… and plays it safe as H1N1, it seems, has hit Ukraine.
A couple of weeks ago while we were in Ukraine loving up on the kiddoes in #5, I came down with a case of the crud – nothing too serious, but crud nonetheless. Thankfully, my coughing did not draw the attention that this woman received. But, I imagine that if I were traveling today with the crud, I would either be banned from flying, or create a situation like this poor woman did.
Ukraine has moved into high alert in the past week as over 30 unexplained deaths in the western part of Ukraine have tentatively been attributed to swine flu. All the cinemas and schools, including Katya’s, have been placed on a mandatory 3-week break. Public meetings have been cancelled. “Special regimes” are being introduced to limit travel between regions.
At this point, we don’t know if this will impact our ability to travel to bring Katya home. We’re thankful she can be with Tamara during this time, however, there are plenty of children who don’t a “Tamara” to stay with.
So, please pray. As we learn more about the situation, we’ll keep you posted.
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
cindy, we are also concerned!
We talked to Maggie and our girl’s orphanage had no cases yet. She seems to think that due to the “isolation” of their orphanage situation they are in less risk than regular kids in the streets in Ukraine.
We pray though that this situation pass and all kids remain health and well.
Dh’s trip to has been postponed (hopefully not cancelled) due to Ukraine shutdown. He is a little bummed and I am a little relieved.
Praying you all make it hope safe and healthy.
Sandra, I can’t remember where your girls are. I saw on someone else’s blog that they are basically just keeping all the orphans within the gates of the internot. Blossom’s Girl, what kind of trip was postponed? Friends in Odessa called us yesterday asking me to bring over some meds for their dd. The person who was supposed to bring them isn’t able b/c his trip was cancelled.
Hi Cindy!
I’m sure Dima will advise us what the situation is once he knows, but I fear now that we may be pushed out into the spring if existing appointments are being cancelled and rescheduled. 
Since Katya is now with Tamara, I hope this will not impact your ability to bring her home. You are in our prayers, and most of all we are praying that none of our children, Tamara, Dima, and the rest of the folks who work so hard for the children do not fall ill.
Sandra’s girls are in the internot in Izmail–the same internot that our Sasha is in. Izmail is in Southwest Ukraine, near the borders of Moldova and Romania, in the Odessa region. It is about as far west as you can go and still be in Ukraine. Thank you for your offer to carry our last dossier pieces over to Dima–we ended up FedExing them to him on Friday and he signed for them today! We were hoping he would be able to submit on Wednesday, but I just read a blog that said the SDA would decide tomorrow whether they would close down, and another one that said her facilitator had emailed her that the SDA will close for 3 weeks!!
Cindy,
As Alycia said, my girls are in Izmail. I just read on Frua that SDA is actually closed and will announce on Friday for how long… It is devastating for us because we were really hoping to get our last papers back soon and travel before the end of the year. Now I wonder because a family who was traveling this week was advised not to go… If everybody gets delayed….
Oh well… Lets pray!!!