River Walk

I'm a little behind on the documentation of our trip, so this is a flashback. More to come soon...

Sunday morning we reached the hotel Krasnoyarsk, where we stayed last time we were here. To all of our surprise, we headed right past it, craning our necks and exchanging confused looks with each other. Across the river Yenesi we rolled, pulling into the parking lot of a much older, a bit more dilapidated hotel. The Tourist Hotel was the translation. No English speaking staff. No Internet or Business Center. Just a good old Russian hotel. Our home for the first five days in Krasnoyarsk, before heading to the Hotel Krasnoyarsk for the remainder of the trip. The grocery store next door was a step down from the one in Moscow next to the Marriott, but thankfully so were the prices. 4 cups of yogurt for $3.00 instead of 2 cups for $8.00. We loaded up on some food and hunkered down at the hotel for the day.

After a quick nap, Sara and I decided to take a stroll along the river just outside the hotel. What a beautiful day it was, just walking along the river and watching parents and children play on a Sunday afternoon. People are people everywhere, and I longed for my boys. The river was beautiful, except for the trash lining the shore. Those little things that you take for granted back home. Watched a young, blonde pregnant woman walking alone along the river and thought of Misha’s mom, and the unfortunate set of circumstances and choices that put her in the position to give up such a wonderful gift. How many walks like this had she taken while contemplating her situation? Why the life growing inside her wasn’t enough to motivate her to get her life together. How dire her circumstances that led her down the road she now walks. How often the innocent suffer for the sins of another. I look into Misha’s eyes and I see the eyes of the innocent, suffering by another’s choices. By God’s grace soon he’ll suffer no more…

JP