Tuesday and Wednesday, we were able to visit Pete three times. By this time, we noticed how different Teremok orphanage is from Konakova. Each day, as we sat in the lobby waiting for Pete to arrive, we heard babies crying and screaming. This was a somewhat pleasant surprise, because babies in crowded orphanages quickly learn that crying is futile; crying brings no comfort, no food, no interaction with a human being when it is needed at the moment. Anya's orphanage, Konakova, was always eerily silent. This was only a perception, not necessarily a truth, but just the sound of a baby crying made us feel a bit optimistic that the care the babies were receiving at Teremok orphanage was better than we expected.
Another surprise - we were given the opportunity to take Pete for a walk in the stroller, outside the gates of the orphanage, and without supervision. We jumped at the opportunity to bond with him without the distraction of other faces and voices. We walked by the apartment buildings surrounding the orphanage to a small playground. We played a bit, but couldn't help noticing that Pete seemed less engaged with us outside of his apparent comfort zone. So, we returned back after a short spell to alleviate any of his anxieties.
Wednesday morning, I went up to get Pete from his room, and I saw about 12 or so other children all his age. Two were sleeping, one each to an extra large crib; 1 was being fed kasha (similar to oatmeal) by one of the social workers; 2 were rolling around the room in their baby play centers; and Pete and the others were corralled behind a few furniture cubes with a room full of toys behind them - most of them looking at me with big smiles on their faces! We'd never seen "happy" at Anya's orphanage, so this was again, pleasantly surprising. I giggled in response. That's hope. They have hope, and that's encouraging. That's our prayer. That although there is suffering, God will provide the hope to endure, and families to end their suffering. Pete and his friends behind those cubes weren't playing - they were waiting - patiently, hopefully, waiting.
