Remarkable Children

Today was my last day at the creche and saying goodbye was just as hard as I had expected.

The day itself was great! We had so much fun! The day started with singing and their morning prayer. Then Ellen told us that they wanted to play "that game with the chairs and music" so they would be sure to understand it before we left, so they could continue to play. So we had a great time playing musical chairs. Then the class split into two. The ten older kids with Ethelina and the eleven younger kids with Ellen. I worked in Ellen's room and we did some art work. Then the kids all combined again and played a couple group games and then it was outside. We played and played and I've been pushing kids on the swings so much, my arms are sore!! But it was fun. And finally....on my last day.....I got my little buddy, to actually giggle. He was fussing and wanted to be held so I held him while I was pushing the other children on the swings. I walked over to the little porch and put him down. As long as I was next to him he was fine. So I put him down with a toy truck and was pushing it around until he got interested. When I started making truck sounds he started giggling. He played with the truck for a few minutes all on his own and was quite content!! It's the first time I've seen that since I've been there. YAY!

Lunchtime came and I fed him. Today's lunch, which is quite popular here.....soured milk. In fact Nelson Mandela talked about it in his book. I mean...it was quite similar to cottage cheese, but didn't smell too good, and the consistency was a bit more runny...but the kids really seemed to enjoy it. It's served cold. In fact, my little guy really liked it, I guess because it's more like baby food, instead of the sort of dry rice and cabbage and onion he usually gets. So he ate very well for me today.

As we were helping put the kids down for their naps, we were telling them goodbye. I guess they are so used to people coming and going in their lives, be it with family, orphanages and other volunteers....there really didn't seem to be any emotional attachment, unless of course they just don't understand that we aren't coming back. A couple of the older children talked about us flying. One of the few children that speaks a very little bit of Enlgish, Bona (who is pictured above), he said, "You fly in the aeroplane, tomorrow." And I told him I was flying Saturday and that I was going home. And he just pointed at me and said, "You?" I told him yes, I was flying home on the aeroplane. He was smiling and gave me a hug and he turned my head to the side, kissed me on the cheek and in his wonderful little accent said, "I love you." That's when the battle to fight back the tears started.

We told the children, one by one, goodbye and then we hugged the teachers and the mamas at the creche. Ellen gave me the strongest hug. She thanked me and said, please don't forget about us. I assured her that would be impossible. I told her that a piece of my heart will always remain here in Cape Town. Our driver, Wonga (pictured above), showed up to pick us up and usually stops at the gate and toots the horn. I guess he knew it would be difficult, so he came in to get us. He put his arm around me and walked me to the van. I told him how hard it was saying goodbye, as I was crying and he kept saying, "It's a shame....but it's okay." He was comforting and very sweet. Wonga is the man.

We had our group feedback session with the program manager here at the house. It was very informal and we met as a group, even those that aren't leaving yet, to say goodbye, since we all come in at the same time, just some of us are staying for different durations. Anyway, she opened the floor to anyone that wanted to share anything about their experience...and I just couldn't speak. I was still feeling emotional from telling the kids goodbye, and just couldn't really say anything. I'll talk with her tomorrow, one on one.

Anyway, it was a good day. All the kids were at school today so I got to see all of them before I left and they all own a little piece of my heart. Home from Home is a wonderful organization and I am so happy that I got to be a part of it.