UNBELIEVABLE SUMMER 2005
On June 24th, at 4:50 pm, orphans and caretakers from Russia and Ukraine finally came to the US! They arrived on a big airplane, Aeroflot, for their three week vacation in California. On the plane, the kids stole the hearts of all of the passengers and stewardesses! The kids played hide and seek in between the isles, and pressed every button they saw. But after a long flight, all the passengers did not want to say good bye!
The first group to walk through the gate was the Russian group. All the volunteers, host families and Adoption Ark representatives waited patiently by the door. No one was able to hide their emotions and every one ran towards the kids with excitement and tears of joy! The kids were a bit tired, but they were surprised and filled with happiness! Channel 7 ABC, arrived at the scene to tape this amazing welcome and took a few interviews with the kids. Fifteen minutes passed, and the Ukraine group walked through the gate. The room filled with even more laughter, cheers, and happy tears! Some of the kids in this group were coming for the second time. The kids were all very excited and could not believe they were actually in the US!
The kids quickly started asking many questions and wanted to start their vacation as soon as possible. Two big busses arrived to take them to Visalia, CA. The kids wanted to know when they can go swim, when they can meet Mickey, and when they can eat yummy ice cream! On the way to the Heart of the Valley Church, the kids looked around in amazement and associated America with paradise.
The kids spent the night, all together, at the church. They laughed and played the night away. In the morning, many volunteers came to meet the kids. A few kids who were already adopted came with their families as well, in order to greet their old friends.
The next three weeks were filled with just as much excitement and joy!
The following day, the kids met up with their host families. It was a very long day for everyone. It was amazing how most of the kids went to their families with a very positive attitude. The kids understood that their host families do not speak Russian, and tried to use body language to help break the language barrier. We saw big smiles and sparkling eyes from all of the kids and parents when they hugged! We waited for concerned phone calls the next day, but instead all the parents called to share their positive experiences!
The next day everyone met for the first day of Bible school. The kids were very excited about the special crafts that were prepared for them. Their parents were very much intrigued by the work as well! It is always hard to keep a group of kids organized, but it was even harder to control their astonished caretakers! They were so amazed by the crafts that they promised to take a few samples home to show their friends! The Russian caretakers loved everything, and they started to call Visalia--- Vysilova “town of smiles and happiness.” The kids loved the Bible school week, and the only complaint we heard was that the weather was very hot. The kids loved going to church, and a lot of kids asked me to translate everything in Russian.
We are very grateful for all the parents who took the kids on trips to the ocean and mountains. It was a very new experience for the kids--- most kids visited the zoo, rode horses. For many kids, their ultimate dream of going to the ocean came true, and they even had a chance to try surfing!
After the first week, the kids learned many words in English.
On the second week, the kids did not want to visit their groups and wanted to stay with their host families for the full time. We were so happy that all families had a very enjoyable time! Just a couple families, however, could not handle their little Russian rascals! Some kids were just a bit overexcited by everything they saw! One six year old girl could not understand why she can not take everything she wants from Walmart if they allowed her to go inside. The first step she took into this big store took her breath away, and she said that it is her castle and she is the princess! She grabbed a few dresses and flashed a big smile at all the workers. She chose everything pink and became our Pink Princess for the day!
Many of the kids called us, telling us about how they spent their days. We heard so many wonderful things about their host families and new American friends. Some of the kids also received help from local dentists, and the kids with weaker immune systems received vitamins and medical consultations. We greatly appreciate everything that the host families did for these kids.
The third week was the most emotional. The kids were so attached to their families, and they did not want to think about returning to the orphanages. It was hard to recognize some of the kids—in just three short weeks, they changed so much. They became tan, stronger, and of course learned to use the cell phones and CD players. It was hard to say that they were any different from their American friends. A day before their departure, the kids visited magical Disneyland. Everyone was astonished and they could not believe their eyes. The kids had a chance to meet Mickey and Minnie and were treated like movie stars! One little boy exclaimed that Americans are so lucky to have a Disneyworld and he wishes that Russia would build one as well. By the end of the day, the caretakers were very tired, but the kids wanted to stay there until the last minute! Many parents came with their kids on their last day. Everyone enjoyed their magical time together. The kids spend the night in the hotel, and they once again transformed into a group instead of being individual, spoiled, loved ones. The hardest time was in the airport, when their realization of the departure sank in. The kids did not cry because each child was caring a suitcase filled with presents for their friends in orphanages. They believe that one day they will come back to share big hugs with their American friends and host families who showed them love and support for these amazing three weeks.
We believe that these kids will all have wonderful lives ahead of them. |
