4:15 PM - What experiences we've had today! We started at the baby orphanage in Tihkvin. We were only there for a very short while, about long enough for me to give away a snowsuit to a small three-year old boy. He was so happy! We got a tour of the building, but didn't get to hold anybody. :( That was super hard for me to deal with.
Afterwards, we went to Efimovsky, the orphanage sponsored by Alyssa and her family. We were able to experience their end-of-school ceremony, where we were greeted by all the children! The presents we handed out were accepted with an over-abundance of joy and "thank-you"s. It was absolutely amazing! At one point, someone called me "Momma". I didn't get their name, but I wanted to take them home with me. We ate a fantastic lunch, and we were able to talk with the kids while they ate, as well as hand out bracelets.
They were so happy and joyful, to see us, to receive presents, and to simply eat their lunch. There was so much joy! While we were meeting kids and talking to them, one little girl was especially enthusiastic about getting my attention. Even though she was only six or seven, she understood that there was an extreme language barrier between us. She used enough gestures that I could understand that she was thrilled to eat, and that she was very grateful for her fruit and bubbles.
At one point, I was very, very excited to realize that she had asked me what my name was! ("Kahk za vut" means "what is your name?") I told her I was Stephanie, and then returned the question, to which she responded "Masha". She and I talked for several more minutes, not once knowing exactly what the other one was saying. I've decided that she can be mine. :) We started "adopting" children, and we already love them, only to leave them behind in short moments. Michael and Alyssa co-adopted another little girl named Masha at Efimovsky. :)
This orphanage blew my mind, mostly because of the joy that they express. They have each other, their staff, and the occasional loving visiting missionary group. Smiles were everywhere! I could have stayed there forever. Masha will be imprinted on my heart forever, and maybe someday we'll meet again.
At the third orphanage, Anisimovo, I "adopted" a second little girl named Alonya. She was a tiny, tiny 2-or-3-year-old, who refused to smile at us. She hid behind an older girl until I went and picked her up. I started by pulling her onto my bent knee, but then I sat down, crossed my legs, and pulled her into my lap, and she still wouldn't smile, even when Alyssa started to tickle her. I'm not sure why she wouldn't smile. She sat quietly and willingly in my lap, leaning her head on my shoulder. I hated leaving her. If I could, I would have her sitting on my lap right now, on the way back to our hotel.
When we were leaving, we were in front of the kids, and I looked back at her and smiled, waved, and said "dasvadanya!" and she finally broke into a huge grin. That smile alone was worth my entire day, right there. What a beautiful, beautiful little girl! I've claimed her, fallen in love.
11:35 PM - We went to dinner, after our 3-or-so-hour ride, at the mall outside the city. It blows my mind that the place looks identical to our own malls back home, yet people are going home to broken down apartment buildings and shacks that they call home. Unbelievable, what the people build and repair and what they allow to deteriorate.
When we got back, we went on another walk, with the intent of feeding the birds again. Unfortunately, they had roosted for the night. We DID find an old fire station that is now a museum, and a private yacht docked on the river. We all took pictures by it, and we're going to claim that either the group rented it to get to the orphanages, or that it belongs to one of us. ;) We had a great walk. We stopped in a super market on the way back, and I purchased some greatly craved milk. I've only been served cream as my dairy option, so I was craving some good milk!!
Tomorrow we're going to two hospitals, one for the elderly homeless (Pastor says it's the most deplorable hospital we'll ever see,) and another one for child burn victims. I think both will be extremely hard for me to experience, mostly because I have a hard time seeing other peoples' suffering.
In the book "Kisses from Katie", she talks about God removing the disease, the filth, and all other impurities from her eyes so that she only saw the kids that needed to be hugged, held, played with, and rocked to sleep. I pray, fervently, that God would bless me in the same way tomorrow, so that I can spread His love and joy to the hurt and helpless that we'll meet.
I'm praying for my two little girls tonight, Masha and Alonya. It's not at all impossible to meet with them again some day, and I sincerely pray that I will, and that Alyssa and Michael will meet their little Masha again some day, too.
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