Summer Holidays

Samara Scrapbook

The Turnip

Family Story

Travel Tips

Reader's Poll

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Program Update

We are very pleased that the Russia Program continues to move along at a fairly fast pace. The summer months of July and August are usually a bit more slow, because many Russians (including officials) take four week long vacations during these months. However, families who have recently submitted dossiers may expect to travel for their first trip within just a couple of months.
      A very special Thank You goes out to Janet DiLascio. While in Russia in June to adopt her infant daughter Sydney, Janet became quite moved by the toddlers in the orphanage, and the lack of certain toys for their age range. As a result, she and her sister Jodi decided to donate some new and very sturdy climbing equipment for the children. The playground equipment was purchased in Moscow and shipped to Kazan.
      Families who receive referrals from Kazan must be aware of a new requirement. From the day a family receives information on the child, the family has only ten days to decide whether to proceed with the adoption. This ten days has been decreased from a previous time limit of twenty days. In light of the new regulations, we suggest that, if you are expecting a referral from Kazan, you take some time now to decide which U.S. medical specialist will review the child's information, and determine in advance how and where to copy a videotape and medical reports.

Summer Holidays

Summertime in Russia brings about a few very interesting holidays, celebrated widely throughout the country. However, even before the summer begins, one of the most interesting holidays occurs.
      Each year on the 24th of May, the Slavonic Foundation of Russia, together with religious, governmental and public organizations, conducts the Days of Slavonic Literature and Culture in Moscow. The celebrations, in part, memorialize the Holy Brothers Cyril and Methodius. The two brothers are now referred to as Cyril and Methodius "Equal-to-the-Apostles, Enlighteners of the Slavs". Their contributions to Russian culture are great: the brothers created the Cyrillic alphabet, taught it to the people, and created the basis of Russian national, cultural and religious identity. The celebrations, usually held between May 18 and June 1, are marked with concerts, meetings with writers and poets, exhibitions and festivals in many schools, theaters and parks.
      June brings about a very important Christian holiday. The feast of the Holy Trinity (Svataya Troyitsa) or Pentecost, is dedicated to the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles on the fiftieth day after the Resurrection of Christ (Easter). This event brought into existence the Church of Christ, and gave rise to the Christian faith on earth. The meaning of the Holy Trinity is thus: God the Father laid the basis for the church in the Old Testament; the Son brought it's meaning into words; and the Spirit acts within it.
      In Russian tradition, the Feast of the Holy Trinity is celebrated through decoration. Villagers will nail tree branches to their front porches and gates, transforming houses into fairytale-like wood dwellings. Indoors, the floors are covered with cut grass. In city dwellings, people will simply bring bundles of grass inside, or bunches of wild flowers. In the month of August, there are three holidays related to Jesus, which are called the First Savior, the Second Savior and the Third Savior. The Three Saviors, in Russian, are called "Spas".
      The First Savior (The Honey Spas) is the feast of the Presentation of the Holy and Life-Giving Cross, celebrated on August 14.

Trista Ehlers, adoptive Mom of Laine (this issue's "cover-boy"), is planning to put together a scrapbook of children adopted from Samara. If your child was adopted from Samara and you would like to participate, please write a letter (150 words or less) including your child's Russian last name and orphanage number, and send it to Trista by September 1 along with two or three photos.

Enjoy this story about sharing, which we have copied from "Russian Fairy Tales: Palekh Painting"by Alexei Orleansky.

Grandpa planted a turnip and said:

"Grow turnip, grow. Grow up strong and sweet."

And it grew as strong and as sweet as can be,

the biggest turnip you ever did see.

Grandpa went out to pull up the turnip.

He took tight hold of the turnip top

And he pulled and pulled till he had to stop.

But the turnip stayed in the ground.

Then Grandpa called Grandma.

Grandma held onto Grandpa;

Grandpa held tight to the turnip top.

They pulled and pulled till they had to stop.

But the turnip stayed in the ground.

Then Grandma called their granddaughter Anya.

Anya held onto Grandma;

Grandma held onto Grandpa;

Grandpa held tight to the turnip top.

They pulled and pulled till they had to stop.

But the turnip stayed in the ground.

Then Anya called their dog named Danya.

Danya held onto Anya;

Anya held onto Grandma;

Grandma held onto Grandpa;

Grandpa held tight to the turnip top.

They pulled and pulled till they had to stop.

But the turnip stayed in the ground.

      When I began to write our adoption story of Russia, I couldn't think of how to put into words the joy and wonder of it all. Not only of our beautiful baby boy, but of the kindness and efforts of so many people who helped to bring him home.
      As I think back, our story began on October 16, 2000. That is when we attended a World Child International orientation meeting at our town library. After all of our researching and attending many adoption seminars, we left the library that night knowing that this was the road we were going to travel. Looking back on all of the forms we filled out, the notarizing, the apostilles, and the endless paperwork; it all seems so far away now. It was only busywork - and to receive such a precious gift in the end!
      We finally received a referral and video for a ten-month old baby boy in early September 2001. He had big blue eyes, dark blonde curly hair, and was very intent on getting a hold of the lens cap of the video camera! He was beautiful! Jack became imprinted on our hearts and we have loved him immensely ever since. Three days after receiving Jack's video, the tragedies of September 11th occurred. We watched and listened as the horrors of that day unfolded. Our hearts went out the countless victims and their families. In the back of our minds we wondered how this would affect our adoption plans and if we would be allowed to travel at all.
      We were apprehensive about many things. Was the medical report we received on this baby truly accurate? Would he be ok and what if he wasn't? Neither of us spoke Russian or had ever traveled so far away before. Would we be safe? What would happen in the Russian courts? What if they denied us or mandated the ten-day waiting period? So much was at stake and with all the paperwork back and forth to Russia, surely something would go wrong!

      We remained positive, but a new element of fear was added as we prepared to travel overseas just six weeks after the September 11th tragedies. We told ourselves that our baby was in Russia waiting for us. We had to go and get him, so we put our fears aside and focused on bringing him home. As our plane left for Moscow, we felt the thoughts and prayers of family and friends going with us.
      From the time of our arrival in Moscow to the time we left for home, we were so well cared for by the wonderful people of World Child, always feeling safe, secure, well fed and comfortable. The only time we were alone was in our room at night. We were fortunate that our travel time was one week and only one trip, knowing that most areas of Russia now require two trips to complete the adoption process.
      I tried to soak in everything possible while we were in Russia. It was Jack's homeland and I wanted to remember all the sights and sounds of Russia and not become totally overwhelmed by the adoption process itself. This trip was by no means a vacation, but I wanted to experience the beauty and culture of Russia wherever possible so that I would have good memories to share with Jack.
      Moscow was a wonderful city. It reminded me of a combination of New York City and Toronto. It was very cosmopolitan and the American influence was seen everywhere. To finally see Red Square was very exciting! It took our breath away! St. Basil's Cathedral with its turrets of flowing lines and color was magnificent! The Kremlin was a formidable, yet beautiful structure. The red star atop it's main tower shined in the sunlight as if it were made up entirely of rubies. Our guide told us that Red Square is so named because in the Slavic language the word red also means beautiful. It has no connection to communism or the color of the former Soviet flag as many Americans assume. Indeed, Red Square was very "red"

      We found the Russian people very warm and friendly. Perhaps we had expected some of the cold and hard nature of the Soviet era to still linger. Perhaps we watch too many movies! Many expressed concern and deep sympathy to the September 11th attacks on our country. We were told that during that time the Russian people had adorned the front steps of the American Embassy with flowers.
      We are so grateful to all of the people who helped to bring Jack home. I have a page in Jack's baby book listing all those wonderful people - from the coordinators at World Child to the travel agent who made our airline reservations. So many names! We thank you with all of our hearts!
      I will feel forever connected to Russia in my heart. Whenever I watch, read or listen to news of Russia, it now has much more meaning. I have a clock in my house that is set on Moscow time so that I can always know what time it is there. Sometimes I miss Russia. I often think of all the people we met along the way, and I miss them. I miss the sights, the sounds, the language...a part of me fell in love with Russia. How could I not, for Russia gave to us our beautifulbaby boy.

- Annie G.

We would like to get some feedback on how many families celebrate the anniversary of the day on which your child became yours, and how you make this day special for your family.

Please answer the following questions by e-mail to kmarsh@worldchild.com :

• Are you a waiting family, or have you completed your adoption?
• If home with your child, do you currently celebrate your child's Adoption Day?
• If you are waiting, do you plan to celebrate Adoption Day?
• How do you currently, or plan to, make this day special?

We will make the poll results available to you in a later edition. Thanks for your responses!

REMINDER: Please consider sharing personal anecdotes, adoption experiences, or other information to be included in future issues of this newsletter. You can submit your thoughts and ideas to Nancy Baker at nbaker@worldchild.com or call (703) 536-8523.

We hope to provide you with the Russian newsletter on a regular basis. If you would like to continue receiving the newsletter, but have a new, different or more convenient e-mail address, please reply to nbaker@worldchild.com and let Nancy know. However, if you would prefer not to receive this e-mail newsletter, please e-mail Nancy at the address above and your name will be removed from the newsletter mailing list.