clothes and groceries. Lots of groceries. We also found ways to show them a good time without building up their expectations of us, or further skewing their view of America or especially of love, and without further stressing our wallet. Those are the things they enjoyed the most. We visited "Papa" at the fire station and got boat rides on the canal, the boys enjoyed bike riding and fishing, lots of swimming, good old fashion driveway basketball, drawing, listening to music and just running around looking for free things to do. Together. We all enjoyed those things the most too! There may be a few things in there we have lost site of and need to refocus our attention. 

Returning to Ukr@ine in just 2 days. There are a couple things I don't like about even typing that! Well more than a couple, but I'll be brief. First, having to veil my words in case the wrong person or powers that be were to stumble onto this little ole blog. That's right you would not believe the scrutiny and danger this hosting program and international adoption is constantly under. It is truly unbelievable! We have been educated, warned and begged and pleaded with to be careful not to do anything to jeopardize these kids, the program or the future of international adoption and orphan care. Not just by this organization, but by others I follow. It's difficult to think that the world is not peaceful and free. But it by no means is. Which is another reason I hate writing "Returning to Ukr@ine". I know some don't believe it can be that bad. Okay.

Because it by no means is peaceful and free, what can we do to further that cause? Do we rescue children? Certainly. What if they don't want rescued? Our 2 are old enough, over 8 years old in U, to decide if they want to be adopted. We do not know what they will say. They do not know what to say. They have been abused, neglected, un-parented and God know what all of their lives. Then they are plopped down in the middle of paradise (to them), but without anyone or anything they know. The are totally ignorant of their own fate, of their own government, their own condition and that of the world and it's dangers in general. How can they make this decision? What if they say "no"? As much as I do not want to think about this, it is a real possibility. What can I tell myself to make ME feel better about them saying "no". To them turning down what could very possibly be the difference between life and death, slavery and freedom. 

Today I must believe their is a big picture. Today. They will leave on Monday after only 1 month with us. If they never return to us have we given them enough to meet the goal we had when we decided to host. The lofty goal of seed planting. Tiny seeds of love and hope that they can take back and show to their friends and perhaps future children that they would never have know had they not come here? Is a month enough to show 2 teens how to break the cycle of abuse and neglect with love a patience? Are they stronger than they were before they came? Can they go back and stand up and do better and be better than the previous generation in Ukr@aine has done? Over 300 orphans, abandoned and broken children were hosted this year from 3 countries. As difficult is to send them back and even more difficult to think they will say "No" to returning to us, is "The Big Picture" going to be positively affected by their remaining in their own countries? Is it ridiculous to even think that a month is enough to make a difference in someone's life! We have 18 years to raise our own children and look around at how that turns out at times. Maybe we take time for granted. Is this how we change the world for the better? A bit at time least? It's easy to want to change to world, but to raise kid's and send the out to change the world is a difficult thing to do. Whether you've had a month or 18 years. 

I promise this, I will fight for these kids with all that I have within me no matter where they are! Just like I would my very own flesh and  blood!   

My, how quickly things change.