Citizens

One of my side trips during vacation is to get to Hadlock Field in Portland to see the Sea Dogs, the Red Sox AA affiliate.  We took in a noon game on a hot summer afternoon, and had seats a few rows behind home plate, a row behind a couple of Sox scouts, with whom I got to chat for the afternoon.  What a thrill to pick the brains of some who 'are in the know' about Sox prospects.  And what a thrill to get to see Jackie Bradley, Jr. in person, the next great center-fielder for the Sox.  Barely 22 years old, this kid has all the tools, and did not disappoint in wowing us with his skills.  Even the scouts are impressed!

But, an added benefit of this trip was to get to see 30 people from Somalia, Congo, Philipines and Germany become citizens of our great nation on the field prior to the game.  One could only wonder what was going through their minds as they took the official oath, and listened to our president, via video, welcome them to our great land, and asking God to bless them and bless our country!  And one counld only wonder about the probably very difficult journey that had brought them to this day.  We welcomed them with a rousing round of applause!