This last week was also my last week with my boys. I am leaving to meet up with my friend Joseph to do a little traveling before I head home. The boys that I have worked with, eaten all of my meals with, and tucked into bed every night continued to ask me all week, “Mam, why you go? Don’t go, mam. Mam, when you come? Mam, I will never forget you. You are a nice mam.” These were all of the words that melted my heart. I felt terrible to leave my boys. But even though they were asking me to stay, they were never really sad and they still had so much joy.
I wrote the boys letters and gave them some photographs on Friday. I wanted to do something nice for all of them before I left and they always ask for photos. But, once again, they showed me up with their love. I have never seen any children more excited. They came home from school and were laughing and reading their letters and looking at the pictures, trading them around, reading each others, showing me… for hours. It was more excitement than Christmas in the west. Some of the older boys had received new bibles that day from their house parent so they put their letters and photographs inside the pages to keep them safe. They save every letter or photograph they have ever been given.
That night they had a going away party for me. The boys did a choreographed dance for me holding tree branches. It was hilarious. On Saturday, I had to leave and said my final farewells to all of the children. The boys wanted to try on my backpack, which they couldn't lift.
They were so good to me, giving me their pencils, drawing me pictures, whatever they could think of. Ankit, one of the boys who really attached to me this week and constantly asked me not to leave, drew a picture that I think sums it up. There is an airplane in the clouds and down below are lots of little boys playing and some of them are bathing in a pond. I am floating down to them out of an airplane with an umbrella in my hand and off to the side Jesus is on the cross. It is amazing what these boys think about.
I leave Selaqui feeling like I have accomplished what I set out to do. Now I have the challenge to make the rest of my travels in India just add more meaning to my experience so far.
I wrote the boys letters and gave them some photographs on Friday. I wanted to do something nice for all of them before I left and they always ask for photos. But, once again, they showed me up with their love. I have never seen any children more excited. They came home from school and were laughing and reading their letters and looking at the pictures, trading them around, reading each others, showing me… for hours. It was more excitement than Christmas in the west. Some of the older boys had received new bibles that day from their house parent so they put their letters and photographs inside the pages to keep them safe. They save every letter or photograph they have ever been given.
That night they had a going away party for me. The boys did a choreographed dance for me holding tree branches. It was hilarious. On Saturday, I had to leave and said my final farewells to all of the children. The boys wanted to try on my backpack, which they couldn't lift.
They were so good to me, giving me their pencils, drawing me pictures, whatever they could think of. Ankit, one of the boys who really attached to me this week and constantly asked me not to leave, drew a picture that I think sums it up. There is an airplane in the clouds and down below are lots of little boys playing and some of them are bathing in a pond. I am floating down to them out of an airplane with an umbrella in my hand and off to the side Jesus is on the cross. It is amazing what these boys think about.
I leave Selaqui feeling like I have accomplished what I set out to do. Now I have the challenge to make the rest of my travels in India just add more meaning to my experience so far.
2 comments:
I love it! It's like you are Mary Poppins:).
I knew they'd love you.
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