- 2/18/2008 10:00:00 PMMoscow Trip - Day 8Today was another quiet day. Peter is back at work today and Luda's sister is visiting from out of town. She wants to come here because this is where the biggest mall is located so she is just going to make a day of it and hang out here. We tried to get back to the orphanage this morning so we could speak some more with the Orphanage Director about Yuri, his schooling, his medicine and what ever other information we can glean from her. There is also another boy - Alex C. that we're trying to see on behalf of another couple.
Luda called the orphanage around 10:00 AM but the director was not around and she should call again after 1PM. While we are waiting, Peggy and I do a quick cash check. As I had mentioned earlier, we converted $300 into 7350 Rubles. I went on line today to see what the conversion rate is and it is slightly better today. While I understand the math of it, the quantities throw me. For example, 1 Ruble is like 4 or 4 and a half cents. Prices of things around here have astronomically high numbers to them but when you do the conversion, it doesn't cost that much. Later today, Luda will take me shopping for a map of the city. The cost of that is 27 Rubles which is like $1.10. That's pretty good for a map.
After we ate lunch, Luda called the orphanage again and the director was there. We will take a cab. The ride there is 90 Rubles which is like three and a half dollars - or more precisely - $3.67. When we get there, the other boy we wanted to see was not there but at school again. The director sent a messenger to fetch him from the school. While we were waiting, She made us tea and coffee and brought out some crackers and candy and 2 bottles of juice for Yuri.
The director believes some of Yuri's condition is in his head. She said that when it was nice outside, she could see Yuri from her window. He would look around and when he thought no one was looking, he would run. Of course, he doesn't run like a nine year old, but he can move quickly if he wants to. She also said that his knee and ankle were on his mind a lot.
On the way here, Yuri said a few things to the driver of the Taxi. Yuri told him how many times he ran away from the orphanage. In truth, Yuri has never run away from the orphanage. Yuri likes to tell stories - not all of them true and often times the false ones are very false. Both Luda and the director advised us to not let Yuri speak with anyone on the train. We will not know what he is saying nor whom he is speaking with.
After a short while, a red-haired boy named Loshia comes in. He has a letter that he has written to a certain girl and has asked if we would deliver it - which we will be glad to do. I also have a short video clip message from Losha for her too. Loshia and another boy Sasha are going to be adopted to a family sometime in the next month or so. I believe that both boys will be staying at Luda's house so it was good that they had a chance to meet her.
The runner came back from the school and the other boy we wanted to meet - Sasha C. - is out skiing. This will be the last time we visit the orphanage. Tomorrow, we will get on the train and head back to Moscow so I will not have email access again for a while. Hopefully a short while.
Almost every night, Peggy has been giving Yuri a bath. I think taking baths is somewhat of a new thing. Most of the children take showers. The director said that Yuri doesn't like to shower. I'm not sure if it is showering or just a standard boy-like resistance to being clean. Yuri resists the bath, brushing his teeth and some other things. All of the resistance makes me wonder how much pressure the orphanage puts (or has been able to put) on the children to do a good job at things. Yuri does a very good job on somethings and not so good on other things.
Sometimes he will say "ok ok" to our requests to show us he will do as we ask but then doesn't follow through. We are following this with some pressure to comply with our requests - the first time, not the tenth time. A lot depends on the specific request and Yuri's feelings towards it. Picking up toys or putting away dinner dishes - not a problem. Getting into the bathtub and doing a good job brushing your teeth - that is a problem.
I think we will have our work cut out for us when we return home. These are all personal observations we have made about Yuri and were confirmed by the director at the orphanage. Yuri needs exactly what we are able to provide for him. The director has prayed that God will help us in raising Yuri. The Lord has brought us to the other side of the world and He will provide the strength and wisdom necessary to raise this boy.
