Berizka

A short trip by taxi brought us to the orphanage known as Berizka where we met with Alexander the Head Doctor/Director. We shared with him the purpose of our mission and invited him and his staff to join us at the conference. After talking with Dr. Alexander for a while, he pulled out a picture of a child with Down Syndrome who had recently been adopted from there and asked if we had any current information on her. He remarked that he was so surprised that a family who already had one child with Down Syndrome would want another one. We have so much work to do to open the eyes of the professional as to the blessings these children bring into your life! And once again, I realized that what some have perceived as a 'cold attitude' towards the children and adoptive parents is really just their coping technique for 'letting go' of the children they have cared for since infancy! Wherever we went, the careworkers were anxious for news and pictures of 'their kids'. At Vorzel, where Anya, Dave and Jane's daughter with Down Syndrome was adopted from, they produced a picture of her when she was little and asked to pose for pictures with her, fixing her hair and clothes so she looked 'just right'.I am so glad that Pastor Sasha and Olya have ministered to the workers as well as the children!

Dr. Alexander, reported that the children of Berizka were ill but he would allow us to visit with them none the less. We were delighted to see a small group of children engaged in music and movement in a large room and other children in little classrooms, actively engaged in play with educational toys. These little faces were so precious and happy, despite their little 'drippy noses'! And we met with staff who were planning on attending the conference. It was nice to see that this orphanage was recently remodeled and that quality things were happening for the children. A previous group had provided them with some current books on Down Syndrome which they were hoping to have translated. When we suggested they just use the internet and a translator site for current information, we were shocked to find that their was NO COMPUTER and INTERNET access at the orphanage. We take for granted that we can get whatever information we need at our fingertips, yet, the HEAD DOCTOR had no internet access!!! And I guess then, the individual living outside the city would have no access either!