Bringing up to date

Dear Family and Friends,

Sergiy's grandmother-in-law passed away Friday night. The plans we had with Sergiy on Saturday had to be altered as they had the funeral right away. We were moving from a temporary apartment we moved into the first night, back to the "white" apartment. Poor Sergiy had to schedule it all while balancing the family's funeral services. We all knew we had to move and felt bad he had to do this. It all turned out okay in the end.

I believe I have brought you fairly well up-to-date at this point. We are back down near the orphanage in the "white" apartment that is clean and safe. They put a pretty pink duvet cover and sheets on the bed this time. It makes the apartment feel happy and it feels a bit like spring. Since it's a small studio apartment, this is the main furniture in the room and it helps cheer the place up. John bought me some flowers from a woman on the street (there are many women who do this) and they look cheery sitting on the counter as well.

Sergiy arranged for a taxi driver named Sasha to pick us up. We've used Sasha before. Sasha picked up our luggage we had stored here last week. He brought it to us, then took us to the orphanage to see Vala. This will be the first time we go without Sergiy. It was the one time we've needed him.

When we arrived at the orphanage, the doors were locked and a sign was posted on the door. We can't read the language, so we knew this was odd, but couldn't tell what we were to do. Eventually a woman let us in, we think she helps in the kitchen. We've only vaguely seen her before and she was telling us something in earnest that we couldn't understand.

We tried our best to tell her we were there to see Vala, hoping she would recognize the name. She was not going to let us past the narrow front hallway. She finally went to the director's office for backup. The director wasn't there but more kitchen help came out and were trying to tell us the same thing. I finally started asking for "Junior" and saying "translate".

Someone went to get Vala, who was happy to see us, but was being held at arm's length by the women. Vala burst through their roadblock when they weren't looking, coming straight to my arms for a hug. Then she went straight to John for a hug from him. The woman was beside herself! Finally, Junior showed up and was able to translate a bit of what was said.

We were ushered to a special visiting room with just John, Vala, Junior and myself. Evidentially the country is in a quarantine state. There have been many people who have died recently from the flu (if I understand correctly) and some high up person shut down all the schools, institutions, meetings, etc. - any place were people congregate - due to the deaths and sicknesses. They have shut and locked down the orphanages too.

We've seen people walking around in masks, but didn't know what to think of it. It's a big disadvantage to not being able to speak the language. There could be a serious outbreak and we'd never know! We don't know what the news is saying!

But God is protecting us, even here. No one at the orphanage is sick, praise God. They forced the kids to take a 3 hour nap, I think as a precaution to keep them healthy. The children are not allowed outside. It was only because of our ignorance to the language that we were let in. It kind of felt like a Hollywood story line with a secret plot to enter the orphanage..... we're so tricky! but we didn't even know what we were doing! lol

We were able to play a game of Kimble that we bought in Kiev. They have very few games here. We left our deck of cards with them too. We bought dominoes as well and plan on taking that to them later this week. Junior won our Kimble game. Kimble is just like "Trouble" with a dice in a plastic globe in the middle. You move your pieces around the track and try to get them safely in the "home" place before anyone lands on you and gets you sent back. It's a fun game that we can play with out needing to speak the same language. We were so thankful to have found it. There are very few games and toys here in Ukraine and at the orphanage. We are blessed in America more than we know.

Sergiy will pick us up tomorrow and we will again take care of some business and go out to visit Vala and the other children for a bit. As long as they are healthy, we will go. The quarantine is set for no less than 3 weeks. No school for them during that entire time - how boring!

I have some great pictures of St. Andrew's Church in Kiev that I want to share with you in the next blog. It's a beautiful building that I just can't capture in photos or words. But I'll try.

Much love to you all!
For His glory only,
Jenn