August 12th – Happy birthday Alex & grand opening

HAPPY 16th BIRTHDAY ALEX!!!!! What a day it was. We woke up to news reports of hard rain all day but it had not started yet, but looked like it could at any time. We arrived to the playground at 9 to begin our CNN interviews – they traveled all the way to Krasnoyarsk to document Alex’s project – WOW! The interviews ran into one problem after another – 1^st a worker was hammering to repair a bench, then a large truck came to plant the two trees, background noise and commotion everywhere. They got Alex’s interview done just before the big opening but didn’t do Dwight’s until 6:30 in the evening – that’s how hectic the day was.

At 11 Alex and Dwight were suddenly whisked away to the maternity hospital were Alex was born. We had never been there before and were shown the room where Alex was born and the incubator where he was for 3 months. It was very moving being there. Next we were given a tour of the Children’s hospital where Alex spent the next 8 months of his life before he was adopted. We met with the nurses and doctors who cared for him, walked the halls and saw the rooms and cribs where he lived. I’m sorry to say that not much has changed in 15 years. I can tell you that two of the finest young man on the planet earth, Christian Posko and Zach Kraft, later this day made a promise that they would return to Krasnoyarsk and build a new Children’s Hospital when they are older!!! Here are two 15 year old future Eagle Scouts making a major commitment to help the children of Krasnoyarsk and we have no doubt they will do it.

Alex and Dwight arrived back at the playground minutes before the grand opening. While they were gone a crowd of 200-300 people had assembled, a balloon arch and balloon animals were set up and the playground was lined with balloons. Music was playing through the sound systems and there were 9 TV stations present and who knows how many other reporters. It was quite the festive atmosphere. Just as the program was about to begin, the sun came out – God has been looking over this project the entire time and he gave us one final blessing.

A professional event planner named Elaine served as master of ceremonies, which began at 12:10 with the ringing of the church bells. A children’s choir sang and then Tatiana Khegay, Past President of the Krasnoyarsk-Yenisei Rotary club gave a very moving speech. There were also speeches by the Deputy Mayor, the head of the Lenin District where the hospital is located and the hospital administrator. A six year old boy sang a song and the Alina’s friends from her capoeira group gave an amazing performance of strength, balance and skill. All the translators who have helped while we were here sang Alex a song. Tatiana and the travel crew finished planting the two trees – one a spruce for Russia and one a chestnut for America. Dwight tried to give his speech in Russian and destroyed it. Then Alex gave part of his speech in Russian and aced it and the 2^nd half in English which was translated for the crowd. This was followed by the crowd singing happy birthday to Alex, cutting of the ribbon and tons of kids rushing the playground while the choir sang the Beetles song yesterday. It was mayhem. The children were screaming and shouting with delight running from one component to another. We ran around taking pictures and trying to record the sounds of the children playing – sounds we will never forget. They did not exist before Alex’s Krasnoyarsk Playground Project. Everyone was flooded with interviews, being pulled here and there.

After 2 ½ years of work, 2705 known hours of labor of which 838 were by Alex alone, thousands of emails and phone calls and a commitment of time, expertise, materials or money from over 600 people in 78 cities, 23 states and 5 countries, Alex’s Krasnoyarsk Playground project is now completed and children are now screaming and laughing as they play on it. Wow!!!!

About 1:30 we ate lunch and then traveled to an orphanage Alex most likely would have gone to had he not been adopted. On the way the promised rains finally came, maybe Gods way of shedding a tear for those children who do not yet have families. This was one of the nicer orphanages in Russia we were told by the CNN crew who have seen many. The children are placed in groups of about 15-18 kids and they all sleep in one room and then there is a second room in which they do everything else – eat, play and learn. We all got to play with the children which was quite fun. While it was nicer than we expected, this is no way for a child to live. This orphanage is for special needs children age birth to 4 years who have a host of medical or psychological issues. In 15 years, 700 children have been adopted from this orphanage and the and the rest are awaiting families. We need to find families for these children so that they do not spend the rest of their lives here.

After visiting the orphanage we all traveled back to Tatiana’s flat. Dwight went outside to do his CNN interview while everyone chilled for a few minutes. At 7, everyone involved with the project went to a celebration dinner and meeting of the Krasnoyarsk-Yenisei Rotary Club. There were many speeches given praising the project and its participants. Rotary banners were exchanged and Dwight presented Tatiana with the wood block from South Africa that is making its way around the world one Rotary Club at a time. Alex was presented with many presents and a birthday cake. Everyone had a great time celebrating what has been accomplished and most of the speeches and conversations were about the goodness of the people of Russia and America, how we can work together for a common goal and achieve much, how all of us on both sides of the ocean have been touched by this simple playground project and how it has changed our perspective of the world. Those of us who traveled here to Russia from America certainly have been changed in ways words can’t describe. God bless America. God bless Russia. God bless the children of the world waiting for a family to call their own and God bless all those who helped to make the Krasnoyarsk Playground Project possible.