Four Days

Four days can seem like an eternity. The thought of being "finished" on the worksite when we arrive Monday doesn't even cross our mind. But here we were Thursday afternoon, making the last rounds. Hugging kids, taking pictures, gathering supplies. It's not until then that the emotions start to hit - We really won't be back again. We may never see these kids again. But you have to just get on the bus and leave. You can't delay the inevitable. I have the tough job of herding the masses onto the bus and I hate it. It's no fun seeing this week end, but if we don't just go, we may never leave. Lots of promises are made about coming back next year. But we really can't predict where we will be. Who knows what the summer of 2015 will hold. The ride home is a quiet one. Lots of us are in deep thought wondering what the future will hold for our new friends. Where will they be in a year, two years, 10 years? How well will the bathroom and paint hold up when the hurricane force winds start up? But as we reflect on what we accomplished this week, it goes beyond the walls we painted, or the nails we hammered. It's in the bonds we've created with each other. The village kids will remember us. That's something we know for a fact. Their joy on Monday and their tears on Thursday tell us that. Just four short days that can change us and them forever.