Remembering Zina and Rimma

Zina called us today. We had been trying to call her all morning, but to no avail. She did our usual routine of dropping a call into us and we called her right back. All incoming calls are free for them. Despite the ration of 25 grivna on the phone each month, the girls manage to use it all up by calling and texting each other at the internat.

Zina was noticeably upset as she asked for a translator. Usually when she does that, she wants to go into some detail in her conversations. We obliged her and got Lilya on the phone and returned a three way call to her. Thank you for your help today, Lilya!

Zina explained that she was upset because yet again one of her caretakers (we know who, just not saying) has been telling her that she will never be able to come home to us and she will never be eligible for adoption. A few friends have been telling her the same. These people that have been telling her these things don't know about her situation and are speculating. I don't know if they are intentionally hurting her feelings, but they need to stop. She knows we are doing all we can and that it is a document problem. We reassured her that it is our intention to return for her and Rimma once they are eligible. Without going into much detail, we told her that we have secured the help of a good lawyer who says registering her is possible. She knows we are doing all we can and in her words, "she just needed to hear our voices ." We let her know too that if she never gets registered that we would try to bring her home with a student visa. She asked if there was anything that she could do and we told her to pray and to be on her best behavior, not to anger anyone. She told us that she and Rimma pray for their dream to be with us, everyday.

She asked if it were possible that she and Rimma could come home and spend the summer with us. We said that we would try and we reminded both girls that we asked the director last summer and he said no. But, that was before he knew of us. Zina said that it is her English teacher's dream to travel to America too and Heidi and I asked the teacher in November if she would chaperon the girls if we could get permission for them to come. We promised to try again, but we couldn't guarantee that the director would say yes or that visas could be secured for all three. The girls were satisfied with our answer.

We talked to Rimma for awhile too. She said that she pretends and dreams everyday that we will come for them. She too prays and asks for us to be a family. I know the Lord hears these little girls and that they will be home forever, one day.

~ Felix ~