We bought several different nail polishes today..when we got to the orphanage I painted Dasha's fingers and toes right away...she was elated. I told her to gather her padrugas (friends) and see if they wanted to get their nails painted too...they lined up like crazy, and we had a BLAST! The girls were so excited that we included them, and they kept looking back and forth from me to their nails in absolute delight.
While this was a really fun time for all of us, in the back of my mind I could not help but realize that the future for these girls is not good...not good at all. I probably painted the nails of 8 girls..the odds that 1 or more of them will become a prostitute are, well, about 100%...the odds that 1 or more of them will not live another 10 years...those are pretty high too.
I had to fight really hard (and I did not win) to hold back the tears at one point...I looked down at the nails I was painting, realizing that this girl is in this "institution" because she had careless parents who were willing to send her off into a bleak future. I am trying to keep my anger in check, but in this moment..I was so mad I could have screamed...we need to wake up, our innocent children are paying the price. Orphans are everywhere in this world..and to be quite blunt, I think it is despicable. I think we need to somehow work to solve this problem.
I had to go to the bathroom today..I walked in and saw there was no toilet paper...I went back out and asked Violet where it is kept..she asked one of her friends, and looked at me shamefully to say there was none. MY CHILD IS LIVING IN A PLACE WHERE SHE DOES NOT HAVE ANY TOILET PAPER. This is unfathomable to me.We will be stocking up on it tonight, and taking it to the orphanage tomorrow.
When we were sitting outside waiting for our driver today, I made sure to hug each of the girls..I kissed their heads and told them they were beautiful...their smiles could have melted the angriest of men. I don't know how long each of them has been an orphan..I don't know their stories, and I don't even know some of their names...but I am certain I know at least one of their dreams..and today, for 2 hours, I got to fullfil those dreams..for 2 hours today, 8 girls had a mama..they had a mama who adores them and saw their inner beauty...in about 2 weeks, I will never see them again...but they will each hold a piece of my heart. I pray that they break the mold in Ukraine..I pray God watches over them, that He may protect them from all they have to fear..
Let me also add that my husband was a total rockstar today..he even fixed some smudges on nails while I was busy with another girl. He made funny faces with them, and taught Violet how to use mama & papa's camera..oh how she loved that, showing off for all of her friends. They were all posing, and even Al got in on the pictures. He played the dad role for these girls, and most of them probably have never known that.
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