We make contact

Gene found them! He relays that they girls were excited to know that we sent him there and that it was done very soon after they got back. He said that Zina had written a letter to us and she could not mail it. It seems that she did not get the envelopes and stamp money that we gave to the caretaker. He said he will take the letter, translate it, and mail it the next day. He took pictures of the girls and a picture of a card Zina made for us. It is the third picture and it says,

Heidi and Felix
Merry Christmas

I love you my family
I love you my home
I love you my cat (Pepper slept on her most nights)
I love you my frandlili (she is refering to our friend and translator Lilya)

I vont Colorado (we guess she means I want to live in Colorado)

Gene gives us some news that Rimma has changed her mind. We don't know why or if she just got caught up in the moment while she was here. She did state once when she was here to Lilya that she didn't understand why no one would adopt her, so we are a little confused. No worries though. We would never ask or make her do anything that is not in her heart, but we may help her get registered so that if she ever changes her mind, she may get a nice family. Perhaps it is her youth and not understanding what is at stake. Perhaps she has been contacted by family or by someone in the Virginia visit. Whatever the reason, we will honor her wishes. Gene said that Zina confirmed this in her letter to us.

Zina, however, wants to be with us. She is ready to go, but in our letters to them (we have written 3 in the past 3 weeks) I remind her to be strong and brave. I remind her that the process will be a couple of years and with God's blessing, we will help her. It is our sincere desire to adopt her if we can get her registered. If that never happens, we will help her get to the US, even if she is over the adoptable age. It is a promise I made to her and to God, "I will come for you" I said at the airport on the day she departed. Those were my last words to her in person. This child is our daughter, no matter what government, distance, or birth certificate states.




Rimma 11(left) & Zina 12(right)