The goodbye...

I was awoken before 6 am by the voices of people gathering outside our home, anticipating our departure at the arrival of the early morning dala dala(overcrowded mini bus) to the village... You see the Noah's battery was on it's last leg and could not keep a charge so we were depending on a boost from this dala dala in order for us to depart this day.. As it drew closer to the 7 or 7:30 arrival of our rescue vehicle there were dozens of people gathered around. We took advantage of this time by taking photos of ourselves with this mama and that child and this bibi(grandma) and that babu(grandpa)... Something that often occurs when we realize that we want permanent record of our time spent with those whom we have shared experiences that we don't went to forget! This was clearly one of those times... Finally the dala dala arrived and while the men were busy boosting the Noah, we said our last kwaheris (goodbyes) and asantes (thank yous) ... The most dificult moment was when I walked over to to say goodbye to my dear old friend Rashidi, a warm and kind old soul, always smiling, even though he can't see....the sweetest old man I've ever met. While holding my sweet little Fadhira in my arm and I embraced my African babu, Rashidi... the tears I was holding back began to flow..(crying in public is frowned upon...) but for those who know me well... It's almost impossible to expect me to hold back tears when saying goodbye to those I love and won't see for a time... I'm truly going to miss him... Then looking around at so many people gathered to say goodbye I realized that this village is MY HOME... I will be back many times and will feel the comfort of coming home for many years to come... All my team had gathered in the car so with a tearful goodbye to Mama Fadhira and reluctantly allowing her to take Fadhira from my arms, I climbed in the Noah and with my eyes welled up with tears, I slowly drove away from the village... I'm quite sure that the same hole I felt in my heart is the void they will feel as they walk by our home each day ... Absent of the laughter and energy of children playing games and singing with us in our front yard under the big tree... I'm quite sure they miss us too... I guess this means we were successful... Not only did we leave lanterns to light their nights... A brightness fills my heart with each thought of my time there in Mnang'ole!