Nikita McGreevy (from left), David Schaller, Susan McGreevy, Artur Schaller and Tempest Schaller walk in the terminal at Dulles Airport. Nikita and Artur, friends in a Russian orphanage are reunited. beh View More Images from this story Visit the Photo Place

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Stafford families providing homes for Russian orphans.

Stafford families providing homes for Russian orphans.

Date published: 6/23/2004

The Free Lance-Start a tea party held in October 2001, Artur Schaller bounced between two deep emotions. He was thrilled to be leaving Orphanage 46, happy to be going to Stafford to become part of the Schaller family.

But he knew the distance between Russia and America was immense. He would probably never see his friends again.

His farewell party was bittersweet. In one hand, he clutched his newest prized possession--a small photo album with pictures of daily life in the Schaller household.

Around his wrist, he carried the ponytail holder of a friend named Sonia, a small possession to remember a friend he'd never see again.

Artur couldn't have known, as he left the orphanage and boarded a plane next to a woman he barely knew, that his new mother would turn his friends into a personal crusade, bringing many of them from 46 to Stafford County.

Joyce Schaller, an English teacher at Stafford High School, already knew about painful farewells. She, her husband, David, and two young daughters hosted Serik, a Russian orphan, the summer of 2000 as part of a program that brings orphans to the United States to attend summer camp and find prospective families.

David Schaller had confessed to his wife, on the way to the airport to pick up Serik, he couldn't truly love a child not biologically his. Joyce Schaller knew they were going to only host Serik for a few weeks, find him a different home.

But those few weeks changed the Schaller family for good. The Schallers learned they could open their hearts to an older orphan. Joyce Schaller knew she wanted to adopt.

The couple, both teachers, didn't know how they could afford to adopt, when an international adoption could run close to $20,000.

The price tag bothered David Schaller more. He soon grew tired of his wife asking when they could adopt another child.

"If God wants us to adopt, he'll show us the way," David Schaller said Jan. 3, 2001.

The next day, Joyce Schaller got a call. There was an 11-year-old Russian orphan named Artur. His adoption plans just fell through and $8,000 had already been raised for his adoption. Were the Schallers interested?

"The day before, David had said, 'If God wants us to adopt' and shazam!" Joyce Schaller said.

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Date published: 6/23/2004