So Cool.

I constantly remember the two orphanages I spent time at last spring in Lithuania, and I often wonder about how the kids are doing. How big are they now? What new things have they learned over the past year? Have they found a new home?

I had my friend, Donatas, help me translate an e-mail to the woman who ran one of the orphanages. Her name was Virginija. She was a remarkable woman, and I could tell that the kids viewed her as their own mother. She loved them as if they were her children, no less. I remember one Saturday that I went to help out, but quickly found myself in the position of taking care of the place all by myself. Oh gosh, that was a crazy day! Virginija had said a few things in broken English, pointed at the pots and pans on the stove, and wasn't back until 3 hours later. One of the little girls, speaking nothing but Lithuanian, started showing me how to cook a common dish... and... well, we whipped up something together and fed the whole house! Ha ha. I loved those kids. They were so talented and had so much love.

Back to my story... I wanted Donatas to help me translate so that I could ask for her address to send pictures and some candy for the children. She then responded, and Donatas had to translate it for me back into English (good friend, right?) In her e-mail Virginija told me that she just published her own book of poems, and she had the children illustrate it for her with hand-drawn pictures! She asked for my address so that she can send me a copy, which pretty much makes me want to cry. I won't be able to read the poems (unless I translate some of them), but just to have a book filled with pictures by the kids I grew to love-- what a GIFT!!

I miss those kids.