Almost Goodbye

Well today was a very emotional day for both of us. Tomorrow we say goodbye to Aidai. I'm not sure how I am going to do that without completely breaking down in front of her. I know we will need to be strong for her but we are just so heartbroken to leave her. We have a photo album to leave with her and our interpreter is going to explain to her that we will be back and use other kids whose parents have made two trips as an example. Oh how I envy the people who can afford to stay for the 6 weeks between trips.

We were able to put the inevitable out of our minds while we were with her and we had a great time as usual. For the past few weeks we have gone to the park with her and she has played in the dirt with us or on the swings. While we played we would be watched, and frankly stared at, by all the adults and kids in the park. Well today something evidently changed. We had kids surrounding us talking to us to try their English and asking us to watch them perform tricks on the equipment. The kids would choose swings next to Aidai and say her name and wave at her. They even helped us get her through the various tubes and, drumroll please, down the slide! Something just clicked with her today, she wanted to be like all the other kids and she totally was. She climbed backwards up the slides and climbed and played on all the structures. There were some older kids, maybe 10-teen, playing cards at a table. She went over to watch and one of the girls put her on her lap and let her "help". They even were teaching her something with her hands, looked like Rock, Paper, Scissors.

Needless to say Bill and I were amazed by how we had suddenly been welcomed into their world with open arms and were moved to tears by their treatment of Aidai. We have no idea what changed between yesterday and today. I guess everyone just kind of let their guard down at the same time, I don't know! We definitely needed it though, we can't wait to go to the park tomorrow and see what happens!

Those last two hours will be pure bliss...

Elizabeth