Keri’s latest message from Facebook today:
Hello group — thank you for your patience.
I currently have some people who have offered to help us get Anya here permanently and I am still pursuing those measures at the time being. I hope to have some news in 3-4 weeks time. Please keep hopeful for us, keep Anya in your prayers and, by all means, do some fundraising if you are able.
MANY Thanks…
Keri, Nastia & Anya
A Note From Keri Cahill
2/16/2010 from Facebook
Sorry it’s been quiet. There hasn’t been much to report. I just wanted to offer my continued and deepest thanks for your support and prayers. I know that a great majority of you do not know Anya. Many do not even know me! And yet you joined this group to support us, and write letters, send cards, post inspiring words. I could never explain the pain I experience in being separated from Anya. I know it is worse for my daughter, and yet we both continue to hope and pray for Anya’s arrival in our arms. It is thanks to you and God that we have the strength to keep hoping. – Keri Cahill
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Please continue to support us in anyway you can, whether it be spreading the word, donating a few dollars, writing a letter, notifying the media, blogging or simply praying. We appreciate all of it. And stay tuned for more.
Keri and Nastia are home after an emotional visit with Anya. The parting was extremely traumatic and they return with renewed resolve to reunite the girls.
Our next step is securing a qualified Immigration Attorney who can advise Keri on the best way to work within the system to bring Anya here. As I’m sure you can assume, these lawyers are extremely expensive.
The Bring Anya Home campaign had an amazing December and we thank everyone who contributed money, time, thoughts and prayers. Our little Facebook group has grown to over 3000 members and we raised enough money to send Keri over to Russia to visit Anya for the holidays. That’s incredible. But now we head into the New Year and our challenge is greater than ever. People’s attention spans can be short and we still have a lot of work to do.
Let’s not forget Anya as she struggles being homeless in Siberia during these very cold months. Her only relative is her sister who lives here, in the USA. As a beautiful young woman, the reality is that she battles daily to avoid the perils of prostitution and drugs. You have the power to help her. Please consider a donation.
Thanks.
We at Bring Anya Home offer our toughts and prayers for the people of Haiti.
If you are so inclined, you can support Save the Children’s response in Haiti by texting the word SAVE to the phone number 20222. You’ll be charged $10 each time. You can call up to 3 times per cell phone.
Don’t forget — Green Tea Yoga is hosting a fundraiser tonight 5:45pm – 6:45pm to raise money for the Bring Anya Home fund. Suggested donation is $10-20 per person. It will be a fun way to create art, build energy and awareness, and get the body moving after the holidays.
Green Tea Yoga is located at 7 Colonial Road off Jefferson Ave, about 1 mile from downtown Salem. For further info please call 978-740-9749 or visit the studio online.
Keri and Svetlana’s daughter Polina took the girls ice skating in Red Square on Jan. 3rd. Keri reports that the weather was the coldest she’d ever experienced. -22 degrees C (translates to -7.6 F) is not a lot of fun to hang out in, but Anya and Nastia made the best of it.
Here are a couple photos — click the read more to check out other offerings.
Keri posted some more good photos of their day in Moscow. Enjoy! remember to click the “read more” option to view the rest of the entry. The first photo is just a teaser….
Keri and Anya at Moscow's Gum Market
After the big hugs -- here are the sisters!
Keri has been posting shots to Facebook, but her profile and the group are private.
For those of you who are not Facebook Users, we want you to SEE what we’re working for. Please enjoy the smiles, and the knowledge that this reunion is only the beginning for the girls. We plan on 2010 being Anya’s year, and one where we will not cease working to unite the family forever.
Here is one photo, and then please enjoy the rest after the break (click the bottom of this entry for more) so the entire entry doesn’t take up the entirety of the first page of the blog).
Had a couple chances to communicate with Keri and Nastia today. Keri reports that New Years Eve in Moscow is quite the adventure, the girls collapsed into bed after they got home and passed out. She uploaded a few photos, which I’ll post in the media section. Moscow is beautiful on New Years Eve, and so are the sisters!
Nastia and Anya - 2009
Also … Thank you Nikki Gamer for running this story in this week’s Marblehead Reporter. Keeping the news in the forefront is important so we very much appreciate this wonderful article from Nikki.
Lights, Camera and hopefully ACTION!
Update from Keri (From Facebook)
Great News! Nastia and I spent the entire day and evening being filmed for a documentary being made about Anya’s situation. The crew is back first thing in the morning. Then, next week, Channel One of Russia is ALSO sending a crew up from New York City to film us for a piece they, too, are producing about Anya! They’ll… be sending a crew to Siberia to interview Anya at the same time. These both just fell in our laps this week! May they both prove fruitful!!!