No snow? No problem!
I told them to get there jackets and shoes on…we are gonna go make a snowman!!!! They all looked at me like I was crazy. But I told them to think hard. What else could we make a snowman out of other than snow?
They started thinking and started getting a little light in their eyes. So I helped think and we thought we could make on out of old branches and leaves!! Yeah!!! Lets do it!
Well it did not come out exactly the way we had hoped to, but it was fun nonetheless!
Check it out!
So after that we needed to clean up because I would take “my girls” and Ernests to Saldus for the Christmas eve service. I would have taken all of the kids but… there are no busses that go on Sundays let alone on Christmas eve! So… we…(don’t kill me, yet!) …..Hitchhiked!
Now before you freak out, step outside of North America for a minute and try hard to understand that hitchhiking is very normal in Europe! Trust me! It is pretty safe. I never encourage any of the kids to do it (especially by themselves) but sometimes it is necessary (and quite normal!)
So we finally got to Saldus. We decide to go to the Church where we knew the pastor because his wife was actually the first director of the orphanage in 2003 when I met the girls for the first time! She is a Christian and had to leave the orphanage because she was running it more like Christ and less like what the State wanted. I had a great relationship with her, and it was so hard to see her leave, because that is when my struggle started with building any type of relationship with the orphanage after that moment. (until now!)
So we wanted to go to that church but we were quite early, as the hitchhiking was faster than we expected ;)
So we went to a park to let Ernests play on the playground, but it was quite cold. Then something really cool happened! Two of the girls wanted to go see their mom! Yes I said mom. Most kids in this orphanage are not orphans because of death of parents; most are orphans because of neglect, alcoholism, laziness, selfishness, (you name it!) of their parents.
So we went to go see their mom. They were very embarrassed and were sacred to show me because they were afraid she would be drunk. I, fo course let them know they didn’t have to bring me, but I also let them know I would not judge her or them by what it was like there. So we went!
It was a very interesting situation. Sad to say the least. But I was happy to meet their mom and see what she looked like and why in the world she would choose not to have these beautiful, wonderful girls with her. The apartment and her appearance explained everything. I would not want these girls to have to live in that kind of place and environment. For the first time I saw the blessings of God in the midst of them being ‘orphans’. It was eye opening and it made me love my Jesus so much more kowing he knows better than we ever will!
After meeting their mom we went to the church service, but unfortunately the previous director, Inita, was not at the service, but her husband was there and he told us at the end of the service to go see her has they live in the back of the church. We knocked on the door and one of her children answered and then she came to the door. Her eyes lit up when she saw the girls, Ernests, and I. she was so happy to see us. She invited us in and the minute we walked in the aroma of Christmas filled my heart! Food and candles and music. It was such a warm feeling. And she then did something that I am not sure if I would have done in her position… for their Christmas dinner she invited us to dine with them!!! 5 extra chairs, plates, cup , and mostly MOUTHS to feed!!! And she did it in a way that was so loving and so inviting! She and her family made Christmas for me so very special. It was enchanting, being there with a Christian family who seemed to love these kids just as much a I did, and it was just perfect!!
When we arrived back at the orphanage that evening we had everyone together and we sat in front of the Christmas tree and had a little ‘family time’. In Latvian tradition when the children are ready to get their gifts they have to sing, recite a poem, or do something special before they get their gift. (I think it is a great idea and I will take that one with me for years to come!) so as you can see I also had to join in the tradition, with a little help from “my girls” ! (we sand happy birthday to Mr. Jesus!)
I gave all the gifts I had to al the younger kids, but I saved my gifts for “my girls” for later. I had a special something I wanted to do with them as I know that they have Christ inside of them, we needed to make Jesus the center of our celebration.
So later that night we sat together and talked about Jesus, talked about the past year, talked about the good and bad times, and talked about what it was in our lives this past year that has kept us from having a more intimate connection with our Jesus. Then we went into our separate rooms and we wrote letters to Jesus telling him what we would like to give him from our last year so we could have a closer relationship with him. Then we came back together and prayed. Then we went out side and gave our gifts to Jesus by burning all of our letters together. We said happy birthday Jesus. Then we went in and finished giving gifts to each other. Then went to bed. It was a beautiful day all in all!
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