It's hard to imagine that I'll be leaving tomorrow. Today was much like any other day. Sometimes I almost forgot that it was my last day of work here.
Mama Georgina and I took a whole lot of kids on a walk today and we were able to take almost all of my boys. I was glad I got the chance to have one more walk.
A bright moment to cheer up my morning. While taking Mercy over to the girl's cottage this morning Lydia had picked this flower for me. I'd forgotten about after placing it on the table upstairs until coming up for my lunch break and finding it placed in a cup with a wet cloth. Mama Josephine knows just how to bring a smile to my face:). I love having flowers in vases around me and this one means more than most. As I sit typing this blog it sits beside me dropping it's petals and subtly reminding me of flowers fading (Isaiah 40:7).
I caught a boda into town after lunch; I had one last thing I wanted to get before leaving. It didn't take long and I started to start walking home instead of paying for a boda. I hadn't quite got half way when a car pulled up beside me and someone called my name. It was one of the night mamas and her brother with someone from church in the back. So they gave me a lift home which saved me some time.
I'd promised each child a balloon today after their nap. It worked out well as it began to rain not long after I got back from town and the kids where cooped up inside. I went around to each cottage and blew up a balloon for each child and spent a little while playing with them. When the rain stopped the children were allowed out onto the porch and I simple sat and cuddled them along with some singing.
Edmund tried very hard to eat his balloon:).
I felt bad, Richard's balloon popped in his face and he ended up with a split above his eyebrow. Who knew balloons could be so dangerous?
This little guy (Babu) spent a fair amount of time on my lap. I'm almost constantly wiping his nose at the moment, of course, he thinks it's just as easy to bury his head in my t-shirt which sort of does have the same effect. :)
My last bedtime with the babies.
The shift changes tomorrow so it's the last I'll see of my two Mama Betty's.
Mama Betty on the right said to me that the babies will be bored without me and then added that the mamas will be bored too:).
After putting the babies to bed and blessing each one as is my usual habit I hugged all the mamas on shift and said goodbye to the kids in the other cottages. Jonah and Elijah even taught me what "Aunty Londa does" in their bedtime routine:).
Mama Georgina with the scarf I gave her.
I spent a long time saying goodnight to the boys tonight. I was doing pretty well emotionally, choking a little on tears when Paul gave me hug and whispered "I love you" in my ear. Then, I crumbled a little more when Christopher asked if he could pray for me. I couldn't understand what he was saying or even if he really said anything but he put his hands together, closed his eyes and murmured in my ear. I can't even think about this now without crying. He may never remember me but I'll never forget him and all the boys that have become so much a part of me. One of the mamas in the girl's cottage told me to never stop praying for the children; to never stop asking for them to grow in Godliness. That's what an aunty does, isn't it? Though we may be oceans apart, God is everywhere and He hears my prayers as well as theirs. Lord, bless these little ones, may they always know Your everlasting love.
Emma invited me out for a milkshake at The Keep with her after dinner. It was nice to take the opportunity to talk about our days and the children and give me something to do before finishing off my packing. She'll be coming with me for most of the way to the airport tomorrow. We leave at 10am and Emma is bringing Richard for an appointment in Kampala while I continue on to Entebbe. My flight leaves at 5:50pm Ugandan time and I change planes in Qatar before arriving home, God willing, at around 9:30pm on Thursday.
Thank you, everyone, for your prayers while I've been here and for my travels. Please continue to pray for me as the reality of leaving hits me and especially for the all the children without aunties for a short amount of time.
"And now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in You."
Psalm 39:7
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