April 5th
We ride the Marshu-ka (bus) to the orphanage and we are excited. Earlier today we received our court date. It is to be on April 11th at ten AM. Only six days from now. This court date could have been ten days away but our facilitators have worked hard to have everything correct.
At the orphanage our conversation with the girls is not as smooth or as open as we would like. The girls ask where Lena their friend is? We tell them she will be back tomorrow as she is working. They are disappointed. Another young boy is not. He has a small photo album from his orphan stay experience in the US. Each picture is gone over with fond and detailed memorys explained. He sits on Susan's knee to be close as he shares his dream. This is something hard for me, even as I remember and write. We can only be kind to him, but we cannot give him what he so dearly wants. Then class is starting and the director shoes everyone away, one little boy hides behind a table but he is spotted and sent along.
I have in my hand a rolled up circus poster. I have kept it rolled so there will be no jealousy among the other children. Now I show the girls and let them know we have good tickets for Saturday's performance. They are thrilled. My purpose is not only to have a good time and impress them, I want them to have good memories of what their country has to offer. There are beautiful things and places here. They have just not been in a place where they could enjoy them. As our time comes to leave I give Alina the poster. She is surprised, and rolls it up carefully. To me the circus will be a good memory but to her it will likely be a special golden memory. One to be held close as she and her sister move closer to being with their forever family.
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