Friday in Jelgava

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We spent Friday in Jelgava at Centrs Elizabete. Today was special because we got to be at the orphanage the whole day and eat lunch and dinner with them. In the morning we took the kids to buy them school shoes. Everyone got their own new school shoes. This is special for them because they always have hand-me-downs, and this time they got new that they picked out. Back at the house they put them on inside to show everyone, but then they were put away for school.
We ate a simple lunch: zuppa and maize. The soup was milk-based with shell pasta and slightly sweet. The bread was somewhere between a granola and a cracker with raisins in it. After lunch the little ones took a nap and I played outside with Volda, mosly soccer.
The kids woke up and we had yogurt then we went swimming. We walked almost 30 minutes to a pond (we called it swan lake because it had beautiful swans swimming there). The children and Vita, the careworker, swan. There were a few other Latvians swimming in the pond also.
After a long walk hom, we had a dinner that had been prepared during the children's naptime and put in a crock pot. It was couscous with vegetables and chicken drumsticks and sliced cucumbers. The chidren put ketchup on their couscous. I started washing dishes but didn't get to finish because Inga gave us a ride to the supermarket, Rimi. There we picked up some breakfast bars and other small things we would need for the next few days.
At the house we are staying in, the old orphanage, Cassandra and I played a Latvian card game called Top 6. When we went to bed there was a party going on next door with music. They partied until the rain started at about 2 AM.

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Comments

[Elizabeth Thomas]

Sounds like another great day. . .
I wondered if you might have long entries. The previous ones captured the moment, but I know there are far too many wondrous moments in Latvia. Yet you feel the need to slow down to take them all in. (Oops - I'm an English major, and did a major booboo! At least in my day, you did not end a sentence with a preposition.) I too loved the simple and tasty foods served at the orphanage. Isn't it amazing how God provides for the children! I was struck by the abundance of food for three meals and snacks for so many people each day. Your experiences - the details - have been different than mine. It makes me hunger to go back to have new memories. Hey Cassandra! Will you teach me the game, Top 6?

[jstine]

My entries
About the length of my entries...I typed in the blog whenever I got a chance. I kept telling myself during the day to soak in every moment. I have been looking forward to this for so long that I want to be able to remember every moment. The food at the orphanage is simple and filling. No one would EVER go hungry there between all the meals and snacks. I will have to post even more once I get home and start to process everything.