My Going Away Party
Oh man, I have so little time left here. It's really bittersweet. I guess I always knew that, but its hitting me now. On Sunday, we had a "send forth" as they call it here. Everyone got together and the kids all shared reasons why they loved their Aunty Sierra. Needless to say, it was emotional.
They told me I was the best volunteer they've ever had. I don't know if they say that to all the volunteers, but it sure worked on me! It is REALLY hard to leave these kids. Everyone appreciated me, and then they sang "For She's a Jolly Good Fellow". We ate puff-puffs (Nigerian home-made Timbits) and drank Coke and watched Spongebob. It was a lovely evening.
I am going to miss these kids. I am going to miss the screaming at six in the morning, the wrestling matches in the sitting room, the dance parties when the power comes on... Canada is going to be a lot to get used to.
I am so excited to come home and see my family, but I feel like a piece of me is back with those kids. Saying goodbye to them was probably one of the most difficult things I've had to do in my life. Working with people, loving people like that... I've opened up my heart to be so vulnerable, to let them in. It hurts because I care so deeply. And that's what we've got to do. We've got to love like God loved us first.
"Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us." (1 John 4:11-12, NIV)
That pretty much sums it up right there. Leave it to the Big Guy to have the right words to say. :)
They told me I was the best volunteer they've ever had. I don't know if they say that to all the volunteers, but it sure worked on me! It is REALLY hard to leave these kids. Everyone appreciated me, and then they sang "For She's a Jolly Good Fellow". We ate puff-puffs (Nigerian home-made Timbits) and drank Coke and watched Spongebob. It was a lovely evening.
I am going to miss these kids. I am going to miss the screaming at six in the morning, the wrestling matches in the sitting room, the dance parties when the power comes on... Canada is going to be a lot to get used to.
I am so excited to come home and see my family, but I feel like a piece of me is back with those kids. Saying goodbye to them was probably one of the most difficult things I've had to do in my life. Working with people, loving people like that... I've opened up my heart to be so vulnerable, to let them in. It hurts because I care so deeply. And that's what we've got to do. We've got to love like God loved us first.
"Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us." (1 John 4:11-12, NIV)
That pretty much sums it up right there. Leave it to the Big Guy to have the right words to say. :)
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