Amazing Day...

I feel like every day will have the same title. There are things that I can not share right now, but insure you all the details when we get home. We will have to have a story telling night and picture show!! Sounds like a good plan.

We woke up and got to work on our bags right away!! I am glad to announce, that late last night we were able to change into CLEAN ONES!!! Yea!! I can't tell you what a blessings that was, in more ways then one. However it was not an easy task and took us all day. Once we were there to get them we were questioned (nicely) for.....ever..... but then the guy got tired of talking or something and just let us go.

We went on a great taxi ride when we were off to meet a friend. The guy in the taxi was awesome. No English at all, but so...willing to try and communicate with us. We spent about 20 min. or so, connecting with him and learning about his culture and himself. He toured us and tried to explain the town and the things that had gone on. There is a holiday that is about to celebrated called, Novruz it means "new day". This day represents like spring, or new life. On every Tuesday of the month leading up to this day, they build fires in the street and all the men gather around them. Some times you may see someone jump over the fire, and they believe this cleanses them of their sins. It would be easy to parallel other stories to this one. On the 20th, will be the BIG celebration and that will be fun. Hopefully we will be invited to join a family for this one, I don't doubt that we won't.

Our taxi guy had such a good time with us, he saw us later walking in the street and honked at Emily and I to get our attention. I am glad that we made as much as an impact on him, as he did on us.

We went to meet some friends, that we were in contact in the states...more on that later, but suffice to say, it was great fun!!

Then we rode the metro, on our way to my cousins house, to get her car so we could drive to the airport. I have imagined her house a dozen times from reading her emails and things. I told her that and her reply was, there is no way you could imagine it, it is imaginable. So on our way we got on the metro. We went deep down underground, father then I think I have ever been. When we got on the metro, we didn't have to hold on because our bodies were so tightly pressed together, that we were able to use our bodies to hold each other up. So...lesson, if you are scared of tight spaces....don't ride the metro here.

On our way to my cousins, we encountered things we would never see in the states. My favorite one, was three cow heads, that had been cut off their bodies, with their tongues hanging out of their mouths, sitting on cardboard, with their feet cut off right next to them. The make a soup out of it called "head and foot"...(very original) that comes out like a thick gluey paste!! MMM...what do you think Julie?? Even I would pass on this one.

When we go to Cousins house, she was right...not imaginable. I will have to let the pictures explain this one. All I can say, is that this sweet lady loves these people so much that she is willing to sacrifice what we would classify as "unlivable conditions". Now, I know that no servant is above his master, but I will say if this is all that the body provides for her, shame on them. If she chooses this...then wonderful!! However, I heard her say that she couldn't afford more. I think that there is something about seeing with your own eyes, that put so much in perspective. I will add that my cousin is not poor...she is happy and love what she does, she is rich she said!!

While there, we were invited by some neighbors for dinner later. They said it would be a great honor for us to be in their home. Another neighbor caught eye of us and ran to get what they call "our share" a gift of fruit, candy and nuts. These people are SO....poor, yet they give our share, freely and willingly!

When we returned, which was so late, our friends were waiting for us with a spread of great homemade food. It was soo...good. There living conditions were worse than my cousins, if you could believe that. It was freezing outside, and they had an unfinished roof, and house. The kids don't run all around away from the rest, we all gather together. Of course I made a beeline to the kids and met C~6's match. Wait till you see her. Her name was Samma...to cute. We ate...and ate....and ate...and just when we thought we were done we ate...some more. They were completely hospitable. We found out that we were like minded about half way through, and were able to share great stories together. Later, they asked if we could sing, so Bry played my cousins guitar and we both sang. They were so excited to hear our music, we then were able to bless the house together in one name. We were invited back, to even stay. Their dream is to ready the rest of their house so they could house people like a retreat center for travelers. They asked us to join them for the holiday, and drive with them to the village where they are from. The night was long but such a memorable night.

Lesson: We have been talking about giving...sacrificial giving...giving your possessions or selling them to provide for the poor. Ok, we are not poor...and the TRUELY POOR just demonstrated what it looks like to give. These people are so poor, that they may not have enough food to eat today because, they gave it all to us last night!! Can we grasp that?? They gave us all...What MORE can we give???

Well today, we are going to make plans to go the mountains for about 4 - 5 days. We will keep you posted and let you know how that goes. We will go by overnight train!! Fun!!

Oh, one of our friends that came with us here decided to go home last night. She was a little homesick, so we took her to the airport today. All is well, but keep her in mind.

Love to you all!!