Day of reckoning

What a lousy day to volunteer for blogging. Why, why did I volunteer??? Bob warned us that the day would be emotional and I figured, well, yeah I know. The morning tried to be a disaster because we found out that we had taken the same kids pictures the second day as the first and so instead of having five, ten or fifteen pictures to complete the craft (of giving every kid a personal picture) we had close to a hundred. Bob told us that on this trip we would be working with the knowledge that Bolivia starts with a 'B'. As in if plan 'A' doesn't work, there is always plan 'B'. Well, today we were going to find out what plan 'E' was all about. Don't worry, we got all their pictures taken but..........whew!! Okay, that must have been what Bob was talking about the day being emotional. Noon found us eating with the kids at the Christian school and hey, everything is still on an emotional high. We get back to the hotel after lunch and a few of us get taken back down town for a last chance at souvenirs (sp) and I got to spend the entire hour waiting at the optical store because I broke my eyeglasses 2.5 days ago. I did get them back but they aren't fixed. Now it is a mad dash back to the hotel because we are supposed to go to Talita Cumi for a last meal and program.
I still haven't shed a tear so the day is still on cruise control. Arriving at Talita Cumi the kids greet us with hugs and kisses. Great! The new parrot is still at Talita Cumi and so we are amused and the atmosphere is still quite positive. Greeting staff and new friends seems so much like normal. The meal comes and is awesome again and so I continue to extend my streak of not being hungry in Bolivia yet. (Don't worry, it's normal for me) A few glimpses of tears around has brought a few unguarded tears for me but nothing too hard to handle. My prayer child gets a prize so I am allowed to go up for pictures and prayer with him. (Doing okay so far) Gifts are given by both sides and appreciation is shared. I decide to tell Jose Maria that I will come back to see him someday. He handles it fairly unemotional so I decide to tell his sister Valoria. Valoria has seemingly has chosen me instead of the opposite. I have to admit I am becoming more emotionally attached to her than I realized. After telling her the same news with an interpreter she stands still for a second, then begins to hug me around my neck. (I am kneeling) After a few seconds she begins to shake and I loose it. Okay, yeah, now I think I know what Bob was warning me. I really hadn't planned on this. Thank goodness that we can know that God will care for these kids when we are gone. Wow, I think maybe these kids have gotten to me more than I every figured they would. It's going to take a while for me to process this. See you all in a few days.
Ken