The story of a Russian orphans journey to his new home in America.
This book is an attempt by an adoptive mother, Julie Gustavson, to share with others the experience of bringing a foreign toddler into her home as her new son.
The book is laid out in four sections; the first tells the story of the adoption from the viewpoint of the 4 1/2 year old child Julie brought from Russia to California in 1994. It is written from her observations of her child during her initial visit to his orphanage and through his first months in America.
The second section is photos taken during the adoption journey and the first year of his life in California.
The third section is the adoption story from the adoptive mother's viewpoint, revealing the ups and downs of the process of adopting from another country, in this case, Russia.
The final section is a short update, with additional photos from Damir's childhood through high school graduation.
The author knows that she has given a Russian orphan a chance at a good life which he could not have enjoyed had he remained an orphan. She also knows, however, that she would have missed out on so much, had she not brought this young man into her heart, home and life. She only hopes that this true story will encourage other young(ish) adults to save the lives of children who are languishing in orphanages around the world, where funds are often so limited and the children are all but forgotten. The child in this story, Damir, was luckier than most; his orphanage was clean and he was well fed, and obviously cared for. Nonetheless, upon reaching adulthood, he would have been turned out with no future whatsoever, in a country that is still suffering so much turmoil.
You, too, could change the life of a child, while enriching your own life unbelievably.