Thanks guys for your compliments. I talked about our daughter leaving in some posts way back, but didn't realize until lately that I need to be cautious in revealing exactly where she is going for safety reasons. But the area was part of the old Soviet Union.
She gave up a great career with the Marriott Corp. to become a missionary. Her work visa lists her as a business consultant. She will be teaching English as a second language at a business school. She will also be working with children at risk. She went for a 2 week visit last year and came back with both sad and exciting stories.
The kids are from single parent families usually and the mothers are usually alcoholic and I suppose are prostitutes to pay for their addictions. They think the House the missionaries run to give them one hot meal each day is the only meal they get. They also socalize with the children and provide them with warm clothes. It often gets (and stays) 45 degrees below zero in the winter. She was told that the children are usually 2 yrs. older than they look due to malnutrition.
I get regular newsletters from there. In the spring this year, there were 2 male cousins who started coming each day. They would squirrel away bread crusts to eat later. The 15 yr. old had only one outfit of clothes..an old pr. of warmup pants that he tied with string and a warmup jacket. The 13 yr. old had a man's suit that was about 4 sizes too large. That was what they wore each day until the missionaries bought them some new clothes.
Then there's the success story of the tiny little girl (about 8 yrs. old) who has blossomed and is learning to crochet.
My husband is having a hard time with DD's move. He bursts into tears often during the day. I understand her desire to make a difference, so I'll miss her but I know she's serving a purpose.......a job like any other, just a lot further from family than some.
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