I haven’t written in over two weeks. Nothing was really new and I didn’t have much to say. After I got back from spring break I had about 2 weeks left until I would be home. I thought once I got there time would just fly by. But it didn’t. I feel like time slowed down. I became more and more anxious to get home and two weeks felt like a year.
Last Tuesday I moved out of my house and into a new house with 9 little boys. Oh my word. Complete opposite of the house I used to live in. They have so much energy. Constantly. From 5am-8pm there’s constant screaming and laughter. But mostly so much love. Those are the sweetest boys that will do anything for you. Every morning rodrigo would go ask if he could go pick me a grapefruit so we could eat one together. Sameer and limber would always cuddle with me and ask if they could go home with me. Last night was probably one of my best nights. We had a special dinner for our boys as a surprise after study hall. We made rice with eggs and a salad with tomatos and cucumber. When I brought the boys back home and uncovered the rice for them to see there was so much screaming. I’ve never seen anyone get so excited for rice (considering we eat it everyday here). They ate all the rice and even asked for more salad. It was so much fun and just a special time for us to spend our last evening together. Before our special dinner all the students thought it would be fun to throw Lindsay, hannah and I in the river since we were leaving the next day. Normally that would be fine, but yesterday was the coldest day we’ve had here. I wore pants, a hoodie, and socks and Chacos the whole day (did I every mention that I literally had no sense of what looks good and what doesn’t here. I’m even wearing socks and chacos now on the plane). So at 8pm I got attacked by a bunch of boys and they carried me and threw me in the river. The freezing river. Everyone thought it was hilarious. And it was, until I took a shower after. The coldest shower I’ve taken in my life.
The closer time got to leaving the kids started to ask when I was coming back. That was a hard question to answer. I told them I would take them all back to the United States with me if I could. And I would. I really really would.
This morning I said my goodbyes to everyone. I didn’t start crying until I walked up to the big house and rodrigo came running towards with open arms and the biggest smile. He told me that now he gets to say he knows me and he can tell everyone that comes to familia Feliz that he knows Jessica. Hugging everyone knowing I probably won’t see them again hurt my heart so much. I don’t have words to describe how much I love my kids at familia Feliz.
Thank you so much to everyone who’s written me, sent me packages, prayer, and just given me words of encouragement. Feeling so far away gets really lonely sometimes, and you guys made it easier. So much easier. My time here has been really challenging with so many ups and downs. But I know I’ve grown so much and I saw God in so many ways here. There’s no way I could’ve done this without your support.