There are no generals in banya!

Banya is the most thoroughly Russian experience we've ever had.

The orphanage does not have showers like we are used to. There are a few bathtubs, maybe with a short hose that sprays cold water, but that's about it. Instead, the kids use the banya.

Banya is like a sauna, but not. At Sovietsk it has 3 rooms: a steam room, a middle dressing room, and a COLD room with an exit to the outside (the room that looks like an addition). After a long, sweaty day mushroom hunting, Galina offered banya to us and we gladly accepted.

Here is how it works. All the women go in banya together, ready to bathe. (The men went later.) For Russians, this is an expression of friendship and service, so I quickly swallowed my American modesty and joined Galina and Lena. Galina, ever the consummate hostess, had prepared an assortment of juices, teas, and wine, as well as some fruit. She made a special scrub of coffee grounds and honey, and she had prepared both birch and juniper branches.

We spent 3 hours in banya--first, in the steam room to sweat, then in the cold room to enjoy a beverage and talk. You bathe in the heat, then you rest in the cold, all in stages. In Russian tradition, Galina shared her special scrub, scrubbed me with the juniper branches, then beat me with the birch. (Lightly, of course!)

In banya, Galina shared her heart for the children. She shared some special struggles that some of our children face--struggles that, while not surprising, are heartbreaking. I learned the history of Sovietsk, of special people in Sovietsk's community, of goals she has for improving the orphanage.

Toward the end of our banya time, Galina said "You see, we didn't even need sheets!" It is perfectly acceptable for a shy American to wear a sheet or even a bathing suit in banya. Instead, I took the opportunity to meet Galina where she is, to show my commitment to these children and to their culture. Galina accepted this as a sign of enduring friendship, for which I was glad.

But here was my favorite part: because I was new to banya, and because it is HOT in there, Galina brought a special hat for me to wear to keep my head from overheating. It had a picture of an older gentleman, wearing only military decorations and a fig leaf. It says "There are no Generals in banya!" In banya, we have nothing to distinguish us from the next person--no costumes, no status, no special honors. Banya is an equalizer--we are all the same.

This is how I feel about our children. We are the same, it just so happens they were born half a world away into an unwelcoming situation. But it might as well have been me, or Ben, or anyone I love. These children have been added to our charge of care, as we care for family or love our neighbor. They are no different from us, and we love them just the same.