She arrived on Tuesday and we had dinner with BJ. Wednesday two of the mission team members took her into Washington to see the sights. I stayed at the office. It was too hot for me. They started out at the Capital and walked to the Lincoln Memorial and back. She was eager to press on while the two 'natives' were wilting in the near 100 degree heat. They did manage to coax her into the Museum of Natural History for a brief, cool respite. She loved the Hope Diamond. Way to go!! What girl wouldn't. That evening we were supposed to have a little gathering for supper at a local eatery and EVERYBODY crapped out. Those who had been with her all day, wilted and faded away. I wound up taking her to our local Chinese restaurant and then early to sleep.
Yesterday I took her to the Manassas Battlefield where we walked the fields. It was too hot to walk the entire course, be we did walk to the old house to see the graveyard and then to Stonewall Jackson's statue. A few moments back at the pavilion restored our strength and we went on for lunch at another team member's home. Marina had been Liz's translator on the spring trip and they established a great friendship. I'm not surprised - she's a terrific gal. Liz fixed us a lovely lunch and I backed away so they could spend a little time together. Then we went off to visit the closest Mall. We shopped for an hour or so and came home to get refreshed and off to a cookout where most of the team members were able to see her and talk to. It was a great time and Marina was awed that so many people had come out just to see her. I was proud of the group for their attention to her.
This morning I took her to the church, where the next leg of her journey will begin. A gentleman who works for Children's Hope Chest is taking her to Virginia Beach for the weekend at his home. He and his wife are new parents to a baby boy and Marina will enjoy seeing the baby. Then Monday, she is off to Colorado Springs again until late August when she'll return to Russia to begin studies at the University in early September.
It was a gift to us all to have her here with us.
Here is a picture of the two of us before she left.
So now I spend the rest of the day remembering her and those wonderful kids we've learned to love in our orphanage.
God bless you all.
2 comments:
Hey, you just gave me a refresher course of my visit at your place!
UM, this is TK. Hello! You didn't tell me she was drop dead gorgeous! Wow! I certainly hope you kept the American boys away. Hee, hee,hee.
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