Saturday 14 April 2007

If our destination here is within a mile or so we will usually walk. The San Remo internet café is about three quarters of a mile west of the apartment along the main drag that passes the north (front) side of the apartment building. That’s equivalent to walking from our South Jordan home north to the Maverik store, to which we never walk because it offers nothing of value except for gasoline; so walking there is pointless unless you’re pushing a car. Just before you get to San Remo is a very broad intersection that you may either cross over, if you dare, where one of the intersecting streets narrows; or you mamy cross under from any one of the corners. To do so, you descend about thirty steps to a totally unlit tunnel briefly reminiscent of the Paris sewers labyrinth as described by Victor Hugo, except that they are not as complex or as filled with excrement and rats – not quite. From the tunnel you may emerge at any one of the other three corners you wish, provided you can make the correct unlit turn under there. Susan will risk venturing halfway across the street, pausing on the lane dividing line while cars whiz by on either side, awaiting “safe” passage to the other side, rather than go under the street.

When we encountered such underground passages in Kiev they seemed like an idea that ought to picked up in the US. In contrast to Sumy’s tunnels, however, Kiev had installed businesses and even upscale malls along the passageways. There was nothing fearsome about them.

A couple of blocks west of the San Remo are McDonalds and the immense Eko Supermarket on opposite sides of the street corner. The ground level of the supermarket offers many of the usual items you would find in a grocery store. The three levels above offer pretty much everything else in the world you might want.

While Paul Dodge and I were completing our blog and e-mail business at San Remo Susan, Patty and Jeffrey walked to the supermarket to buy provisions for the weekend, especially for the big meal planned with guests after church on Sunday. The shopping carts at the supermarket are a little larger than the ones our grandchildren push around our house. But that’s all that would fit down the narrow aisles of the store. The girls were about ready to check out when I arrived. Going through the checkstand is an experience. The check sits in a comfortable chair wearing a paper hat that you might have seen on a clerk in a 1950s ice cream parlor. She only moves her arms to scan the items. Once the customer unloads some of the cart or basket and the clerk begins scanning, someone (else?) has to rush to the other end of the checkstand which collects the items for bagging. The trouble is this area is only about fifteen inches square. So it fills up and the items must be bagged and the bags set on the floor almost immediately. That is my job. I don’t know how one person alone with a sizeable amount of groceries could handle it without the hearing some unintelligible (to us) Ukrainian vituperative and a flip of her head indicating the problem that requires immediate resolution on the other end.

I loaded the bags as full as I could because the bags cost money. Susan usually has a store of them in her purse, but no this time. We each carried two or three bags a mile back to the apartment. We carried the bags up the dark, dank stairwell five flights to our room to avoid the darker, danker, 3’ x 3’ elevator, where a dog, cat, person, or all three, had relieved it(him/her)self.

After lunch we rode the bus to the school. Paul let the children watch “Lion King 1-1/2” on his portable DVD player in one of the group rooms. I caught a few winks. Afterward we took the children to the nearby store. They were expecting a sweet treat, but we only bought fruit for them this time. They were clearly disappointed and there was some subtle pouting. Later, however, we gave them each a package of candy to share with their classmates. We consciously wanted to help them learn that they will not always get everything they want when they want it.

When we returned to the apartment, Vern, Andrew and Natalie were there, having just arrived from Kiev to stay until Vern and Andrew fly to the US a week from Monday. We all went to the pizza place across the street for dinner. We now have seven people (three family units) living in this two-bedroom apartment. It will be a little crowded but we’ll all make it work.

Sunday 15 April 2007

We walked to church in downtown Sumy this morning and awaited the arrival of our children. They showed up a little late. It was testimony meeting today and a few sisters, the branch president and an elder bore their testimonies. Patty Dodge also bore her testimony to her new daughters and expressed her desire for them to be baptized. The Sunday School lesson was the DVD “Finding Faith in Christ” in Russian. It seemed to go over well. The combined youth meeting was also taught by Annie, one of our translators and a returned missionary. She taught about the priesthood and priesthood blessings. Vern, Paul and I each gave an experience with priesthood blessings. I talked about how my oldest sons gave us blessings before we left and how they gave us confidence that the adoption process here would go well. While we don’t know exactly how things will work out, we are certain it will be in accordance with the Lord’s will and will be best. The children were asked if they pray and they all answered, “Da.”

Natalie, the nonmember translator, shared some things with Patty and Susan. Natalie was trying to prepare the children for the court tomorrow as they will be asked if they want to be adopted by us and why. Dodges’ girls told her that they had prayed for a family, that they knew that Paul and Patty love them, and that they have never been treated this well by anyone in all their lives. Similarly, Dasha, Stan and Toli had prayed for a family. It was especially important to them that their new family be believers. They are comfortable with us in our home here. Dasha expressed that she feels like she has known us for a long time and that we are her real parents. This is all very heartwarming.

There was a little doctrinal meat and some unnecessary spices served before the children are even accustomed to milk. Hopefully, they do not try to assimilate everything but rather dwell on the simple truths shared today. They have been handed clear testimony. There can be no question in their minds now what our intentions are regarding their conversions. We’ll see how it goes from here.

Susan and Patty prepared a big dinner of rotisserie chicken, potatoes, vegetable salad, fruit salad, and cake to feed fourteen people (5 adults, 2 translators and 7 children). The challenge was that we have very few plates or silverware and no serving dishes. The children all ate heartily. They just enjoyed being in a home. We will meet the children at court tomorrow morning. We thank all for your prayers, faith and support!!