zanzarik

I'm not exactly sure that's what they are called...but I think it is- and I believe it translates to something like "snow flower" (and if it doesn't, then it should, because that's what it is).

At the first sign of spring, the young people in our home were after me to go with them to the mountains to excavate snow flowers. I don't use the term "excavate" lightly. At first I thought it was ridiculous that we seemed to bring a whole kitchen drawer of all kinds of knives and spoons to dig these things out, but once we started, I was glad we had them. These high tech tools were necessary because you really have to get the flowers out at the root- otherwise they wither (and leave a nice little stench) in a few days. But if you preserve the root- they start to grow. A local villager gave me a bundle of these flowers on March 8th for "Women's Day", a holiday remnant of Communism, and they continue to sprout in my home. (And if something grows in my home- besides the mushrooms behind my bed- that is a small miracle).

If you suspect that I'm on the brink of a (cheesy) analogy- you're absolutely right. It's really snow flower time around here. The winter is disappearing, and a lot of my struggle (at least with daily things) wanes with the winter. My toilet is totally unfrozen (YES!) and I think I should have running water (at least for an hour or two a day) within the next few weeks.

In retrospect, I'm happy that I struggled at this level because it allowed me to start to enter the typical Armenian's shoes and because it pushed me to really trust in God at a level I never had before. I begin to discover the snow flowers that have grown from beneath the ice. I just hope that I can continue to see this thing through to the end, and take the flowers out by their roots.

I should also add that I'm leaving earlier than I thought- April 26th- so I have four weeks left here. Please pray I live in the present moment in Italian village, in Spitak, Armenia, as long as I am here.

This is short and abstract- but I have an important date to play "football" (soccer) with the village kids at five, and I need to head back to meet them.

May the peace of Easter fill your heart.