Today was a such a  beautiful day for me.  It was so good to have some time to hang out with my dear friend Asha, her two girls and sweet Safa.  (I used to get to see Safa a lot more but since she started Kindergarten I don’t see her as often.  She actually spoke in English to me and said, “I miss you Jamie.”  Coming from a little girl who is 5…that was so sweet.  She asked about my friend Vivian too.  Sweet, sweet Safa.) We went to the Lichterman nature center and had a wonderful time.  The weather cooperated with us perfectly.  There was a steady breeze and the spring sunshine allowed us to view brilliant colored flowers and trees.  The birds were chirping all around us.

We took lots of pictures by all the pretty colored flowers.  We enjoyed our nature walk and stopped to have a picnic lunch.  We leaned over a bridge to feed a duck and a giant white catfish.  They liked our Cheetos.  Safa thought it was funny how the catfish would swim around with his mouth open wide as the orange Cheetos she threw into the pond would float right into his mouth.  Nemo seemed to think the catfish and the duck were competing for Cheetos and it was interesting how the big duck seemed more afraid of the giant fish.   Hodo took lots of pictures (she enjoyed learning how to use my fancy camera).

It dawned on me while I was at the park that this was something that Asha and the girls had never done before.  I was glad that there was a lot of interesting things for us to look at and do.  Asha and I enjoyed the time we had together as friends.  I loved hearing the girls laugh and watching them run, climb and play.  Asha repeatedly told me thank you for taking her out to enjoy a beautiful day at the park.  I know that her disability doesn’t allow her to be able to have the freedom to get out as much as she might like to.  Since her sister passed away, she’s raising her sister’s children as her own.  I am sure that she and her girls get tired of staying around the house, but they always manage to keep smiles on their faces.

Asha amazes me.  She has such strength and courage to have come as far as she has come and she is a wonderful mother to Nimo and Hodo.   Asha’s English has gotten so much better over the past 3-4 years and it excites me to be able to have more and more conversation with her.  Today, I am reminded of how far Asha has come and how happy I am that I named Asha’s Refuge after her.  She is an example to so many others in many ways.  Her smile melts my heart as I am so happy that she is happy and that she is my friend.  She has helped to change my life and I am thankful for her.

I’ll post a couple of pictures, because Asha knows that I may use them for Asha’s Refuge.  She supports me and our organization.  One day, I would love to be able to have Asha work with me at Asha’s.  We are praying for building space that is closer to the Binghampton area and monthly funding for it.  I trust that it will all come together…some day.

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