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After three months in the States, I was finally able to return to Khabarovsk, and to Tanya, whom I left in Natasha�s care for that period of time. Wow, how I missed her! Then began the Russian side of the process. We had been warned that there were many obstacles to overcome. For one, Tanya�s birth parents still live. They had abandoned her at age five, if I have my facts straight, and had been legally denied their parental rights. They would not be a problem. However, she also has an older sister and younger brother that we knew of. The sister was old enough to contest the adoption and we knew we needed to get a signed release from her. Also, in the previous adoption attempt, the authorities were insisting that the younger brother be adopted along with Tanya. I had prepared myself for this eventuality by applying for permission to adopt two children. However, the authorities determined that, because Tanya had not been in contact with her family or the brother since her abandonment, that no relationship existed and therefore they would not insist that her brother be part of the package. Tanya and I both hope to locate her little brother when the time is right and perhaps lend some help as God directs us. Tanya�s older sister, Yana, signed the release without argument and thus made Tanya free and clear to be adopted. Both of these barriers tumbled down without effort, much to everyone�s surprise except mine. I�ve come to know that when God wants something done, He makes the rough places plane and the crooked places straight. If He doesn�t want something done, a brick wall usually appears, which is very effective in halting my progress in a wrong direction. No brick walls appeared throughout.
The final step, before going to court, was to search the orphan data bank in Moscow and receive a legal release from the Ministry of Education for Tanya�s adoption. First her name must be located in the data bank, and then the release can be given� or not. We did receive the release at long last. We had quiet celebrations as each of the benchmarks was reached. Then Natasha had to sign a release abandoning her guardianship of Tanya so I might adopt her. This was a very painful thing for my dear friend. She too had grown to love Tanya and see her as her daughter. But she also wanted the best for Tanya and so she signed the document. |
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