Hello… It’s Me Again…
Well, it’s almost 5am local time Thursday morning and I’m sitting in my Ukraine flat with my laptop open and trying to convey to you how much very different life looks, but really it isn’t, only eight hours away. I awoke about 4am with a “little” excitement in my mind about going to discover our son today. After some quiet prayer time, I have decided to use this time to write to you, and burn off some nervous energy. Later, I hope to save this letter to my USB flash drive and download it at the internet cafй. Let’s hope this plan works!
But Wednesday we were only able to send a couple of messages, so today I will first backtrack to Tuesday’s travels. Our flight from STL to Detroit was uneventful. Then we hung out at the airport for the 90 minute lay over, then boarded for Amsterdam (pronounced Amsterdom- for all you home-bound, non-worldly travelers- like I was a few days ago). As we were preparing to “button-down-the-hatches” (another word from a world traveler’s glossary), the pilot informed us that the wind currents were great and that our 7 hr 45 minute flight was looking like 7 hours, but first the temperature in Detroit was 34 degrees, so the plane would get “iced-down” before take-off. So a few minutes later we backed away from the terminal & they sprayed the plane’s wing directional parts (not official glossary terminology) down with a liquid substance to keep them from freezing during takeoff. Then we sat there, then we sat longer, and then we see this man in a highly decorated uniform (looking like the captain) walking through the plane to get to the back end. No, I’m was not an experienced world traveler at that point yet, but I found myself thinking- “he should probably be using the bathroom in first class, not walking back 36 rows to visit the one in the kitchen area- this can’t be good”. Sure enough, after he walked back to his control booth, here comes the intercom again- “Attention passengers, after our brief de-icing, the crew reported a noise in the rear of the plane. After a brief negative visual internal check, we have decided to pull back to the gate & have a maintenance crew examine the cargo area.” (translation- there’s no smoke, but there could be fire, and we ain’t in Demark yet!) So we had to wait for a crew, wait to pull back to a gate, wait for a few guys with fire extinguishes to poke around in the cargo area, and then wait for the all clear that there was going to be no “ball of fire in the sky over Cleveland today”. Okay, he didn’t really announce it that way! He did tell us that a valve had probably stuck open during the de-icing spray/procedure, and that a light chemical smell had probably entered the rear cabin. We never smelled a thing in our row, except each other, man- they really do put those seats side-by-side! So finally, after an hour delay, we took off down the runway, and up too- praise God! But guess what happened to our hour early arrival? Yep, we were about 30 minutes later than originally scheduled arriving in Amsterdom. That’s okay- took our layover from 5 hours, to only 4Ѕ! We walked around and bought our European power converts, we nibbled at the airport McDonald’s, then walked around the airport like foreign tourist. Pointing at everything- look wooden shoes! Look tulips! Look a piped piper boy with a bunch a mice following him! Excitement was everywhere. Then we found the “Yodel Hotel” (honest, I promise- I’m not pulling your leg- Barb will confirm this later) a series of sleeping rooms, and private baths, where travelers like us, can spend their layovers taking naps and getting refreshed before their connecting flight. I checked into it, and it was real inexpensive, but by the time I figured out the currency exchange rate from dollars to Eros, we only had about 75 minutes left before the plane departed! But it is something we may definitely examine & take advantage of coming home. I’m sure our son will want to sleep… somewhere… sometime… maybe…
Then a short & uneventful flight brought us from Amsterdom to Kiev, Ukraine. In the airport we met our new, best, Ukrainian friend- Galya! Galya has worked for Hopeful Hearts for about 8 years I believe, and she coordinates all the translator/facilitators over here. She is a great, friendly personality- with terrific English skills. She made us feel right at home, answering questions in the cab & throughout the evening as fast as Barb & I could throw them at her! After a drive to our apartment, we made a quick detour through a McDonald’s, a block away, for a trip through drive-through on the way home. Doesn’t that sound just like America? So we ate & she filled us in on what to expect the next few days. The shops were closed, so we didn’t get a phone last night, but expect to on Thursday. We did walk about Ѕ a block to a grocery store to make a few purchases, and then we went to an internet cafй to make the quick blog entry last night. Then we proceeded back to our apartment. Galya lives about 5 minutes away, and after a list of “when in your Ukrainian apartment” dos & don’ts (all delivered with helpful love), she departed about 8PM Wednesday. We unpacked a little, and were in bed by 9PM Wednesday- after a very full 30 hours after getting out of our bed at home on Tuesday morning Nov. 25th.
This morning (Thursday) our driver will be here at 6:45AM to begin our journey. Today we go to an adoption office (sorry- don’t know the official name yet) to meet the Ukraine officials at 9AM. They intend to match us up with our son! Sounds simple, huh? But we remain confident that God has us covered, and that he will make the right child known to us. I have to admit that as I struggled, tossed, & turned on a hard bed that was not my own- I found myself thinking a little differently about myself. As some of you may realize- I can tend to be a little bit of a detail-oriented, control-freak, who usually runs the show. I like to plan the event, write the rules, oversee the function, and never sit still. It is those same reasons that I am sure God is in control of this adoption. I have never felt “in control”, but have always trusted those that were. Even Wednesday, there was excitement- but not anxiety. Last night we walked into an unknown airport, filled out papers and walked through an immigration area filled with somber faced guards, and strolled through customs like we were first-class international travelers! As Galya met us at the airport, I had a peace come over me that everything was going to be alright, & that I had to continue to follow His plan. So while staying alert, I certainly have surrendered control to those He has placed in our path. And as I tossed & turned on an usual bed this morning, I recalled the message Kathy Drane told us a few weeks ago- I can’t recall it exactly but basically- ‘you will put up with some discomfort, things will not be perfect, you will be on someone else’s timeframe- but you will endure for 5 weeks- to gain what will bring you a new happiness forever.’ I found myself at 4:10AM this morning drawing the simple conclusion- If God suffered through His Son going to the cross for me, should I really be complaining about the comfort of the warm bed I have the night before I go to discover my Son? It’s really all in perspective, and I believe my focus is set for the day. I hope you have that same perspective on your life.
Giving praise to Him, and sending our best to you this Thanksgiving morning,
Darrin, and Barb too!
Thanksgiving Thursday Afternoon update…
This (Thursday) morning was a very awesome morning! After the driver picked us up at 6:45am, we headed for the Ukraine Department of Children’s & Sports Ministry (the US equivalent to Department of Children & Family Services). There we saw photos and received information about a dozen little boys, and a couple of females. We have chosen to meet a young 21 month old, to see if he likes us! All reports show him to be a healthy, active child without siblings, and was left in the orphanage by his single mother. With the weekend upon us, we now play a waiting game. We will go back to the office Friday afternoon to complete more paperwork & get our official referral invitation to travel to the orphanage.
The next phase of the journey really doesn’t kick in until Sunday evening. Saturday will be a day of sightseeing, as Galya has promise to “show us the city”. Then on Sunday afternoon/evening we will board a train for what we believe to be an overnight trip to the orphanage. Monday we will meet with the “orphanage inspector”, the person in charge of the orphanage that we are going to. After she decides that she loves us, then we get to meet our future son! Still sounds like a long ways off, but Galya is thrilled! She has seen this process so many times, and she says that we are home free. I think we’ll continue to pray anyway… I guess it can’t hurt!
The sights of the city are unique, a blend of old Europe & big city. Some parts of town show a lot of construction and growth, others need the same! Traffic is interesting to say the least- you people think I’m a fast & crazy driver… over here I’d look like a retired farmer driving in the country looking at crops. Our driver is a church deacon, professional taxi driver, and could qualify for any NASCAR event in America! He is my new hero. I did barter a little on the streets today & picked up a few souvenirs to bring home. The man wanted a lot of money, but I only gave him some. The Ukraine is not part of the European Union yet (as best I understand it), so they are not in the Euro system. They trade in paper & coins much like the U.S. does. Their currency is pronounced “grieve-na”- I think.
Sorry to be so brief about the description of our son, but that is all we will know until Monday. We’ll have to write more later. Another America couple, the Hicks from Louisville, are flying in this evening to adopt also. So I believe we will see them tomorrow & spend Saturday sightseeing with them.
This has been a very special Thanksgiving Day for the Daugherty Family here in the Ukraine. It will only be topped by events that are to yet to come. Hope your celebrations are enjoyable in the U.S. as well. Thinking of you all…
Darrin, and Barb
