Meeting Sergey

10 April 2011

Our train ride to Odessa was a lot more pleasant this time since we had the whole cabin to ourselves.  It was also a newer train so everything was really clean.  From the Odessa train station we had to take a 3 hour long taxi ride to Izmail.  We dropped our luggage off at the VIP Hotel.  Then we took a taxi to the orphanage.  When we first arrived at the orphanage the front doors were locked.  We had to walk around to the back.  Outside there were a couple of boys playing soccer.  One was a little guy kicking the soccer ball against the orphanage wall.  The other boy was around “our Sergey’s” age and he was sitting on the picnic table watching the boy kick the soccer ball.  He was laughing because the little boy missed the ball and tripped on it.  He waved at us and we waved back. 

We followed our translator into the orphanage and down the long hallway to find the director.  The orphanage was clean, but it smelled old and like a cafeteria.  The director agreed to allow us to have an “unofficial” meeting with Sergey today on Sunday.  The first official meeting for all legal purposes has to occur tomorrow, the next business day.  While inside the little boys’ sleeping area a teenage boy spoke to the caregiver in Russian then he turned and spoke to us in English, “Sergey is outside playing.”  That’s when it dawned on me since there were only 2 boys outside that the boy on the picnic table that waved to us was our boy!  The teenage boy said in English, “Sergey loves futbol A LOT” and he turned and went down stairs to get Sergey. 

When Sergey came up the stairs he came right up to me and wrapped his arms around me and gave me two big hugs and said “Mama” and then he said “Papa” and gave Tim a hug as well.  We went down stairs in the meeting area and spent probably 2 hours with him.  We gave him some Legos and candy as a gift.  We played Jenga with him and his friends.  He showed us how he can do cart wheels and walk on his hands.  I can tell he's a great boy!!! We're praying everything runs smoothly tomorrow for our official meeting.  I was taken back by how well today’s meeting went.  I must admit, I have been very skeptical this whole last couple of days.  But he called us Mama and Papa the whole time today!!!!  I am anxious to go back tomorrow and see how things go.