Day 4 - Arriving in Lugansk

Arriving at the train station in Kyiv

Train station

Alex and Jamie in our living quarters on the train (15 hours!)

"Camp" where Dasha and the kids from her orphanage are staying until Aug. 23 - 50 miles from Lugansk

Jamie and Alex while we wait to see Dasha

The Princess arrives and gives us both big hugs

Where's Mason, Logan, Houla and Kit Kat?

She's wearing the same "Hello Kitty" outfit she left us in 18 days ago

Dasha receives instructions from the social worker (blue shirt) about signing the consent to be adopted

No hesitation!

Dasha and Mama swinging

Dasha shows us her bedroom - there are 5 other girls in with her

On our way from camp back to Lugansk - stopped for coffee and ice cream - our only food in the past 24 hours

One of many meetings to sign more documents - here on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere

We left Kyiv by train at 6:40 pm Wednesday and arrived in Lugansk at 9:50 am today (Thursday).  Over 15 hours in a room the size of a modest walk in closet.  It would have been tight for two but we had our  interpreter Alex with us.  But even if Alex hadn't been our roomate, I still wouldn't have slept more than a few hours.  The train must have stopped over 20 times along the way and was quite warm.  Jamie and Alex slept fine but not me.  Even took a sleeping pilll but that didn't help.  I was able to read about 5 chapters of Seal Team Six (thanks Peter), which I highly recommend.  Suffice to say, I"m trying to get us a flight for the return trip. 


We hit the ground running in Lugansk. No shower, no food, just a mission to git er done.  That's what we like about Alex. He's all business.  We made seven stops with various adoption officials.  One of those stops was a 50-mile drive in the middle of nowhere to see Dasha and the rest of the kids from her orphanage.  They have been at "camp" the month of August and won't return until next Tuesday.  Dasha was excited to see us, gave us both a big bear hug and wouldn't let go of Mama...we couldn't stay long but will go back this weekend.  We had to take a social worker who wanted to observe us with Dasha.  We passed the test as Dasha signed that she wanted to be adopted by us.  It was good to see her but sad to see all the other kids.  They seemed to know what was happening...we'll get to spend time with all of them next week when they return to the orphnage.  We will give them soccer balls and basketballs (compliments of ROAR) at that time.  We arrived at our apartment in Lugansk at about 6 pm.  We're on the 13th floor of a very old, rundown building in what appears to be a rough area.  But our quarters are great inside and Alex says the area is not unsafe. Wish I could show you pictures but we forgot the cord to import pictures from our camera.


Tomorrow we have a 9 am meeting  with the director of Dasha's orphange.  It's a chance to ask him more questions about her and to express our appreciation for the way he runs the orphanage, which is supposed to be one of the best in Ukraine.  So it was a very productive day.  Many thanks to all who have been praying for us. We are grateful for you and the way this trip has gone so far.  Blessings.  BR