A Family of Angels

By Mariana M

It was time to start the most joyful journey of our lives. An "Introduction meeting" at Wide Horizons was our first step on a path that would lead us to our first child. From that moment on, my husband and I were cared for on a personal level. Susan G. Torizzo, our social worker, was our friend and supporter at all times. She encouraged us as we listened to our hearts and made Russia our final destination. Masha Korsunsky, our program coordinator, was our safe harbor. She was always ready to answer our endless phone calls, and comfort us at times where all we could do was wait. Soon, we saw a tight connection between the Russia team in the U.S. and the representatives in Russia, and that showed us how much we could trust them.

After months of expectation, the day had finally arrived. As we landed in Moscow, on October 24th of 2004, my husband and I were thrilled, but we also felt somewhat afraid to pass customs and enter this unfamiliar city. However, after passing security, a comforting feeling came upon us in the form of a wide smile and a welcoming hug. This was Andrey Gribushin, our interpreter. At that moment, we felt safe to go on and follow this man through our unforgettable journey. During our first trip, we also met Andrey Metelsky, the head representative in Russia, and our friendly drivers, Sergey and Sasha.

The Russia team grouped us with two other families, and that was very supportive. We developed a close friendship, as we traveled everywhere together. On October 25th, Andrey M. accompanied us as we received our referral at the Moscow Ministry of Education. For the first time, we saw a picture of our baby boy Sergey, who was 7 ½ months old. We then took the longest trip of our lives, a 50-minute drive to an orphanage in Podolsk, Moscow region. On our way, Andrey G. explained in detail what would happen next. Upon arriving, we were nicely greeted by the orphanage director, and at that heartfelt moment, Andrey M. and Andrey G. carefully translated our baby's medical information.

We were anxiously waiting for our child when we heard his name called out. A door opened and a lady, with a gentle smile, lifted our baby up high, and graciously whispered, "Mama!" At that indescribable moment, we felt welcomed as our son's forever family, his"mama" and "papa" who were always a part of his life. We also felt like we had always been together. We couldn't contain our tears, as the long path we had taken, full of uncertainties and emotional rides, had come to an end. We were touched and grateful by the love and care that had been given to our son at his "Russian home." Our "Russian friends" organized the days so we could visit our baby and see places in Moscow that were part of our son's heritage; and that was special to us.

On December 11th of 2004, we flew back to Moscow, but at this time we felt at ease when the plane landed. Michael Proshkin, the chief representative in the Moscow region, welcomed us warmly at the airport. We visited our baby a few times before the court hearing, and on the following day we were all together as a family at our hotel. Our representatives worked relentlessly to finalize our adoption process, working long hours and beyond to have our paperwork completed as quickly as possible. After a great effort, Michael was able to change our tickets and we were able to fly back home earlier than planned, on December 18th, a week before Christmas.

Much like the first trip, the second trip was another week of excitement and great emotions - they were trips of a lifetime. We were united with our son Benjamin Sergey, and we made new friends who were much more than our guides. We met an inspiring family - a Russian family that is very close to one another. This family helped us make our dream come true and they are a significant part of our journey. They genuinely cared for us and for our baby - they watched over us, making us feel at home, part of their culture and their country. Yes, they are angels - a family of angels. We have been greatly blessed, and we thank all who were involved in our adoption process for helping us reach the hand of our most precious joy - our Russian angel.

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