Fixing up the Attic

December 16, 1932    

     Dear Diary,

     You won't believe the transformation this old attic's gone through! Yes, it was an exhausting day, but oh, so worth it.

     Yesterday afternoon, when I first climbed up that dark, narrow staircase to peek into my future living corners, I'll admit, I was quite dismayed. As soon as I stepped foot up here I started coughing; I could barely breathe. The air was so musty; it smelled like rotten animals. I could see dust floating through the air, and there was layer of dirt covering everything. Even the floorboards looked awful, lying loosely on the ground. There was some dingy furniture lying about, but I could hardly tell whether they were useable or not for the thick layer of residue coating them.

     Suddenly though, I noticed something beautiful. Streaming through a crack in a broken shutter, I saw light pouring in. Yes, it was only a little, but somehow, that light gave me hope. The part of the floor, wall, and beams that were in the ray's path had a sort of beauty to them. I wanted to see what the attic would look like if the whole thing was covered in that light.

     Looking around, I noticed that there were actually six such windows. Quickly I went to each one, unlocking the wooden shutters and pushing them open. As I went through the room, opening each one, more and more light rushed in, filling every nook and cranny of this once dark attic. When I was finished, I went over to the doorway and once again stood looking in. Now I saw a worn, but beautiful attic, holding all sorts of stories in the cracks between the floorboards, the holes in the walls, and the furniture, lying unused for years and years, maybe decades. Somehow, this peaceful scene reminded me of the tranquil beauty of an old woman. Like her, this attic had seen many years go by, many people, many times. I reveled in that thought, but only for a second, for I was eager to get started restoring it. 
     I went and found Mrs. McGrady and asked if she had any cleaning supplies I could use. I was thrilled when she led me to a closet filled with all the brooms, mops, rags, and soap you could ask for! "When we first opened up, so many kind people donated supplies like these," Mrs. McGrady gratefully exclaimed. I started grabbing up a pile of supplies I thought I could use, and was on my way to the attic when I noticed a bunch of the girls watching me.
     "Are you planning to clean that big ol' attic by yerself?" sweet Katie asked, her eyes full of wonder. 
     "Well," I began slowly, "It sure would take a while, wouldn't it?" Though I hated the thought of being a burden to them, I knew I certainly could use some extra hands. Not only that, but I thought it would be a great opportunity to get to know the girls better. "Would any of you like to help?" I asked.
     "Me!" "Me!" came shouts from various girls, and soon I was once again making my way to the attic, only this time with twenty girls behind me! I was surprised at their eagerness! Even Charity, the oldest girl, came along to join in on the fun. I had heard from Mrs. McGrady that although she had come of age, they had told her she could stay here for as long as she wanted. 
     Passing the cleaning supplies around, we quickly got to work. Some of the girls began dusting the furniture, some sweeping the floor, and some wiping the walls with soapy rags. I could tell most of them had had a lot of experience cleaning, for they moved quickly and thoroughly around the room. Or, most of them did. One girl, who said her name is "Isabella Margarita", stood in the middle of the room. "It smells in here," she would say, or, "It's ever-so chilly." I really don't know why she even bothered to come up here, but I suppose that's none of my concern. My job is to show love to all the girls, no matter what they're like. 
     By evening, the attic was squeaky clean! Together, we began moving the furniture around till it looked rather cozy. There was a dresser in one corner, which, although missing a few of the drawer handles, still worked rather well. Then there was a little table which I set an oil lamp on, along with a pitcher and basin we found in a chest on the far side. Oh yes, the chest! We found a chest covered with cobwebs, which had a few interesting little knick-knacks in it. Once cleaned, that too looked rather nice. Lastly, Mr. McGrady carried up the cot I had slept on the night before, and I spread my colorful patchwork quilt on it which I had brought from India.
     How thankful I am! It looks so nice in here, with the moonlight streaming in and everything so clean! Sitting on my quilt and holding my dear journal makes me feel like I'm back home again. 

     Did you enjoy reading about my day? Do any of you keep a diary? How do you like my new header? I'd love to hear from you!

-Evangeline

Dear Diary, I'm finally here...

December 14th, 1932

  Dear Diary,

  I'm finally here. India, my home, is over 8,000 miles away. Everyone I know is across the Coloradan mountains, over the endless Pacific, and on the other side of the enormous country of China. 

  I arrived at the Bluebridge Home for Girls last night. Mr. and Mrs. McGrady, the orphanage keepers, seem friendly. They said I could stay and help with some of the cleaning and cooking. I hope to do more than that though.

  The girls are all darling. I hope I can get acquainted with each and every one of them during my time here. After all, each of them has their own story. Some of them are even from the Salem Orphange...

  I don't know how long my time here is, so I hope to get started as soon as I can. After all, if I can be called to go to Colorado as suddenly as I was, I'm sure I can be called away just as fast. Truly, no one can understand God's ways. 

  I wonder how Mama Sarah and Papa Robert are doing. I wrote to them when I first landed in America, but I really ought to write again, to let them know my address. Oh, how I miss them! Last night as I lay in bed, I recalled the morning I left India. They and several other families from the mission house had accompanied me to the train station, and as we waited for the train to pull away, they sang from the sidewalk, "God Be With You Till We Meet Again." That song is one of the most beautiful and touching songs I can think of. It was so special to have them all waving as the train pulled out of the station and slowly chugged away. I waved until they were long out of sight, my eyes watering as I thought of the many months it would most likely be until I saw them again. 

  Well, the sun is dawning over the horizon, and I want to go see what I can help Mrs. McGrady with. I hope I can be a blessing to her, rather than a burden. I know I'll be another mouth to feed, but hopefully I can work enough to make up for that.

  I'll be sure to write in here again soon!

 -Evangeline

Chapter 2 | A Glimpse Into the Past

 Nestled in the small town of Bluebridge, Colorado, you will see a large, brick building. Once used as a small inn, this building was transformed into an orphanage three years before.

  The Bluebridge Orphanage for Girls was not like most orphanages. Instead, they treated the girls as if they were their own. Mr. and Mrs. McGrady were never able to have children of their own, so they became kind of like parents to the girls at the orphanage.

Here is the building before being fixed up and turned into the orphanage.

  They could not afford much, for the taxes they received from the government were very little, but they always survived. Sometimes a visitor would bring food, exactly when they needed it. And the building had a huge fireplace in the middle of the great room, which they were so fortunate to have. How many nights had they sat around the fire to keep warm? How many meals had they cooked by the large fire? How cozy it was, though it was dark and cold in the rest of the building, to sit by the warm fire on a cold winter's night!

  This night found them again, settled around the fire, old Mr. and Mrs. McGrady in their rockers, rocking to and fro. Twenty-six orphans, settled around on the floor. And there, on the other side of the fire from the rest, sat a young woman of twenty two. The room was filled the chatters and cries of the girls, but she did not hear a thing, for she was deep in thought. She sat, remembering her own past, a past not unlike most of the girls here. Some of the girls had been sent right to this orphanage, while others had been transferred from one orphanage to another. Five of the older girls had been transferred here two years ago, she had learned, when the Salem Orphanage could not afford to feed them. The Salem Orphanage. How she hated to think of that awful place. 

  "Get back to your floor missy! Scat! On with ya now!" a harsh lady cried as the four-and-a-half year old girl bent down and kissed the baby girl one last time. "Van Van" the baby cried, as the lady pulled the little girl out into the hall. "I told you to stay off of this floor. Stay where ya belong!" And with that she let go with a jerk, causing her to fall to the floor. She stood up, wiped herself off, and ran to the top floor, where she sat on her bed and cried.

    Suddenly Evangeline was taken from her thoughts at the sound of a loud bang. Seeing it was nothing serious, she opened her bag, took out the notebook, and began to take some notes. Tomorrow morning, she decided, she would ask about the class. 

  She really wanted to teach the girls a class. When she was a girl, a kind lady had taken her once a week, and taught her all sorts of things. She had called the class, "A Greater Purpose." It wasn't a big thing, just Evangeline, and the lady. She taught her about Jesus, and how with Him, we have hope. She told her how if we submit to God's will, we will live a life of purpose, accomplishing things that are worthwhile. Her whole life, Evangeline had dreamed of someday teaching other girls, helping other girls to learn about God, and about how there is hope for the future. When God had called her here, to this small orphanage, it seemed like the perfect opportunity. All these girls, girls who had lost their whole families, girls who had been moved from place to place, how wonderful it would be to tell them, there is hope!

  The girls had probably learned about the Jesus some, from the McGradys. "But if we had a class," Evangeline thought to herself, "every week, imagine how much more they could learn, how much they could grow spiritually. Imagine how much it could impact their lives. That class made such a big impact in my life. I want to do the same for others."

  The next morning when Evangeline asked Mr. and Mrs. McGrady about the class, they were thrilled with the idea. "I'll even bake some of my pumpkin muffins!" Mrs. McGrady said with a jolly chuckle. "And you can use the attic, if you'd like,"  Mr. McGrady added. "I'm sure the girls would love to help you fix it up."

  And so it was decided. Each Saturday, Evangeline and the girls, except a few of the youngest who Mrs. McGrady would watch, would have a class in the attic.