My very first experience with a babushka (Russian for grandma) was Baba Zhenya. When we moved to Novosibirsk we needed someone to watch Josiah while Jon and I did our language lessons. She was a sweet little lady who loved the Lord. She lived a hard life and between her broken English and my very limited Russian we got along real well.
Baba Zhenya had grown children but they didn't visit her often enough. She was also very poor and living off a small pension. She taught me one of the greatest lessons on contentment. One day I was doing laundry and complaining to her how in Russia I had to hang my clothes to dry and how much work that was. She told me I should be thankful that I had a washing machine and so many clothes.........she washed the little clothes she had by hand. We paid her for the hour or two she took care of Josiah and often times I would sneak in more money or a bag of produce, food, and toiletries.
Baba Zhenya had grown children but they didn't visit her often enough. She was also very poor and living off a small pension. She taught me one of the greatest lessons on contentment. One day I was doing laundry and complaining to her how in Russia I had to hang my clothes to dry and how much work that was. She told me I should be thankful that I had a washing machine and so many clothes.........she washed the little clothes she had by hand. We paid her for the hour or two she took care of Josiah and often times I would sneak in more money or a bag of produce, food, and toiletries.
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