Matins service was at 7:00am. The kids performed their usual duties and the service proceeded as normal. Just hearing the children sing made me so happy that I cried. I was really going to miss them, the orphanage, no water and yes, even the beans. The orphanage is such an oasis for these kids and God has truly touched this place. For a country containing such violence in a person’s daily life, the area within these walls is a place of peace where a child can just concentrate on being a child and let the grownups concern themselves with the life’s details.
After the service was over, Antonia gave a brief speech about the importance of brushing your teeth properly every time. Then the children gave each of the mission team members a thank you card and a prayer rope bracelet. Mother Ivonne directed the mission team to line up outside so the kids could each give us a hug. We lined up and the kids filed by and gave each of us a hug. We also gave them stickers and needlepoint crosses/hearts that were donated by St. Katherine’s. It was very touching to see everyone before we left. I thanked each child because they gave me more than I felt I gave to them.
We went to the Comedor and ate breakfast. It was just the team since the kids went to their classrooms. We felt rather lonely. After finishing, we thanked the kitchen staff and left.
A few of us decided to drop by the Infirmary to see the new baby. When we saw her, we started to laugh. The name plate on the crib read “Constantina”. Father Costa had not only given the girl a blessing but a name as well. We ran back to the room to get him. Father came immediately and held the little girl. It was definitely a Kodak moment.
We put our luggage out so Jorge could collect it and load the van. Mother Ivonne called us into the church so she could have some time with the group before we left. Mother Ivonne thanked us for our help and answered our questions about the orphanage. Since Mother Ivonne had been very busy with several crises when we arrived and then was sick for a few days, we had not had a chance to talk with her. She answered our questions very directly about the functions of the orphanage and the challenges that she faces on a daily basis. I wish we had had more time to talk with her over the past week. Mother Ivonne was a wealth of information and she was very level headed. I got the same feeling that I had with Mother Inez and Mother Maria, this woman was very worldly and sensible. The orphanage would not be what it is today without her extreme devotion to the children’s well being.
At 11:00am, we loaded the van for the airport. And when I mean, we loaded the van, I really, really mean that we loaded the van. All of our luggage was put in the back and we literally crammed into the available seats. I sat backwards on a make shift seat. I am surprised that the van made it to the airport without dragging its bottom along the street. Jorge deposited us at the airport doors and we thanked him for everything (chauffeur services, tour of the orphanage, restaurant selection, our safety and well being on our excursion and general Guatemalan information).
The trip back home was rather uneventful. We each settled into our memories of the orphanage and how we would begin to describe our experiences to family members and friends. I began to wonder how this experience would change my life. I am still not sure that I know the answer, but I am willing to go on another mission to help figure it out.
