"In My Heart is the Memory, and There You Will Always Be"

This is my third time saying goodbye to kids who have found their way into the deepest part of my heart, and I still do not know how to make the farewells any easier. Our last day was filled with goodbyes – little arms wrapping around me, hands stuffing notes into my fingers, voices saying, “I’ll miss you!” We had to leave after lunchtime, and when they rang the school bell, the students ran back inside as we made our way back to our cars. There was a finality to it, which made it easier and more difficult at the same time. We left without the pain of feeling little fingers slip through ours, but we had to say goodbye earlier, and we pulled away from the school alone. The kids at LOAMO, especially the younger ones whom I taught, made such an impact on my life, and it is heartbreaking that I will probably never see them again. Our goodbyes were so chaotic that although I said “I’ll miss you,” and “I love you,” more times than I could count, I was too overwhelmed to process the fact that we were leaving until after we left. The kids know that I love them and will always remember them, and I know that they feel the same about me, but I wish that we had gotten to say a proper goodbye. All the same, I am so grateful for every hug, every kiss, and every note that we exchanged. The kids taught me so much about happiness and selflessness, and I am honored to have been their teacher, even if it was for a short time.

However, we did get another chance to say goodbye to the Class VI and Class VII students, as well as the LOAMO staff, at the dance Friday night. We spent hours preparing, but it was so worth it to see their smiling faces when they ran inside. The kids and teachers danced their hearts out, and it was truly amazing to see how happy and excited they all were. Everyone was dressed to the nines, and the effort they put in to look nice reminded me of how much our work meant to them. At the end of the dance, Loserian and Nicodemus thanked us for our work at the school, and presented all the students with gifts. Mr. Kimaro even pulled me aside to thank me for all we had done for him. These moments, making me realize just how grateful they were for our hard work, almost brought me to tears. I am so thankful that I have had the opportunity to know these people, because they have most certainly had a bigger impact on my life than I have had on theirs. This trip has reminded me that I am so, so blessed to have a family, a house, and food to eat. I will always be grateful to each and every one of the students and teachers here, and I have no words to express how glad I honored I feel to have known them.