APRIL 9, 2011

April 9, 2011

I am writing today and not from a few days ago because this has been a very emotional last few days. Thursday night I said good-bye to the kids. I couldn't write that night because I couldn't stop wiping the tears from my eyes. It was extremely hard saying bye to them. These past 2 weeks I have been really growing closer to them. It is so weird how 2 weeks of constant contact can do to a person. It was very nice. We had dinner and they made it special for me. Ground nit stu and fish, and then mommy cooked for me and Jake a second meal of fried potatoes and eggs. Which means they were going all out using their best foods. I was so honored. Didn't eat barely any of it, but was honored. Then mommy had vocally written me a letter because she can not read or write yet, and Blessing read it aloud. It was so sweet, just saying I was her daughter and she knows that there will never be a teacher like me, with such patience for a beginner reader. Which is so true because it was very trying on my patience, but so worth it to see her progress. Also she gave me a bag from the market. Then Perseverance stood up and spoke for all the kids. She and I had gotten really close. She was my little buddy while I would be just hanging out, she would always be around. She couldn't even look at me during her speech. On behalf of the kids they also gave me a small little purse, with a card inside signed by all the kids, which I thought more meaningful than the purse itself. I couldn't stop the teas from coming at the point. They sang me 2 songs, then the power went on and they just continued singing and dancing on rhythm. It was amazing when we just turned a small light on to see them. Then after that we took some snaps. Then Norbert and Rodine sung me an african good-bye song. It was like a funeral with all the songs and tears and good-byes. I spoke about how we are all like a body, how if one part fails we all fail and when one part needs uplifting we all need uplifting. I couldn't look at their faces or keep from crying while I was talking to them. It was so odd because when I started talking they all like fell on the floor and started mourning. It was so touching to see how much I affected them and how much they affected me. With good-byes it really shows how much people mean to you. Finally they prayed for me, we were all in a big circle. It was amazing. 

I love each and everyone of them. I can not wait to come back and visit to see their progress and how they have grown. They left a lasting impact on my life, I hope I did the same for them. 

Then we left pretty early in the morning to drive to Limbe on Friday morning. We were going to go to the Animal rescue or something and god see the ocean. But about 30 minutes out of town our radiator was over heating so Jake pulled over to get some one to hose it off to cool it down. Instead they found it had holes in it. So we staid in that town for almost 4 hours, sitting in the car. I slept. 

Instead of Limbe we just drove straight to Douala. Got in town about 3:00 ish I think. Just hung out. The Baptist guest house where we stayed was like a slice of heaven in hot hot Douala. So nice. It has a pool so the boys went swimming. Then we got ready and went to dinner. Had pizza and ice cream as my going away dinner. Very nice little pizzeria until this morning early I woke up really sick. Haven't eaten all day. 

I am sitting in the Douala airport right now. Waiting to get on my plane to Paris, De Gaul airport. From Paris I will go to Cincinnati, OH. Then I will be heading to ORL!! Can't wait to be home. I hate traveling on my own. Airpots make me really nerved. I always think I am going to do something wrong and then they are going to assume I am doing something and take me in or something. 

I am writing at 7:33 p.m. my time, so 2:33 p.m your time. My flight is in 3 hours. UGH! So I am writing a long blog which I wont even get to post till I get home tomorrow any ways. But I thought I would write to fill up some time I have to pass. 

It was really hard saying good-bye to the Schilinski's as well. I kept my composure, but I will really miss them. They were like family to me. I really felt like I fit in not only in their family but on several account african women told me that I seemed African to them and I needed to come back and live. I don't know about all that but it is really sweet to hear that. I know I will come back again, even if its just to visit. I know my mom wants to come back, and she needs to see Bamenda. Yaounde' is too city she needs to see the beautiful mountains and water falls, and I need to see the children again. It will happen one day. I don't know what my future holds. My immediate future holds a lot of traveling. So I am going to read or something to calm my nerves. Talk later.