What some Russians believe?

We feel a big bond with Russia.  Ten years ago we spent about two weeks there (Moscow and Krasnoyarsk) as we brought home our daughter, Madeline.  I am so grateful that the judges allowed us to bring her into our family.  I was surprised to hear that some people in Russia believe we wouldn't want these children to be our children...but as organ donors.  I was even more sadden to hear that some adults tell the older orphans that so they refuse to be adopted out of fear due to these stories.

I am so thankful that a 16 Ukrainian boy was recently adopted ...when he at first said no..because he had been told these stories.  He has now been in America for 6 months or so...and he made a video to tell about his experience.  I hope the people of Russia will see this.   We...like you... want to love our children.  In America...we are already  a "melting pot"...meaning..we are many nations.  My husband is Native American, French, and British.  I am Native American, Irish, and British.   The norm here is to have heritages from many nations.   I am so thankful to have Russia as a part of our family.   Russia is beautiful... The land and landscapes are breath-taking.   The people are handsome and hard working.   When lost a baby girl in utero, I was so thankful that God brought us another daughter through Russia.   God knew she would come into our family.   ...and gave me several signs so I knew she was ours..    We had to give her a name before going to Russia.  We would have kept her Russian name ..or at least part of it, but we were told that a hospital worker named her...not her birth mother.   Therefore, we named her after my husband's grandmother, Maxine  Virginia.   Maxine Virginia, his grandmother, was out-going, fun-loving, spirited, and hard-headed.  Madeline Virginia is the same!  Maxine Virginia had retinal scars due to macular degeneration.  Madeline Virginia has a retinal scar in her right eye due to Toxoplasmosis in utero.  Russell, my husband, and my son, Noah, both crawled as babies..with their heads to the ground...like a dump truck.  Madeline Virginia came to us... crawling ..with her head to the ground ..like a dump truck.  Not a terribly common thing!  There are so many more ways she fits perfectly in our family.  As I said before, God knew she would be with us.   We are so thankful for her Russian birth -family for giving her life and pray for them often.

Now, here is Andrew's video.


The translation of the video is below as well.  As well as a link to his family's blog...This is a video that Andrew made for older kids in the orphanage. We had a couple people help us translate and they both said very similar things. This may not be word for word, but it's pretty close.

"Hello my name is Andrey. I'm from Ukraine and I'm an orphan. I was there and I know what it is like. In Ukraine people were saying that, 'Oh, in U.S. they take kids and then rip them in pieces cutting them.'

"At first I thought when they didn't come...I was like, no, I'm not going to go anywhere (USA), and then when they already came and I met them, I looked in their eyes and I watched their heart and their soul... I saw in these people love, and saw that they love me like son. I can't tell you that on words. It's like, 'Look.. you don't want to come here, like they going to cut you in pieces, like organ donor.' That's what people say....the older people (caregivers), or friends...don't listen, or no listen through that ear or the other. Think with your mind. Do you need a family or not?

"I was thinking a lot and at first I thought, I won't go with them. Then I was just... it's love! That love for son, and I'm not regretting that I came here. Of course, it was a little hard with the English. If you come it's gonna be a little hard too at first, the language, cause I was in school sleeping in that class, its true. I got use to it and you would too. So I already speak English.

"Here I have family, they are awesome and you got car here, everything. Here it's not like in Ukraine when you come from orphanage." (This is where he talks about when you leave the orphanage. It was a little confusing.) "Here you got family. You got everything here. You just think about it. You grow up there in Ukraine, where you going to find a job?"

Then he talks about future, the family and wife, the apartment and the responsibilities and that kids want toys, food and that how are you going to earn the money and job. "Yeah, I heard a lot about adopting and then all those rumors about cutting kids and then I thought in my mind and my heart... do you believe in God? I do! I know that God is going to help me and I prayed and He helped me. He always helped me.

"So I advise you to come here. In Ukraine there is nothing to do...come here! At first it's hard with English and all, but now I'm a happy person. Right now I can go swim anytime, go to store buy anything. I got so much here. You just got to know where that family is. I have family here. I don't think that orphanage is better because I went through that. I was there til I was 16 years.

"At first I thought, yes it's scary and all. I tell you to come here. I have family, love, happiness. I know the wounds in your heart when your mom and dad throws you away from house, or putting you in orphanage. I know how it is to live there. So you come here. It's a lot better here. Everything is for you here and you will not be sorry. So you think in your mind and in your heart."
http://1blessing2another.blogspot.com/2012/08/andrews-video-for-older-orphans.html