Devotion

Thank goodness that Kevin told to pack cowboy gear, since that's all the kids know about Texas. I threw in a few stacks of bandanas into my luggage as an after-thought, but they came very much in handy today. We visited a Russian Orthodox church, where women are required to cover their heads. Accordingly, the ladies of the team all donned pink, blue, and yellow bandanas. We were then thrust into a service completely unlike anything I'd ever experienced before. As everyone stands in a large room, several priests move back and forth from a separate back room to the altar, chanting all the while. The choir joins in at times, and patrons shuffle in and out at will, always stopping to kiss icons and crosses, light candles, and take communion.

I was especially amazed to see how young most of the priests were. They looked to be my age (18) or a little older. I can't even imagine the time and dedication they have devoted to their faith and, moreover, the assurance they must feel to be so devoted at so young an age. Hopefully, our interactions with the orphans will similarly show them our devotion: our firm belief in God's unconditional love.

Molly