I found out today that for the second time, I'm going to lose a pen pal. This might not initally sound like something I should be ecstatic about, but trust me--I am!
For the past 5 months, I've been exchanging letters with a little girl named Nastia in an orphanage in Odessa, Ukraine. She's earnest and sweet, and has been utterly dejected since her best friend was adopted by a family in the US a couple months ago. Weeell, today I found out (from the friend who lives in Odessa and translates my letters) that, though Nastia doesn't know it yet, a family is trying to adopt her. Not just any family, but one that is close friends with the one who adopted her best friend! Whoo! Double plus! So pray, cross your fingers, light a candle, or whatever it is you do in hopes that there won't be any problems with the adoption.
Last year my pen pal was a 13 year old boy named Dima. He'd been the parent to his three younger siblings on the street before they were put into the orphanage. He was so terrified that someone might adopt one of the other siblings, and they'd never see each other again. His dream was that they'd all be adopted together. Who'd adopt 4 siblings, ranging in age from 5 to 13? Against all odds, (and probably some common sense, but does it matter?) a couple in Maryland did just that. Crazy! I got to chat with their adoptive mom before hand, which was nice. I still get letters and pictures. The kids actually look healthy now, and so darn happy.
I'm so glad people are adopting older kids--the ones who are ready to give up hope that anyone would want them or love them. I have two little brothers from the same orphanage as Nastia and Dima. They've been in the family over a year now, and it feels like they've always been there.
But it still kills me that they say things like, "You know what's cool about living with Mom and Dad? They just give me food. I don't even have to pay for it." An eleven year old shouldn't have to think like that.
2 comments:
steph,
that's so cool that you are pen pals with kids in that orphanage, i'm sure they love hearing from you. and we will be praying that your pen pal does get adopted! i think that is a great thing to adopt older kids too, you're right. most people want babies, but i think it's the older kids that maybe need it the most...
oh my god. I am sending this to my husband. though I have said repeatedly that I never want to have more kids, what I really mean is that I don't want to give birth to more. what I'd like ideally is to adopt an older child. this is exactly why.
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