Katya's Story
In order to truly understand the frightening experience we went through in October of 2008, you will need to read our story from the beginning to the end. Each email was written at the time it was actually happening. Our current situation is that we now have guardianship of Katya, she is living with us at home in Kiev, and we have started the one year long adoption process. Click the links in order to read each section of Katya's story.
Day Nine - Staying with Katya in the Orphanage
October 15, 2008 - Email #1
Dear Prayer Supporters,
So many of you have been praying faithfully that I thought I would
take a few minutes to give you an update on Katya's situation. This is
Mike writing since Judy is still with Katya near the orphanage. They
are doing much better since Judy found a room to stay in the village.
I am sure she will write more about her experiences later. When I
talked to her on the phone, she asked me to do everything I can to get
our little girl out of the orphanage. It is taking its toil on
everyone. Judy will return home today.
The Lord blessed us yesterday. I spent the whole day with our lawyer
getting documents signed by all of Katya's brothers and sisters that
they wanted us to be guardians. At one point, it looked hopeless to
get Pavel's (Katya's oldest brother) document notarized since he did
not have a current passport photo. But then the Chernigov director of
Social Services had grace on us. They figured out a different way to
do this legally and we received all the documents necessary from
Katya's region.
Today and tomorrow, we have some very important meetings. In one hour,
I will meet with our Kiev region's social service director to show all
of our documents and request their recommendation for guardianship.
PLEASE PRAY! Without this recommendation, we cannot go on to the next
step which is to go to the Guardianship Board for approval tomorrow. I
don't know what to expect today. It is hard to sleep because I keep
going over in our mind what to say. Yet I must leave everything in
God's hands and trust Him. He can give me better words than I can
think up.
Thank you for all your encouragement through emails and the scriptures
you have sent us. Because of our busyness we have not been able to
respond, but we read them all. (In fact, our internet stopped working
at home and I am now typing at the seminary.) But we can feel your
love upholding our family. Thank you.
In Him,
Mike Manna for the family
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
October 15, 2008 - Email
#2
This email includes:
- My Time with Katya in the Orphanage
- Staying in the Village
- Tucking the Girls into Bed
- A Memorable Shower
- A Miracle with Mike's Meeting
- Prayer for Tomorrow - 6:00 AM Central Time
MY TIME WITH KATYA IN THE ORPHANAGE from Judy
Hi everybody! This is Judy, and I am back in Kiev. I'm reading emails
from many of you (thank you!) and writing this in Mike's office at the
seminary, because our internet company is having problems, therefore
we aren't connected at home. Family, this is why you can't reach us by
our internet phone if you've been trying.
I went with Doug Stoddard to the orphanage on Monday. We surprised
Katya by bringing along Doug's 11 yr. old daughter, Megan, who is
Katya's best friend. We had Megan hide around the corner of a building
before Kate got to us. After greetings and hugs with Katya, we started
walking that way. When Katya came around the corner of the building
and saw Megan standing there, she screamed, "Megan!You came!" and
bolted to hug her. She was thrilled.
Katya had only one class on Monday (English, and Megan went with her),
because nobody could find the key to the 5th grade classroom. They
have most of their classes there, and all of their books are in that
room. So, the girls got to spend the whole day together. At noon, they
sat in Doug's van and ate the lunches that I had prepared for them.
Later, the girls came to Doug and I to ask permission for Megan to
stay at the orphanage with Katya and come back to Kiev with me. That
touched me deeply. True friendship. Doug and I knew it would not be
possible, but it was very kind for Megan to want to! The day with
Megan was a huge encouragement to Katya.
To tell you the truth, it was hard for me to stand with Katya and wave
goodbye to Doug and the rest as they drove away that evening. I
experienced a taste of what Katya must feel like when we drive away,
but only a taste. I am an adult; she is a child. I found a lady with a
key to Katya's dorm, and we were able to spend a little time there
together. We left the lights off, because we would feel terrible if
the other girls would like to come in. We would not be able to let them.
STAYING IN THE VILLAGE
I left to eat supper with Nadia, the wife of the mayor. Nadia teaches
English at the public school in Komorovka. Her 22 yr. old son, Oleg,
teaches English at both the public school and at the orphanage. He is
Katya's English teacher. I enjoyed a wonderful supper with them. They
were very curious about Katya's story. Gossip runs rampant in the
village, and what they had heard of the story was far from the truth.
I shared openly. I know that some of you are new to Katya's story. If
you want to read how God first brought her into our home, find our
emails from May of 2005. They are on our website at
http://www.youthdiscipler.com.
Another thing Nadia could not understand was how a mother could give
up the rights to her child. She could understand Katya's mother
allowing Katya to live in the orphanage. She could even understand her
mother allowing Katya to live with us instead of in the orphanage ...
but adoption? Never.
I said, "Nadia, Katya's mother is an alcoholic. She goes from man to
man. She is not concerned about Katya and would have let her be raised
completely in the orphanage. Tell me, would it be better for Katya to
grow up in the orphanage or with a family who loves her? I think that
giving up her rights was the kindest thing Katya's mother could have
done for Katya. AND, Nadia (because I knew what Nadia was thinking) we
intend for Katya to maintain relationship with her family. We visit
and have good relationships with all of them."
There was one more thing that Nadia could not understand. WHY would we
want to take in one of "those" children when we already have three of
our own? This was my opportunity to share my relationship with God. I
explained that it was God who brought Katya into our lives. He is the
One who gave us a special love for Katya ... and He has opened door
after door for us to be able to keep her in our home.
TUCKING THE GIRLS INTO BED
Oleg walked me to the orphanage after supper. It was 8:30, and the
girls had been allowed back into their dorm. They were all getting
ready for bed. Lights out is at 9:00, so the girls have just a half
hour in their dorm each night. Katya got her jammies on, and we
cuddled on her bed together and read Ps. 91. Please read it. It was a
great encouragement to both of us. Jenya came in during our reading,
sat on a chair, and watched us. We invited her to snuggle with us on
the bed. She tucked right in to my arm -- a 15 yr. old who longs for a
mother's love. Katya and I prayed together, and then I asked Jenya her
story. Both of her parents are dead. She has lived in the orphanage
for 5 years. She has an aunt who lives in Kiev. She spends her
holidays there, fairly near where we live. She plans to go to
university in Kiev next year. My relationship with Jenya may be only
beginning.
I tucked Katya into her bed, and gave goodnight kisses to each of them
in her room. I found that Oleg had waited for me. He walked me home
and gave up his room for me to sleep in. He went to his father's home
for the night. His father, the mayor, lives in a different hata from
Oleg and his mother. Nadia says, "It is a peaceful arrangement. We get
along much better now and don't quarrel."
Around 11:00 the next morning, Katya started classes because someone
finally found the key to the classroom. I went to PE with her. She got
kicked in the face very hard with a soccer ball and broke her glasses.
Poor girl. They are not fixable, and now she can barely see the board.
Dr. Trimble, plan on a visit from us this summer. Katya needs
contacts. Even after finding someone to adjust her new glasses (which
the eye clinic we bought them from would not do), they still sat
crooked on her face. (Steve Jewett, we miss you!) Maybe the new pair
we must now buy will be better. Anyway, I was thankful to be there to
hug my hurting girl and assure her that accidents happen and glasses
can be replaced.
A MEMORABLE SHOWER
Katya hadn't had a shower for over a week. There isn't a single mirror
in the girl's dorm (not even above the sinks in the bathroom), so it
wasn't surprising that she didn't realize she was starting to look as
dirty as she felt. She was aching to be clean.
I found Galina Petrovna (2nd in command) and asked if Katya and I
could take showers. She arranged it, and Katya got to skip afternoon
classes to do so. There was only cold water in the new girl's dorm.
There was no hot water available at the time to the main shower house,
so Kate and I assured the washing room ladies that we did not care
about the conditions of a "private" shower in the laundry room. Oh my.
Kate and I made a memory. The shower was rusty and filthy and was
located in a storage room that had dusty boards lying around and paint
cans and bags of plaster ... and a window wide open to the back of the
building. A few kids walked by, but thankfully the window was dirty,
and they didn't hear us or look in. Kate and I scrubbed and giggled.
We couldn't resist taking some pictures after. We will never forget
that shower! But the water was hot and clean, and we felt wonderful.
We walked back to Nadia's with towels on our heads, taking pictures
and laughing all the way.
We blew our hair dry at Nadia's, then went on a picnic together. I had
brought food for Nadia and also some food for Katya and I. We decided
not to picnic in the park, because we keep hearing that Maxim is in
Komorovka, so we picnicked behind the 100 year old Orthodox church. It
was a beautiful, sunny day. Katya enjoyed her peanut butter sandwich,
yogurt, an orange, chocolate chip cookies ... things she misses from home.
We returned to the orphanage and found the lady with the key to her
room. We spent a few hours working on homework that Kate's teacher
from KCA (Kiev Christian Academy) had sent. Nadia had invited both of
us to supper, so I got permission for Kate to join us. Nadia is a
great cook, and we enjoyed big bowls of beet borscht and bread, and
grated carrots topped with sour cream and sugar. It was yummy, and
Katya ate till she thought her tummy would explode!
I took her back at 8:30, and once again we enjoyed devotions and
prayer time together. I'm so glad I was able to be there to tuck Katya
into bed for a couple nights. I spent time going from room to room,
hugging and kissing girls goodnight. I loved my time in that dorm! The
girls loved having a mommy on the hall, and I loved being there for them.
A MIRACLE WITH MIKE'S MEETING
I was able to get a ride back to Kiev with a Ukrainian friend of
Doug's, Alfred, who helps with many of Doug's projects there. We left
the orphanage at around 9:00 AM, so Katya was a little sad. I had
planned to leave in the afternoon on public transportation, but then
Doug called to tell me that Alfred was coming back to Kiev. Katya and
I prayed together before I left, pouring out our longing to God for
this to be over. Katya is weary ... and we are too.
This is getting very long, but I must tell you about the miracle that
happened today. It brings tears to my eyes every time I think about
it. This morning, Mike and Ivan were to meet with the director of
Social Services for our region of Kiev. This is the woman I talked
about in a former email -- the woman with a screechy voice, who did
not want to have guardianship dealings with foreigners. If you
remember, kind Irina dealt with us in her place, because the director
was sick. We were in serious prayer for the meeting this morning,
because we had to show all of the documents we had gathered to this
director. Without her approval, we could not proceed to the
guardianship council tomorrow.
Guess what? The director is still sick. IRINA looked at the documents
in her place! And her signature was sufficient. Irina thinks our
documents look good, had Ivan make a few, small changes -- but
everything is in order and we may proceed to the guardianship council
meeting tomorrow. Irina will be in attendance, in the director's
place. This is the hand of God, friends, and I am sitting here with
tears streaming down my face in gratitude to Him. Ivan was very
concerned about that meeting. We all stand amazed at God's
intervention. This is the result of many, many prayers that are going
up in Katya's behalf. Thank you, friends.
If this was a pregnancy, I would definitely be in the last stages of
labor. Mike and I laughed together, thinking about that. Mike said,
"Judy, I never experienced labor with our other children, but I
definitely DID do the labor this time!!" Did he ever! I was the one
standing by holding HIS hand this time! I cannot even begin to tell
you what Mike has been through the last three weeks. Suffice it to say
that Katya's daddy has fought valiantly for his little girl. And I
must also mention that we would have accomplished nothing without
Ivan's excellent and expert legal help.
PRAYER FOR TOMORROW - 6:00 AM Central Time
We are praying for a safe delivery tomorrow. We feel great comfort in
knowing how many of you are praying with us. Thank you for your prayer
support and notes of encouragement. I am compelled to write the
details, because I want you to rejoice in the wonderful ways the Lord
is working to bring Katya into the security of our home. We want you
to praise Him with us. Today was such a miracle of intervention!
Tomorrow is the big day. Our meeting is at 3:00 PM our time -- 5:00 AM
Pacific, 6:00 AM Mountain, 7:00 AM Central, and 8:00 AM Eastern time.
From the first day we really noticed Katya in the orphanage and sensed
the Lord's hand behind a sudden tenderness in our hearts for her, we
have committed to Him to move forward for her until HE closed the
door. He has only opened them. Tomorrow we face a big door.