50 faces

We are trying to finish up the photo album project that we started. We are calling it ‘The Children of Vladivostok’. We have 50 children to include in the album that have been adopted from the Primorsky Region of Russia. There are 15 Ussuriysk graduates, 22 Artem graduates, and then 13 from various other locations like Spassk, the baby homes and hospitals in downtown Vlad, etc… The intent of this project is to show the various folks in Russia why there is a need to continue to place children in loving homes. The negative press does so much damage to the international adoption process. It is our hope that the smiling faces in these pictures will undo even the smallest bit of that damage that has been done. I just can’t help but to think that in some way this collection of photos is going to make a lasting impression on the folks that see it.

Thank you again for all of you that sent your pictures. Many have asked if I can share the album with them. Unfortunately for privacy reasons I am unable to share the album. I thought I could at least make it available to everyone that sent pictures, but in order to do so I needed to have each contributor’s permission. Not everyone would like the project shared so to respect their wishes, I will not be sharing the album electronically with anyone. A copy is being made though for the Ministry of Education, Directors of the Baby Homes, our agency representatives, and a copy for the White Rabbit Room at the Vlad Inn. I am still working on the album. It is more of a challenge than I had anticipated keeping everything organized and the right pictures with the right information. I hope to have it completed by the end of this week. A part of me wants to hurry up and get it done ‘just in case’ we get our court date call soon. Another part of me doesn’t want to complete the project yet because it gives me something to work on to help time pass by as we wait for good news. I guess I better just err on the safe side and bring closure to the project.