I have a new teenage girl whom I tutor at the orphanage. After completing her English assignment together, she showed me a poem that she had written in Russian for a composition class. It said something to the effect of:
"Living in the orphanage,
there is no mother when you wake up.
There is no one you can ask,
'Can I stay in bed a little longer?
Or is it time to get up for school?' "
(Major paraphrasing, as I don't remember the exact words).
The kids know what they are missing, even if many years have passed since they've lived in a family. Their counselors feed and clothe them, help with homework, give them advice about difficult situations in life. But at night the counselors go home. No one tucks the children in individually and wakes them up with a motherly touch. This absence is felt even by a "grown-up" fourteen-year-old girl, who in a normal family might already be reaching for independence.
Hi! I just found your blog. My husband and I have adopted four girls. Three from Russia and one from Ukraine. I really appreciated this post. Can I link it from my blog and share some of my feelings and what I have gotten from my girls?
ReplyDeleteI look forward to reading more of your blog when I get the chance.
Yes, you are welcome. I have a lot of posts about orphans and adoption that you can find in my archives. I will check out your blog, too.
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