Nikki's Detsky Dom

After about fifteen minutes, Vinny and Michael joined Nikki and myself. We were given a hurried tour of the building that she lived in. From what I could tell, there were about three-four buildings that the children had access to, but I'm not sure of the details of them. Translation was sketchy at best. We did learn that Alex, our translator, had been on a duck hunt one day, and had run across this orphanage by accident. Not many people even knew of it's existance. We had absolute divine intervention on even finding this little girl.

I remembered the little girl that we had seen in some of the pictures that the adoption agency had sent us back in the states, who had been photographed with Nikki, and wondered if we would run into her. I kept my eyes open for her, at least wanting to meet her. There were so many children, watching our every move, it was difficult. We didn't get to spend much needed alone time with Nikk - which was sad because we had to drive three hours there and three hours back to Stavropol. As we walked through the halls of the orpahange, I could tell it was very clean, almost sterile smelling. We were lead to the bathrooms they had reserved for us. They were obviously Russian bathrooms, (and we beforehand, brought American toilet paper, yeah!) with course brown paper in them. The children were to use the holes outside, but that was what they were used to. I felt sorry for them, but it was their way of life and they didn't know any other. I met the cook, who was a jovial woman who was cheerful and happy as could be in spite of her circumstances, and she came and kissed me square on my lips! I was a bit taken back, but she was a breath of fresh air! The director was also very likable, and you could tell she really cared for the children.

We were put in a room - and Svet, Natasha and Nikki were there. I had some deoderant, lotion and things like that, and I had originally planned on leaving them just for Nikki. But I saw everyone's eyes bugging out, so I took the girls, and started to put the lotion on them. Just as I turned to get something else, Vinny said quietly, "Dana, look". I turned around, and there were about twenty five to thirty girls watching our every move from the doorway. They were clustered there, trying to look over each others shoulders. I also saw the girl in the picture with Nikki. Her name was Fatima. She was right smack dab in the middle. Vinny had our video camera going. He and I thought at the same time to go to the girls, and put lotion on them. So, I grabbed a bottle of lotion, and walked over to them. I put a generous amount on each girls arm, (there were a couple of boys there also!) and they were giggling like all get out!! The most remarkable thing that I saw, was that they just stood there and rubbed so slow and for so long, as if to savour the moment forever. I vowed that when I returned to Stavropol that evening, I would buy more lotion for those girls, and give it to them the next day, as we were coming back for one more day. As the girls stood there rubbing the lotion in, Vinny panned the camera into Fatima, and did a close up on her. She smiled this engaging smile, and put her cute little hand up and waved by her face. Vinny was instantly captivated. "Oh, you're gonna break my heart"! he exclaimed. I didn't really get to see that until later, because I was really really busy with the other girls.

The next thing I noticed immediately, was the teenagers, hot air, and no deoderant do NOT mix. WHEW! To the gang there, it mattered not, they were so conditioned to the smell. And it was not just the teenagers. It was everyone. I had to really try not to gag at certain times. So I mentally made a list for things to bring back. The girls and guys were dressed up in somewhat modern clothes. They were trying so hard to watch everything I was doing. I was heartsick. I was so overjoyed to be there with Nikki, yet the cloud that hang over me was one of despair knowing that these children were jealous, and upset that they weren't the ones being chosen. There was such a humble sweet beautiful spirit there. I would have taken them all home if I could have.

We finally got Nikki alone for about fifteen minutes. She let me put some makeup on her, and do her hair, while Vinny and Michael sat and talked about lead poisening and paint chips. Nikki seemed to understand how hot I was, (I was drenched) and tried to cool me with the little fan. I would ask her questions, Michael would translate, and she hardly said a word. She was content to just sit there and BE.

We came out of the room much too soon, and Vinny and I parted ways. I can't remember where Nikki took me - she showed me something, but when I came back to the main foyer, there sat my Sweetheart in the middle of the floor with all the children from the detsky dom . He he asked if anyone had any questions, and they all said "Dom". They wanted to see pictures of our house! We had made photo albums for the girls, so Vinny plopped down, and whipped the pictures out, and proceeded to show all the youth our home and surroundings. I was overcome. What a sweet simple gesture.

The children took us outside. They had very very old bathrooms. (of course). They showed us their "rooms". They were clean, but the beds were so so worn, and were nothing more than cots. Nikki clung to me the entire time. That was a story in and of itself. You see, we were the first Americans there since WW2 and the children (before we got there to visit her) had tried to tell Nikki that we wanted to sell her for body parts. In fact, it seems the whole village got involved in it. She was warned every which way possible. She was scared out of her wits, yet wanted so badly to believe that we were real, and really wanted her for her, and wanted to love her so very much. We were stunned when we heard the translation on that one!

The director invited us in for lunch. We went down very uneven clean concrete stairs. The "dining" arean was just a few rickety tables and a few old stools. I wondered where the kids ate. Did they eat on the floor as the grownups who cared for them ate at the tables? Adults, we were told, ate first. The table was laden with borsche, homemade bread, salad, sweet squash, rice, tea, tomato juice- some kind of hard cookie, and jam. It was filling. It was as if they went all out for us. I know they didn't eat like that every day. They are so thin over there. Maybe I should go live over there and eat borsche everyday!

After the kids took us back outside, they lined up on a swing and montioned me to sit with them. We tried to communicate - but I ended up just starting to sing - and they started laughing. So I got them to sing, and I watched as Fatima took over and basically ran the show. She really sang nice. Nikki sat right by me, holding onto me for dear life, and Svet sat on the other side. Natasha was no where to be found since the gift giving had been done. Well, I sang for them, and they dutifully appluaded. Then they sang again - and picked up the smallest, mattiest looking dog I have ever seen (in fact I've never seen a dog like that before) and told me through the translator the song had been about a dog.

We then took pictures of all of them, with promises to return tomorrow. Nikki did NOT want us to leave, and I did not want to leave her. She looked like the underdog, like someone whose voice didn't get heard much, and I didn't like that at all. I wanted her to have a voice. She needed to know how precious she was. I just felt so bad because we just did not get alone time with her because of so many other teenagers. But it had been a wonderful experience, and I wouldn't trade it.

We left- with promises to return tomorrow. Nikki waved to us until we could no longer see her.