Miss Eudora's Autograph

Once Barbara walked into my room and she had something in her hand - hidden behind her back. Very gradually she got her hand in front of me and it was a gray book with two letters in gold on the cover "EW". I took the book and opened the front page and read Eudora Welty One Writer's Beginnings and then written in a shaky hand :
With my best thanks for her interest, to Olga Spachil.
Eudora Welty
April 1944
Jackson, Mississippi
I was thrilled and very, very grateful. Where and how did she get the book autographed for me!? It was not really easy, since by that time (being 85 years old) Eudora Welty hardly autographed any books - arthritis introduced its limitations. So Barbara asked her long-time friend she wet to college with and the friend asked Miss Welty and now I have a book I treasure!

Welcome to Jackson, Mississippi

In April of 1994 I was greeted at Jackson International Airport by a group from Christ United Methodis Church (CUMC), on whose invitation I came to the USA.
We met each other in Krasnodar where a group from CUMC was on a missionary outreach. They came to share God's love and then, in the long run, maybe establish a Methodist Church in Krasnodar, Russia. The church was never established, but many friendships got started then. The friendship of my extended family with Bill and Barbara Smith is one of those. Now we think of ourselves as family, blood relations, and we are very happy and grateful for bringing us together - God does work in mysterious ways.
It was a wonderful visit - a dream comming true. The Smiths were my host family and if I have ever been in a state of bliss this is certainly in their hospitable home.
I had speaking appointments and I shared about Russia with whoever came to listen - hope it was not a waste of time and money for them. And Barbara Smith took me all over literary Mississippi and introduced me into real southern hospitality - what a special treat! Today 15 years down the road the memories of that April in Jackson warm my heart and I am grateful for everyone who made the trip possible and Bill and Barbara most of all!

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