i saw her!

Today was the best day I have had during this whole trip and probably in the last two years. I saw Elena today. It was like we had never been apart. She has grown up so much; she is 16 years old instead of 14. She has had a baby. But inside she is still the same old Elena. Earlier the older girls told me they saw her in the Piazza during lunch and they told her that I was at the school, but that she had said she probably wasn't coming. So I didn't get my hopes up. I was hoping to see her, but I knew that there was only a slight chance that I actually would get to see her. We were starting to play our water games and all of a sudden Flori came over and grabbed my hand, running and yelling in Romanian. I wasn’t sure where she was taking me or what she wanted. Then I saw her. I screamed. This was the moment I have been waiting for. The moment when I saw my Elena. I gave her two years worth of hugs in one big hug. It was just her and I. We were surrounded by a crowd of girls. I almost started to cry but I knew that I couldn’t. I didn’t want the other girls to think that I didn’t want to be with them, because I did. But Elena was there. We walked over to where everyone was playing the games, I didn’t want to leave my team, but I wanted to be with Elena so much. So I played one game with my team. After the game was over (and I was soaked because I got lots of water dumped on me) I went to Elena and gave her a big hug. She just smiled and laughed. Then she said something to me very quietly, as if I would be disappointed with her, as if she was ashamed. She said it so quietly at first that I didn’t know what she said, and then she said it again. She told me herself that she had a baby. I was glad that she didn’t just assume that I already knew. Then I took her to where we always used to sit on the stage next to the school. I gave her a bracelet I made for her just in case we were to meet. When I opened my purse she saw a letter that I had written for her. I hadn’t gotten it translated yet so I was going to wait until a translator was around. But, she saw it and she wanted me to read it to her. So I was able to translate my own letter to her. It was really cool because we were able to talk as if we spoke the same language. I know that God has bound us together in our hearts because I am not able to understand when other girls talk to me, but when Elena talks to me I can understand. Again today just like two years ago, Georgiana said something to me and I had no idea what she said, but I looked at Elena and she was able to say it to me again and I could understand. I don’t know how it works, but I love it. It was nice to spend time with her and I am so glad, even though I would have liked to see her more, God heard my prayer and I was able to see her. I made sure she knew that I love her and that I missed her and that I still think of her as my sister. I love her so much and although I don’t know when I will see her again, but I know that God will be faithful for me to see her again.



The day that we left Alexandria, just as we were getting ready to leave Elena showed up with her precious little baby girl. I got to hold her and spend some time with her before I needed to leave to say goodbye to the other girls.