2 down, 1 to go

Day two was a long walk around and finally in the park.  We met downstairs at the hotel for breakfast at 8 planned on arriving at the orphanage at 9.  Upon our arrival, we took a walk with Wiktoria.  We had no idea where the park was, if there was one, and followed Magda around while she was on the phone.  30 minutes later, she asked directions.  Once there, we discovered Wiktoria likes to swing and eat.  She will fit in well with the ladies I live with.   After playing for about an hour we returned to the orphanage and went out to join the other kids.  This is my favorite part.  They all want to play with me and talk to me, yet I have no idea what they are saying and vice versa, yet we both keep on talking to one another.  One little fellow, Dawid, looks like a mess.  I am sure there is a story behind him, but he looks like a rascal.  You can see something in his eyes.  I picked him up and he was attached to me like a little Polish spider monkey.  He smiled and held on to me.  I would try to sit him down and he refused to put his feet down.  Wiktoria, took offense to this and ran over to me with her arms up grunting.  So I guess there is some bonding going on with us.  The other children there are just precious.  You can see that some have issues, like we all do, and others look “normal” and you have to wonder why they are there.  I did not want to leave.  The kids just liked playing and being silly, language was no barrier for them.  Love does not have to speak a language.

After leaving the orphanage, we headed to the apartment where we will be staying when we return.  It is near a large mall.  Magda says it is the largest in Poland.   They have street signs in the mall to help navigate.  The apartment facilities were nice.  They are all furnished, have tv’s, wifi, playgrounds, and a guarded entry.  We were told that there are some celebrities that live there so it is guarded and well maintained.  Afterwards, a tour of the mall was in order.  A quick trip through the Polish version of Wal-Mart showed us that everything we would need would be right there, from soup in a box, to clothes, to diapers, to a whole frozen catfish, whiskers and all.  Lunch was in the food court.  Choices range from Thai to McDonalds, KFC, Burger King, Kebabs and traditional dishes.  Leigh went with the traditional foods and I had a kebab.  There is lody everywhere in the mall.  I think it will be a great, potentially fattening place to live.  However, we have to walk to the mall to get it, so it will be our reward for the exercise of walking to the mall.  Justified. 

We then took the train back to the hotel to rest and freshen up before returning to see Wiktoria and the other children at 3.  This afternoon we stayed and played around the orphanage and played bubbles, in the ball pit and with the other kids.  Wiktoria seems to be getting closer to both of us, yet we have to leave her in a couple days and return weeks, maybe months later and do the whole thing over again.   J

Random things from today:

·         At the movie theatre here, you get to pick your seat when you buy a ticket.

·         When in the WC, and there is any question, always use the big button on the toilet.

·         Leigh had a boneless chicken leg for supper.  Who knew?  How do they walk?

·         Mountain Dew here tastes more like Kroger Dew Drop.

·         Taxi driver per day = about $85.  Riding the train = $1 per trip.

·         The mall is ridiculously big and most young folks that work there let you struggle with communicating with them a little before they respond to you in perfect English.

·         A whole catfish, skin and all, stares at you as you pass by.  You can also buy a frozen chunk of cut fish.  Bait is what I say.

·         My wife bumps into someone tonight and responds in Polish with “Good morning!”  She is great.

·         The orphanage does not use baby wipes.  Instead, you get in the sink and get hosed off and sponged down.

·         My quote to Leigh, ”I thought we bought that chocolate candy for the kids and that candy bar for Freida.”  She says, “We can buy more!”

·         There is a precious girl and little brother sibling group in the orphanage.  Who will rescue them?  Who will show them the greatest example of God’s love and how will they learn and understand and a Father’s love and the family of God if they have no father and no family?

·         We are here now.  We are getting only one.  Who will go next?