Orphans First Couple of Days – Full of Firsts

The first time you ride a bike, generally takes place when you are 5 or 6 years old. You remember, you got that new and shiny bike for Christmas or your birthday. It probably had training wheels on it, or maybe you were a slightly braver soul and it didn’t. Your mother or probably your father gave you some instruction and then ran up and down the street and finally let go – as before you knew it, you were pedaling without help – they had tricked you into riding a bike.

My orphans come from an orphanage that does not even have a community bike available to the children. So when they got to my home the first morning – the first thing they did was see that Jackson has a bike (an old one – with a suspect tire –which Jackson is too big for) and through a quick pantomime conversation asked if they may ride it. “Yes, Yes I answered of course you can.” For the next several hours these two orphans, took turns trying to teach themselves how to ride a bike. Happy Toli (that is what we call him because he is just so completely open and ready to try anything) having a harder time of it, and Tolik giving bits of encouragement and coaching until after a couple of hours they were both riding up and down the street with gigantic smiles on their faces, and triumph in their bodies - - despite the repeated falls, scraps, and cuts – every time they fell down they jumped right back up again and gave it another go. This broken bike was to precious a resource to let sit in the garage.

The next day I drove over to Debbie and Robs to borrow some additional bikes. These are not children who like to stay inside despite the heat, they are warriors for action – and there is daylight – so we ride, and ride, and ride. The new bigger, more age appropriate bikes arrived to their absolute delight. They are overwhelmed that they get to use these luxury machines – and so every few rides past our house, they offer the bike, to James, Jackson, Kennedy or I – would we like to ride as well? This tickles us, and we decline.

The bike riding was just one of the firsts for these children. They had never ridden in a car before – as you can imagine just getting the window down with a push of the button was amazement. With Tolik now preferring to stick his head out the window like a dog wherever we drive – He loves the feeling of freedom that comes with the wind blowing through his hair. The first trip to a grocery store was crazy for them. They simply had never seen anything like it before – All this food in one place!!!! The beauty of it, with me explaining through pantomime and my Google translate –that they could have anything they wanted. We walked isle by isle with their mouths open in awe. We happened to go on a Saturday and so there was free sample of meats, cheeses and breads – It took a huge amount of encouragement from Kennedy to get them to understand they could just take it and taste it. By the end of the grocery store visit – they had chosen very little; just a few bunches of radishes, green onions, beef bologna, and Munster cheese. That was it! They were giggling when they left the store – like people who have just gone through a mind blowing experience and are still struggling to understand it.

My orphans, who will probably not get adopted, because they are too old, and like I have said before - American’s like little kids – get up every morning and make their beds, and clean not only the room and bathroom that they are staying in –but they seem to be following around Jackson and cleaning up after him as well. Yesterday – Happy Toli came upstairs with a quarter and a dime and handed them to James. He had found them in the couch when putting the cushions back on them the right way. It took James a moment to figure out what was happening – and so he pulled out some quarters and ½ dollars and made a pile for Happy Toli and Tolik. Instead of rushing away to share the treasure, Happy Toli proceeds to show off his English lesson from the morning – and counted to 11 for us.

The same English lesson that had taught him some other phrases as well, for yesterday when I picked him up at camp he greeted me with a huge smile, and said “It’s raining cats and dogs” – with a look of, did I get it right? I started to laugh, and almost cry as well. Yes, Good!! Good!! That is perfect!!! On the way home he continued to consult his note book and practice his phrases with an additional “Good Morning to You” –Happy Toli is trying as hard as he can. Zhenya tells me he sits in the front row of English class and actively participates. He is doing his best to learn from this situation. Too be young enough and smart enough, good enough to have someone take a shot on him.

I can also report – that James is going to need rehab on his arm. For Jackson taught the boys to play baseball catch. And now the moment James walks in the door – Happy Toli is bringing over the mitt and ball and repeating baseball? Baseball?

So that my dear friends is the update – out of the 15 orphans who arrived 4 days ago, 13 are teenagers – and 5 we are fairly certain have a home – so only 10 more to go– and they will be here in the states until August 11^th. So please search you hearts, and your neighbor’s hearts have the conversation – and see if maybe you know the family that these boys were destine to belong too. Be part of the Magic.

Much Love - Jenn

jpowersjohnson@gmail.com