Saying goodbye

I feel as if my heart is breaking. I have had the most wonderful last week here at Rafiki but it has been so bittersweet because I knew it was the end. Today I had to say goodbye to all the beautiful people and precious children that I have come to know and love over the past 5 weeks. There have been times that being here has been hard and times when I felt discouraged, but when I think back on it, it's hard to even remember those things because there were so many wonderful moments that shine so brightly in my memory.

 The beginning of this week started off with a tea party for some of the girls at Patti's house (she is one of the full-time missionaries here). It was definitely not a very “refined” party by any means, but it was so much fun. By the end the girls had probably consumed gallons of tea and platter after platter of sandwiches and biscuits (you would not believe how much these girls can eat!). We played games, showed pictures, got the girls telling stories, talked and laughed.

The next day I got to “play Maama” to some of the girls when their Maama had a dental emergency. As I walked to their cottage I was feeling a little nervous because it was a group of girls that I hadn't really connected with, but I prayed and God totally answered my prayers in ways beyond what I could have imagined. We had such a fun time playing games, putting together puzzles, telling stories, going for a walk, exploring their garden, playing volleyball until it started raining again then running for cover under the gazebo where we took pictures, sang songs and laughed hysterically. After lunch I tucked them in for their naps and waited for their Maama to come home. It was such a special bonding time and I will cherish those special memories for a long time.

On Wednesday we took a couple of the older girls into Kampala for a girl's day of shopping and errands. We were probably quite the sight: 2 mzungus and 3 teenage girls laughing and carrying on pretty much everywhere we went! I must say it was pretty entertaining to take these village girls to the city but so much fun! They “helped” me pick out gifts for people...some of which had to be vetoed (if I had listened to them my brother would be receiving a hideous spotted cow skin wallet lol).

My final day here was spent helping harvest mangoes, avocados, beans, banana leaves and matoke, adventuring through the bush for firewood with some of the girls (which seriously was kinda creepy because of bugs, snakes, thorns and how dark it is...but still fun!), trying some very strange fruits and berries (some were good and some were NOT! Fortunately I haven't gotten sick from them yet!), then going back to take care of the food we had collected. It was neat to see how they do these things in the village and there was much laughter involved. As we were headed to the bush one of the Maamas asked in a shocked tone, “you're going too?!” I think they were a little surprised at the things I'm willing to try. 

The whole day was so wonderful as I was able to adventure and experience, hold and play with children and just spend time being with and learning from these people that I love. I will miss them so very much. I will miss the cottage 12 boys clamoring to hold my hand, carry my bag and tell me stories. I will miss playing games, answering questions about why “my eyes are so blue and how my skin got to be apricot colored” and laughing with my cottage 9 boys. I will miss playing volleyball and going “adventuring” with my cottage 3 girls. I will miss the hugs and sweet way the cottage 2 girls come to say hello to me and sit near me. I will miss everything about cottage 4: their Maama, the many afternoons spent weaving, playing games, singing songs, telling stories, walking, laughing, taking pictures and just being together. I have come to love this place and these people. I will miss it here so much, but I am incredibly thankful for the time I had here and the many things I learned. I am truly blessed. Although it's sad to leave, I know that God has other things to teach me and I am excited to meet up with the Visiting Orphans team, see more of Africa and see what the next couple weeks hold.