Goodbye is never easy

Day SEVEN

The end has come. What a bittersweet day it has been. We roofed another home today so that makes 4 total. The building of each roof has been a unique experience, and today was as well. As I went to work with my hand drill and circular saw, I got small snapshots of what everyday life in Haiti is like. As our workday began the work had already begun hours earlier for the Haitians. There was a young pregnant woman sitting on a rock hard at work washing laundry. I watched as she scrubbed and rinsed, scrubbed and rinsed, rang out the water, and then set the clothes aside to hang out to dry. Nearby sat 2 more women with 3 young children. One little boy, Jean, looks to be about 2 years old. The other two babies are twins, not even a year old yet, maybe 8 months. The baby boy has a little afro and the biggest toothless grin that will melt your heart. Every time I smiled at him or made a funny face he would grin, giggle, and slap his hands on his legs. His twin sister, on the other hand, was terribly afraid of white people. She would cry even if she saw me looking at her for too long. The men joined in helping us build the roof while the women tended to the children and housekeeping tasks. Smoke began to billow out of a small open-air hut as we were working. One of the women had built a fire to begin cooking food. Seeing life going on around us was cherished opportunity and a reminder of that stark contrast that haunts me when I return home.

We worked diligently until lunch time and only lacked placing & securing the metal sheeting. I took a break somewhere in there and got to hold afro baby when he woke up from his nap. His dad told me his name is Jegu (I have no idea if that is how it’s spelled but that is how it sounds). He had just finished eating homemade banana baby food so he was a little messy but still completely adorable. I held him, tickled him, cuddled him, threw him up in the air, and listened to him laugh & laugh. I wish I could take him home with me!

After lunch we were quick in finishing the roof and lots of time to spend playing with the boys back at the boys’ home. Jen & Jeff got out the Frisbees, jump ropes, bubble wands, footballs, soccer ball, candy, coloring books, and crayons we brought for the boys. Oh, that was lots of fun! Everyone had fun sitting on the back of the truck playground coloring pictures and showing off their artwork. Then a game of dodge-the-frisbee started and some of the younger boys kicked the soccer ball around. A couple of the boys started blowing bubbles and quickly drew a crowd that jumped around giggling as they tried to pop all the bubbles that were quickly floating away. Desilien was my coloring buddy. I held his crayons as he put all his concentration into staying inside the lines. Every time Desilien says my name, my heart jumps a little, and I get a burst of energy no matter how tired I may be. I think it is just knowing that he knows me and loves me and wants me to play with him. It’s a special feeling. Jen had an extensive English lesson with Guinsly. Then later Ken Jon took out his English workbook and showed Jeff his homework assignment. He had to memorize the lyrics of the Michael Jackson song “We are the World” as an English assignment. So we all sat on the back of the truck and sang “We are the World” over and over. Then out of nowhere a guy shows up with a guitar and starts playing another song. It was a thank you song to our team. In the song they listed off each of our names and thanked us for coming to Haiti to love the people and help the people. It was such a sweet & unexpected moment.

Saying goodbye came quickly & unexpectedly. Jeff came up to me while I was playing with some of the boys and told me, “Say your goodbyes. It’s time to load up in the taptap.” Ronald and Mackenlay still hadn’t returned from their trip to the doctor today. I had been waiting & wondering when they would be back. And now I wouldn’t get to tell them goodbye. I quickly hugged all the boys I could find hoping that Ronald and Mackenlay would arrive at the last minute. Wilberson watched from a distance as I hugged the other boys, and when I walked over to him to say goodbye he gave me a note. I took it and didn’t read it until we arrived back at Jean Alix’s house. It says:

Hello! I am very happy to see you. Sometimes I just see somebody, but is not in my mind. Today I see somebody she in my mind. It is you. I promise you always in my mind.
From: Wilberson To: you my baby

As I loaded my backpack into the taptap Sinclair called my name and came over. He gave me a hug and said, “I will miss you, my friend. Will you be back soon?” I told him I will come back as soon as God wants me to. It’s so hard to say goodbye not knowing if the future holds another trip. I was the last one in the taptap. As we drove away my heart sank. I may never see Ronald or Mackenlay again, and I couldn’t even hold them one more time. I want them to know how much I love them both. I sat on the end of the taptap and stared out the back. The tears were coming. I could feel them. Then Jen saw Ecclesiaste walking down the road & yelled to him. The taptap stopped for a brief moment. Holding Ecclesiaste’s hand was Mackenlay! They were returning from the doctor. I reached out my hand and Mackenlay grabbed it with his tiny hand. I said “Mwen renmen ou” as the taptap began down the road again. I waved to him, and he waved back. At least I got that one moment. But where was Ronald I wondered. A little further down the road we saw Ronald & Rosna, but this time the taptap didn’t stop. I yelled to Ronald & waved, but he didn’t wave back. He just watched us as we drove out of sight with a heart-breaking face. I wanted with everything in me to jump out of the back of that taptap and run back to him, to pick him up and hold him close to me, to tell him I love him & so does Jesus. He IS loved and wanted. But instead I sat at the end of that taptap with tears falling down my face.

Our last day has come & gone, and I can’t put my feelings into words. I fight back the tears and try to dwell on the good.