Especially, thanks to those of you who e-mailed me, wanting to contribute towards her plane fares. The bulk of the expenses of her trip were donated by members of her church, with 'earned flyer miles'. When she received these at the last minute, she got on the plane, not even having time to pack a suitcase. She left work, with only her purse, and got on the plane! Now, that is traveling light.
Last week while she was here, she met with many of Hana's friends and a few family members, organizing a gathering here in our home for a memorial and 'suicide support' counseling. She arranged for mental health counseling and pastoral counseling, to help with bereavement issues. Ruhiyyih also contacted the university where Hana was to graduate in a week, and she made arrangements for Hana's degree to be awarded posthumously.
This trip, Ruhiyyih was able to honor her friend at the memorial service, with personal vignettes and stories about her friendship with Hana, whom she's known since she was 16, and afterwards many of her friends gathered together at Southern Kitchen for lunch - Hana's favorites: black eyed peas, collard greens, sweet potatoes, and southern-fried catfish.
Afterwards, she came home, needing to relax with her family. She and her brothers, Rue, Taraz, and Rahmat, and Annie and Megan had dinner at Vien Dong, our favorite Vietnamese restaurant, where the owners greet us warmly and have seen our kids grow up. (George and I weren't able to join them - we'd spent the day canoeing over in eastern Washington.)
Rahmat rented a video, "Ace Ventura - When Nature Calls", and everyone sat around like a bunch of kids, laughing at Jim Carrey. Now, I'll have to admit, I loved "Pet Detective", so I watched a little of "When Nature Calls" with them. George cooked breakfast Sunday morning - an omlette with onion, bacon, aspargus, zuchinni, mushrooms and peppers, served with rice, and a noodle casserole.
This is definitely 'one of those moments' when you look at your friend and say, "What, you've never had noodles for breakfast?"
Brynn and Ruhiyyih and I had morning coffee out on the patio on Sunday, and then she flew back to Washington D.C. Big, BIG hugs to her.
