Our final day ...

First of all, this is by far the hardest day to write an entry for our blog. I will try to somehow do today justice in writing, but I know I will not be able to fit everything in, so you will need to ask us all about it once we get home.

This morning, after waking up and eating the usual breakfast (toast with jam, and a mixed concoction of coffee packets and Malta powder), we drove down the now familiar dirt road to the King Jesus Orphanage. We arrived for worship at the church behind the orphanage, and as we drove around back, we saw many of the kids running after our bus. All of them in their Sunday best, dresses and shirts made by the First United Women’s fashion shop. We took our seats and instantly each of us “bruni” (which means “White” in Twi-the language spoken here) had kids piled up on our laps, or holding hands as they quietly sat next to us. The service was lovely. Pastor Kofi continues to tell us he wants to put siding on the church, but we all loved the breeze and the view of Kumasi cities from behind the pulpit. We are now used to being dragged up to dance in the middle of service and clapping along to the songs. We even dance up to the front to drop our offering in the bucket.

We headed back to the hotel for a quick lunch and then it was back to the orphanage for our final time with them this trip. We handed out chocolate to all the kids, which they loved, and I don’t think any of it lasted more than five minutes. It was a wonderful time visiting, filled with yet another short game of “futbol” with the older kids, dancing with some of the younger kids, and tons and tons of pictures. Many of us wrote letters and printed out pictures, or made bracelets for kids who all lit up when we handed them out.

Leaving them today was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do.

I’ve learned so much from these kids over the last two weeks. So much about myself. And so much about the world and our perspectives. As I stood there hugging the three little girls who never left my side throughout my time at the orphanage, I couldn’t help but cry. My new friendships with these girls and the other older kids there mean the world to me now. I can’t say I’ve ever met anyone as genuinely kind and loving as the children at King Jesus. After hugging the younger children, I said my goodbyes to the older boys and yet again I was reminded how much we can learn from children. They all questioned why we were crying and we explained how sad we were to leave because we didn’t know if we would ever see them again. I couldn’t understand why they were all so calm when we were so upset. “God will lead you back here someday,” they all kept telling us. “This isn’t really goodbye.”

The bus ride home, normally filled with laughter and stories about different kids was especially silent today, with the exception of a few sniffles here and there. We are so grateful to these kids for all they have taught us. Each of them has a special place in our hearts. And as Pastor Kofi said in his sermon in church this morning, “we will always be together and meet again someday, if not physically then in heaven.”

We are having a wonderful time here in Ghana and cannot wait to share all our stories with you all when we return home. Thank you to everyone who has supported The Penny Project and our trip here.

Peace and Love.
Mallory