Minusinsk Orphanage Visit
Drive to Orphanage was long, Anna lives an hour or two out
of Minusinsk. 100Km, distance is not far about 65miles however, the roads are
covered with ICE and SNOW, the car moves forward as much it goes side ways. We
get to Orphanage before 3PM, Anna decides not to come up and tells us we have 2hrs
in Orphanage. We went in assuming Anna and driver will come back in
2hrs to pick us up.
We were expected at the Orphanage. A couple from Kentucky were visiting. We were very welcome at the Orphanage we were taken to the same room as we were 10years ago, and told a detailed story of our first visit. Tatianna’s old teacher Alexandra has come to see us. As she arrived, she hung a Saint Tatianna necklace on Tatianna. Alexandra remembered every detail, how my son was playing in the snow outside and how I was carrying Tati around trying to calm her crying. I could not believe such detail. They brought all the letters and paper work we had sent to the Orphanage and the poem they gave us when we adopted Tatianna. The teacher is retired now and her retirement check is $70/month.
Orphanage looked great, much improvement since we were there many years ago. Lots of toys everywhere, clean room, clean bed, no leaking pipes running overhead. I recall we asked for estimate for fixing the pipes and arranged the donation. Well, it is fixed now. We were told things are much better due to our yearly donation to the Orphanage. We requested to take pictures of the kids and were told we are not allowed to take any picture of the kids but we can film and photograph the place. They took me to the play rooms and of course they had the kids there and allowed me to photograph. Sorry I cannot post them. Lots of laughing and joking. Two translators were there supporting the whole conversation. Lena and Lena and we found out there is third Lena which has caused confusion for the adopting parents. The letters I took were for the third Lena and not our Lena.
Sometime into the visit a newspaper reporter showed up and we were told the whole town knows we were coming. The reporter came to interview us. They would use no last name, just first names. A lot of same questions as the last two times we were interviewed by Russian TV in the US. Why Russian adoption, why Tati and this time question on how we found Tati’s sister. Of course we gave no detail. Just mom lives close to town in a village and how wonderful of a mom she is. They plan to publish the article next week and send us a copy.A cake is baked in Honor Tati’s visit, lots of Dancing and music, and we were asked to revisit. Tatianna was presented with an Art work by the workers of Orphanage. She was asked to pick any art work from the Orphanage as she wishes. She chose the Rooster, Dad loves roosters. As I came out to take picture of Orphanage from outside, I noticed our Car, driver and Mom. With Anger driver points to me they have been waiting there for one and half hrs and it is time to go. I apologized and explain did not know they planned to wait there but he is angry. We wraped up the visit and hurried out of there. Lena also explained to them we did not think they will be waiting outside as Anna has explained before they will come back to pick us up in 2 hours. Maybe they meant 20 minutes not 2 hrs, I’ll never know. Goodbyes were said quickly, one last group picture with the rooster, few more gift exchange and it is time to say goodbye, I will miss all of them until I see them again, hope it won’t be 10 years.