MIssion Trip and Conference Jan. 2011

I have so much to share about this trip that I needed time to process ( and get over the jetlag and exhauston)all the wonderful things that happened on this trip. I not only had a personal agenda, but also a group agenda and a conference to prepare for, so the week was extremely busy and the amazing thing, is that it all went off without a hitch!I arrived the day before the rest of our Mission group so that I could visit with Sasha and Olya Skripak, the Pastor and his wife from Almaz Church, the children and staff at Vorzel and friends whose child with DS was recently adopted and is in America. After visiting with the Skripak's we headed out to Vorzel where I met with Olga the head teacher and presented her with my favorite book 'Go Away Big Green Monster' which I had translated into Ukraine along with a activity related to the book for her to use with her groups. I thought this was a wonderful way to reach out and support her efforts to enhance the quality of the education for the children in her care. As a teacher, I did not see the quality of literacy/stories in the Ukraine as we have here in America and hope to change this by bringing good quality books (translated of course) for the orphanage children and staff.
That evening I was welcomed into the home of a family whom I had played a small role in helping their daughter with Down Syndrome find a family in America. I had previously 'blogged' about their situation in earlier posts. I was treated to a traditonal Ukrainian meal and was thankful that I could be there for them.

That night I met the rest of our Mission Team for the first time; Jane and Dave Daulton, from a Father's Heart, Inc., two amazing people who have adopted 7 children with Down Syndrome, Dr. Robert Rogan, a psychiatrist, Jan. B. a nurse, and Dr. Cindy Normandia, an Occupational Therapist.Together, with Sasha and Olya, we were committed to make a difference for the children with special needs and their families, both in the orphanages and at home.

The nest day, we rose early and boarded a train for Znamenka, a four hour ride. I have to admit, I was impressed with the train station and the train itself. Znamenka, is a Level Four Orpahange where many of the children from VOrzel could have been tranferred to, had they not been adopted. Ten years ago the Daulton's, had gone to Znamenka, and reported that then much of the building had no electricity or running water and they had returned on a few Humanitarian trips. They were so impressed to see the changes in the orphanage which had received help from a group in Belgium . I was delighted to see children actively engaged in therapies, educational and recreational activities. Yet I was saddened to see many children still lying in beds, blankets holding them down so they could not roll over, and no stimulation at all. Yes, the walls were brightly colored and some rooms had televisions, but some of these children spent years, lying in beds. Their bodies were stunted in growth and had we not seen adult teeth, sometimes two sets of teeth, in their mouths, or their names and birthdates on a card on the wall above them, we would have thought they toddler age or significantly younger then they really were. Two boys will forever be engraved in my heart. These boys were 27 and 24 years old, the age of my sons, yet their contorted bodies were the size of 6 year olds. They quivered and smiled as I stroked their hair; one clung to me as he 'softly cooed 'like a baby. To think that these boys were the ages of my sons and probally never left their beds; never went to school, never played with toys, never snowboarded, never went to the beach, never, never, never did anything my boys had done, left such a lump in my throat and a pain in my heart. Tatiana, the director, made so many positive changes for so many children, and Znamenka is now a 'model' orphanage, yet still the children suffer. Everywhere else in the orphanage, we saw happy children, smiling children, laughing and singing children. We met some older children, who made us wonder why they were ever placed there in the first place. One boy, made the most beautiful beaded flowers, a girl in a wheelchair did amazing embroidery, another drew pictures of a 'happy sunshine', a girl with neurofibromytosis, hid her face. Here in America, these young adults would be living on their own and gamefully employed and Sveta, would not have to hide her face as she would have received the medical treatment to remove the disfiguring growth from her face. She would not have to have live out her life in an institution hiding her face from the visitors and younger children!!What a shame, what a waste... yet fortunately for them, they know no other life so they are without bitterness and are content and even happy!