last days- part 5

8.28

I should have known that when God called me home, and I was obedient, that He would tremendously bless my last few days.

this past week was one of the best all summer.  

it wasn’t that we did anything extra special - we just spent a lot of time as a family.  sometimes, thats all it takes.  spending quality time together - and it doesn’t always matter what you do, just that you are together. 

this morning I said goodbye for now to camp + asher.  

I went alone & no other families were there.  I was actually super appreciative for the time to be with them alone.  times with just me + them have been the highlight of my summer.  

holding them, singing to them, praying over them, making them laugh and smile.  

and I’m so thankful my husband made me video me with them.  

I know we will look back on these times together one day & love watching it on film.  

thank you jesus for the time you gave me with c+a.  I pray that when we return they remember who we are & the bonding picks right up where we left off.

after the babies, I picked up Eyob so we could spend my last day together.  

and our time was a gift.

we took a walk down to my friend Emily’s house to check on her dogs (and walk them -- believe me, crazy fringe with a dog on a leash get crazy stares....) 

on our walk, just the two of us, he opened up more to me than ever.

sharing parts of his story he’s never shared.

I asked him lots of questions as he shared with me & I feel like we really turned a page.

It really is amazing that we are now able to have full on conversations in english. 

this is the boy that in January we would just look at each other & I would say “we have to learn the same language!”

his confidence has sky rocketed and I’m so proud of him.

I can’t imagine having the story that this one has, and I know it’s so hard for him to open up and talk about his past.

I’m grateful that he trusts me enough to let me all the way in. 

after packing up my room, saying goodbye to the Yates + boys, the family picked me up and we headed to Kaldis for a goodbye meal.  

I never thought when I got here that I would be escorted to the airport by my new family - the gibsons, my 2 sons eyob + biligne, and brothers david, sente, kedy, pastor t, kennedy, tolousa, sinte and babye.  I looked around the table in astonishment!  I told Kiki, I don’t know how everytime I come to this country my family gets bigger.  kids that I either hadn’t met, or didn’t know their names last trip are now my brothers.  and relationships that I started a year ago have only gotten stronger.  

their long goodbye hugs were followed by me gripping their faces in my hands and telling each of them that I loved them & I was proud of them & I would miss them.  

I will.  and I do.  

but their letters said it best, “until next time...”  

getting on that plane was hard, but I was 100% covered in prayer thanks to all of you.

it was supernatural.  

I wanted to lose it, but I couldn’t.

i feel peace.

your prayers were answered.  

thank you!