The Carnahan Family
Russia 2004
We can not thank you all enough for helping us last
year when we went to Russia, to get Alexander. Now that things have settled and
calmed down, it is my pleasure to send you our story.
It began in the
summer of 2003. We saw in the news, eleven orphans at Sea World looking for adoptive
families to take them in. The story went on to say these children arrived with
only what they had on their backs. Some had never been swimming before and were
enjoying Sea World, but would love it even more if they had a mom or dad to love
them. So my husband said to get the info at the TV news web site and I did. We
had lost all hope of having kids because I had a hysterectomy in February 2003.
Upon logging onto the KENSTV website we called the number listed to find out it
was an agency, Lutheran Social Services of the South, in Austin, Texas.
At
this time we were invited to attend a "picnic gathering" at a park North
of San Antonia where we live. This was to meet the eleven kids from Russia who
would be there. When we met them, we thought what beautiful children, and how
happy they looked just playing on the playground. We could not help but fall in
love with them.
We met a foster mom named Kaye who saw how enamored we
were with the children. Some had already been spoken for. Kaye asked us what was
holding us back and we said money, we knew how much it was and knew we could not
afford the initial cost of $13,000 plus. Kaye said "don't let money be the
issue here, it will come, people will want to help, do not let money be the reason
that stops you." She said "all these children want is love and attention."
And so with these words she made us believe.
We filled out a preliminary application. A week or two later, Lutheran Social Services called to say there was going to be a "Christmas in August" party at Kaye's and that there were still two kids that needed placement. Were we still interested, you bet we were, timid a bit, but anxious just the same. It was after this party that Alexander (all shy) got to come and stay with us for four days. Kaye had encouraged us to tell everyone, to get support.
In the
four days, we did just simple family things, like reading books to him, taking
him swimming at our community pool, one day at the zoo, and on the third day we
took Alex to the Riverwalk in down town San Antonio. We were about to get on the
Riverboat ride for a tour, but I had an upset stomach and was afraid to get on
for fear of having to get off and walk back. So my husband Dan took Alex and I
stayed behind. Upon staying behind I came upon a Russian gift shop "Anastasias"
on the third floor of the River center mall. Albert the owner was explaining about
all the different styles reflecting different regions of Russia. He apologized
for his poor English. It was at this time I told him about Alex, and his eyes
lit up immediately he exclaimed he would like to talk to him and would interpret
for us, so I called my husband on the boat via cell phone and he said he would
bring Alex up immediately after the boat ride.
After the boat ride Alex
came up to meet Albert. Albert and he spoke for awhile. Albert told us he was
a very intelligent boy with great hope. He said Alex told him about Russia and
the orphanage. Alex told Albert about his grandmother as well. Then Alex told
Albert to tell us he had traveled a long way to find a mama and papa that would
love him from within there souls. Alex told Albert he felt in his soul that we
were the Mama and Papa he had been searching for. At that moment, Dan and I cried
and knew we would have to tell everyone so we could make Alex our son. We knew
at that moment he was ours. One way or another we knew we would make it happen,
some how, some way, we had no idea how, but we were sure going to try. In our
souls we loved him.
We
sent in our completed application and fee in September 2003, after we told our
families in New York what we were planning. My father knew how the orphanages
were there because he had a friend who did missionary work in Russia. My grandmother
said even with what little money she had, she would help us, she is the one who
said "everyone's little bit, together will add up enough for the big amount
we need, a little bit at a time." Patience is a virtue.
Our plan,
we would pay for our application fee and home study, passports and INS out of
our pocket. We would begin fundraising for the $13,000. In October, 2003 I made
cookies in a jar and baked cookies and pies at an arts and craft fair at our church.
Our church had invited us to come to the parish council and talk about our need,
at the arts and crafts fair we made an initial $298.00. We thought it was not
bad for our first efforts. Meanwhile we had our physicals done by our family physician
and notarized. Two weeks latter Monsignor Fater of our church told us they could
not help us, because if they helped us then they would have to help other families
wanting to adopt, and they are not in the business of supporting families who
are adopting. My husband was very sadly disappointed by this. However, I felt
I was not going to let this stop us.
We had a BBQ dinner in my Aunts town in which we made $600.00. Then, I had handed out business cards for pie baking for the holidays at $10.00-$12.00 a pie. Dan peeled apples and delivered the pies. We made about $400.00. We also had a bingo at the Convent center where I worked just before Christmas, we made $900.00. We had decided not to celebrate Christmas with gifts because we needed to pay for our homestudy. We wanted to get our homestudy done soon so we could apply for financial assistance, we had also had an article written in Today's Catholic, in which one lady called and donated a $1,000, and we received a check in the mail within two days.
By
January we had raised $2,098. We then had become friends with a Pampered Chef
representative who offered to help by giving us her commission along with the
30% for fundraising that Pampered Chef allows, we made $250.00. We began planning
another bingo and a yard sale at the Pampered Chef lady's house. Our next bingo
in February only brought in $700.00. We took in many donated items for our garage
sale and made another $875.00. Then our Pampered Chef lady found another lady
who wanted to do a spaghetti dinner, we just needed a place. Meanwhile we had
heard from Shohannah's Hope, they needed to know where we were at in our efforts.
We replied, only to wait. In March we had our spaghetti dinner and made another
$500.00. We were almost half-way to our goal. We had also sold pizza pails and
Cuba cheese; from both of these we earned $200-$300 more.
By now we had
gotten our passports and three of the families had begun to travel to Russia to
bring back five of the eleven kids. We were just beginning to go to INS on the
orphan petition. We did not do any fundraising in April. April in San Antonio
is Fiesta month and everyone is busy with the two week event. However, we began
planning a "Pampering Spa Day" for May. Well we had what we thought
was a tremendous response. Volunteers for massage therapy, a Mary Kay lady to
do facials, a hairstylist and manicurist to do hair and nails and I did pedicures,
all for $25.00. We had about 45 ladies come out. We had cake and punch and some
light snacks. We had made $1,000; all together we had now raised $6,000.
Our orphan petition was done and our paperwork and dossier was prepared in
May. The money and papers were all delivered to Russia, now to wait to see when
Court was to be set. We had heard from Shohannas Hope, we were not chosen for
any grant money, another disappointment. We sold t-shirts and made $400.00, we
sold candles and candy and made another $700.00. We felt like this last $7,000
was never going to happen. We planned a dance, but only six people came. My husband
cried because we were so close and yet so far. We began planning a family fun
day with pony rides, petting zoo, arts and crafts and food. A lady named Gloria
was opening a new place called Fiesta Farms and she offered to host it, it was
a hot day but people came and we made another $600.00.
We wanted to do a story with our Express News but they declined. We sold Pampered Chef again but only made $170.00. We had another garage sale and barely made $600.00. It was now mid September and we still needed more money, but from where? We had to re-do our physicals and local background checks, per Russia's request, the judge was reviewing everything. Meanwhile, out of nowhere a couple in San Francisco donated $2,000 in our name directly to LSS and my parents sent $100.00 and Doctor Heller here in San Antonio donated $1,500. LSS said they were reducing the fees by a $1,000. We now had $6,300; we had made it for just the fees, but to include our travel package from them was another $2,000. I had managed to save $2,000 for our own airline tickets, but not enough for travel incidentals, food, or even Alex's needs. This is when we had contacted A Child Waits Foundation. We had received a grant from Open Arms Foundation of $400, which covered the overnight visa processing at the last minute. We had heard that we needed to be in Russia no later than October 25th.
We already knew we could get airline tickets on Aeroflot for $600.00 each from Washington D.C. We had collected about another $1,500 in last minute donations from doctors I worked with to get off the ground and into Moscow. So we planned to go, not knowing where the rest of the funds would come from for Alex's travel to return with us, I knew I would have funds placed in my account that I could access on my MasterCard while I was away, but only another $1,100.
That's when A Child Waits Foundation
approved our request for $3,000. We were so relieved. I remember taking my Rosary
and praying for a sign or help, and being afraid we would not have enough funds
to get Alex home. I could not fight back the tears of sadness and fear till we
had the tears of joy that A Child Waits made happen. I was never so relieved when
we had heard we were approved, I truly believe you were the miracle working of
God, to have made this dream come true, I think about this when I look at Alex
and think how lucky we are to have him, and I cry tears of joy and luck.
People meet Alex and just cant believe how beautiful and wonderful he is,
if people only new how much faith we placed in God and you all at A Child Waits,
at a time when we thought all hope had run out. One doctor, Dr. Urby said "if
it's meant to be, God will see it, you will get just what you need," and
we did. I never believed much in miracles before, but I surely do now, and I live
to see the life in which our miracle of your help provided for Alexander. Again
thank you so much.
Brooke and Dan Carnahan