Yep, she has a cell phone!

Our friend Ellie who speaks Russian & Ukrainian made contact with R & Z this morning, evening their time. Zina does in fact have a cell phone. It was given to her by an Italian family. We know that R & Z went on a hosting trip to Italy in 2006. I'm not sure still how she came by the cell phone or what to do about calling her. Perhaps we could find out more and pick up the bill? Zina made it clear that she wishes to be adopted by only us and she wants to come to Colorado.

Ellie spoke to Rimma and she confirmed that she doesn't want to be adopted. She wouldn't say why just like she wouldn't tell Gene. She apologized dozens of times, Ellie said. She wanted us to know she is sorry and didn't want to hurt our feelings. Ellie asked if she would ever change her mind and she said, maybe. Again, we would never pressure her and we will respect her wishes. We just don't want to getting ready to take Zina home and then have a crying regretful child. So, we will include her in the registration process.

When Ellie asked Zina if she changed her mind, she said no. In fact, in Ellie's words, she said she wants to come, with an exclamation point!

We fear that Zina doesn't understand that this will take a long time, even though we have expressed this again and again. We will make a point of writing her every week and letting her know we care and we are here. And, of course, reminding her to be patient. I know that this is the toughest part of all for a 12 year old.

Sometimes I wonder if we did the right thing by telling her early and before she left that we want to adopt her and we will come for her one day. But then I am reminded of what she said that last night with us...about having hope and that time will be easier now.

I am also comforted in the words of a book that I am reading now entitled, Fields of the Fatherless by C. Thomas Davis. On page 86, he talks of The Power of Planting Seeds. There he writes,

"One of the most significant seeds we can ever plant - especially in the life of
someone who is fatherless - is the seed of hope. A field has no hope of a future
crop without the planting of a seed. Hope is vital to every person's survival,
especially when the odds are completely against him."