3 weeks.

Hello my dear friends,

Yesterday told me that I have exactly 3 weeks in Rwanda left and tomorrow tells me I have exactly 5 weeks until I am home. Oh my golly! Time has come and gone as if I blinked when someone smacked a hammer. It's an odd thing, realizing how little time I have left. On one hand, yes, my time here seemed to be going quite slow near the beginning. But now that I know I only have 3 weeks in my new home I feel as though I've been here only a week.

This past week has been excellent. I've been at the school more than expected because exams are next week and us three girls from Canada are the only ones who can type them up. Small problemo though - there is usually only 1, maybe 2, working computers. Exams are hectic... especially the ones that are in Kinyarwanda, Swahili and French. They take twice as long and add twice and much stress to me. However, when I go outside to play with the children during break, the stress is releaved and I am once again full of joy and excitement. These children will never dull me.

Yesterday while waiting for class to end, one of my favourite girls, Alliana, came up to me all sad and pouty. "Teacher.. you leave us tomorrow?" I have no idea where that idea came from, but being a not so nice person I went along with it and casually said, 'yea, we go to Canada tomorrow'. Well...I of course felt bad. The tears started to show and I immediately corrected myself. "No no! Teacher was just being silly. We leave at the end of exams. Three more weeks!" That didn't seem to stop the sadness as she kept frowning and showing her tears. What a tiny taste of what saying goodbye to these students is going to be like. I don't think I've completely realized that I'll be saying goodbye to new pieces of my heart - to new smiles, new friendships, new love. I have spent an amazing 2.5 months with these children so far and now have to say goodbye to them in just 2 weeks (the last week is our free week since the semester has ended). I am already praying that my heart is prepared for what is to come and I can be ready to say goodbye to these students. (However, a 'see you later' would be much better). This blog is short, I understand, and quite pointless, maybe, but I am asking if you could please pray for the hearts of the students as they say goodbye to three new friends and as we say good bye to a school full of memories. I would truly appreciate it!

Thank you in advance!
Give someone an extra smile today - you'd be surprised at how far it goes

-Steph