Goodbyes

What is there to say about today that isn’t painfully obvious?

It was sad.

There was a lot of hugging and a LOT of crying.

And not just from our team.

The nannies and staff got teary eyed too as it was time to say “Zai jian”.

The kids had no concept of us leaving and not being back for another year.

I'm pretty sure they were still all hyped up from the cake we gave them and the candy the nannies bribed them with to stay quiet during the speeches.

The president of the orphanage, the director, assistant director, as well as most of the nannies and most of the kids were there.

The kids performed 2 or 3 songs, and then one with the staff.

They were all in Mandarin, but we could tell that the one they sang with the staff was sad because Liz, one of the nannies started to cry as she sang.

So we all cried.

We sang Edelweiss for them, and several of the team members led the kids in the Cha Cha Slide.

I have a video of it to post later.

After all the fun and commotion, it was time to say our final goodbyes to the kids.

It hurt more than anything I could express.

Then Mrs. Wang and Mr. Ren, as well as some of the nannies took us out to dinner.

They also got prints made of the group picture we took just hours earlier.

Then it was time for more sad goodbyes.

Hopefully theyre more “see you laters” than “goodbyes”, but it hurts just the same.

There will be kids gone, new kids arriving, and the ones still there will grow and change, like kids do.

There were so many times I just wished I could freeze time and spend just a few more minutes cuddling the babies or hugging the older kids.

As if it wasn’t a sad enough evening, we all met in Shannon’s room to give Fawn her gift.

This past week, we have been passing around a Bible, writing her a note and highlighting favorite verses.

We gave that to her along with a Willow Tree angel.

Because she really was an angel send from the Lord for our team.

I'm sad tonight, and I could say more but I should be sleeping.

We have to be in the lobby by 6:45am tomorrow morning ready to head to the train station for an 8am train to Guangzhou.

Then, we officially part ways with Fawn.

She will take a train home to Beiijng, and we will take a bus to Hong Kong.

Please pray for safe travels!