(This will be my last entry for Argentina, and what I experienced.  I have put this off for some time because in a sense, I feel like it isn’t over until I write about this last day.  I don’t think I am ready for it to be over. This day had by far the most impact on me and I am confident the same goes for my team.  Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy the conclusion to my trip.)

Argentina, Day 10 (the last day)

Last night ended up well.  It was a huge turn a round.  Except dinner was loco.  Some had to wait to get food for a long time. I did had a warm shower last night!  (oh yea!)  Actually last night was by far the best yet with the amount of noise and the outside temperature.  Gracias Senor!  Thank you Father!  Its funny, I barely hear the dogs anymore.. It’s amazing how you adjust to things.  I have started having dreams with the Chicos in them.  Very funny!  I am excited to have a good night sleep in the next few days.

My last day here started with the best:  Quiet time in the blue circle area among the Chicos.  As always, this is an awesome time.  We have been so blessed by who we have worked with here.  It has been worth every hardship.  The bed of mosquitoes in my corner, the sleeping arrangement, not feeling clean most of the time and so on.  I love moments like sitting in this circle with my new friends this morning.  Praying with them and putting my arm around Jose, and him doing the same for me.  I love being able to pray with them.  I love that when it was time for alone time that they all stayed relatively close.  Meanwhile, the train rolls by and is very loud.  It goes right by the wall a few times a day.  It carries many people.

As I look around, it is shocking how a couple of the Chicos remind me of someone I know back in the states.  I am grateful for this opportunity.  I love these people! I hope Brooke is good and I am glad that she endures me being gone and supports me.

It is by far the coolest day as far as temperature goes.  Thank you for the breeze!  Oh yea, but my butt has never hurt so bad!  haha.. I guess its from sitting on the ground or on benches for 10 days.  And Marcos just came up and shared his matte with me.  What a great memory, the matte.  I love what it represents here.

As far as the day goes, it started off very slow.  The morning was chill.  We had Bible study, we ate and then we played games.  I actually prayed to start breakfast.  I was so nervous that I would get a word wrong.  Some boys were still bad this morning.  I jumped in with the tarp game.  Elisa dominated as usual.  She teaches the children so well!  Then we went to do cheers in the grass.  It was a good time to have everyone cheer.  All of us did some cheers that we do at the Shores, which seemed well received by everyone.  They love when we get krunk..

We had lunch and then outside again to take pictures and said our goodbyes to the children.  Although nobody outwardly said this, I could sense, even in myself, that we were all going to be extremely relieved when these kids would be gone.  However, words don’t express what happened next..

This kids got on the bus and instantly realized that they were afraid to go back to thier horrible homes, or lack thereof.  I watched as one of Jose’s campers cried through the window, and Jose put his hand on the window and his camper returned it.  They both cried.  That was one of many interactions like this happening.  It was a heavy scene to take in.  We then followed the bus to the gate.  You could feel the atmosphere change all around.  We all had the realization of where these kids were going.  We had all been worn out from loving on them while there were in our care.  Little hands and faces pushed out the windows to waive to us and there were many tears.  It was an extremely moving picture as I looked around and saw so many of us and the Chicos weeping.  Powerful.  Tanner then walked up to me and I lost it.  I think I had been holding many things in and this was the break.  Bessy somehow came up at the same time and I just hugged both of them and cried.  Hard.  It was a good, hard cry, for someone who doesn’t cry a whole lot.  Little did I know that the waterworks were on for the rest of the day…  It was an incredible moment.  One that I will not soon forget.  We then circled up and nobody said anything.  You were either wiping your face or staring.  I didn’t know what to say, and all I could think of was “muy bien” as I choked back more tears from seeing all the others.  We then broke out in a song that we had sang with the children over the last two camps:

Tenemos tanto tanto tanto tanto tanto tanto para ser agradezidos,

Demos gracias al padre por… campers, and so on…

We have so much so much so much so much to be thankful for,

We give thanks to our Father for… campers, and so on…

It was a HUGE moment.  Don’t forget that circle.  I remember being next to Joni and seeing his tears hitting the dirt.  Man.

We took some time and then met to debrief.  It was hard because poor Hannah had a harder time translating.  She has done so good, but we were all emotionally fried.  It is a daunting task to lead a group of my staff and Artgentinians with a translator, or rather with someone who is trying to translate, and it isn’t her job.  Luis helped out a lot, much to Hannah and I’s thanks.  The main gist of our time was me wanting to explain that the Chicos can do camp, even without us.  Bessy inturupted us with a phone call saying that the kids missed us.  They were on the bus and the pastora called to tell her.  Then we went back to meeting, and she got another phone call.  She told us that this kids were back at the little church singing, “tenemos, tanto, tanto..”. We could hear them singing over the phone.  It was moving.  Many tears flowed again, all around.  I remember seeing many fighting them back.  I tried to get it together and said “Listen, this is why we do what we do…” Another big moment.

We then split to debrief in our own groups for a few minutes.  Meanwhile, the Chicos went and jumped into the pool with all their clothes on.  I was confused because I thought they were meeting, but then they did in the pool.  I am amazed by how they blend fun and relationships with meetings.  They know their priorities, and it shows.  Our meeting was good, and then I thought we should take some pictures together.  So everyone went to get their cameras.  But while I was waiting, I decided to just go and jump into the pool next to all the Chicos meeting with Bessy.  I ran in and they all cheered.  My staff quickly clued in and followed!  It was incredible.  Then we all broke in this crazy pool celebration.  Its hard to describe.  It was this huge party where everyone was just overjoyed.  It was truly amazing.  Then we jumped out and started cleaning up and getting changed as we were going to leave in just a few hours.

Quick sidenote:  I am learning the lesson of what not being able to fully speak does.  By not being able to communicate clearly or understand the language, we couldn’t rely on the junk that come our of our mouths so regularly.  It had to be our actions.  No question.  No debate.  Actions before words.  In the States, we can all understand each other more or less, and we use our words to appear different than we are, or to try to convince others of who we “really” are.  But the truth it that it is our actions that display who we are, not our meaningless words.

After we cleaned, we took lots of pictures and spent time outside together during the evening hours.  I wanted to take it all in, so I wandered a little ways a way at one point.  It was a blessing to get that time together.  (As I write I am sad because now it seems like that hour was just a few seconds, and it was such a blessing to all of us.)  We then all went inside to eat one last dinner all together. Steak and Coke, what more could you ask for??  Bessy talked to everyone and said thanks. I got up to stand beside her.  She cried.  I cried.  I told the staff while Luis translated about the situation in Argentina for CCI and Bessy.  I thanked Bessy and her staff and said congrats to Bessy and Tito for their upcoming wedding.  Hugo, the caretaker spoke and said that he has seen a lot of camps come through the property, but never one like this with this kind of people.  He said, “A piece of my heart goes with you.  My family will never forget you.”  And I cried again.  Many did.  It was a combination of being touched and knowing that we were leaving.  I had to explain what we were doing next, which was tough.  I am finding that it is hard to lead through these kind of moments, when you are sad and wanting to process but it is your responsiblity to continue moving forward.  Wow.

We got our stuff to the back area and waited for the bus.  It was late.  We realized that our flight was actually an hour earlier than we thought as well, so things go a little complicated.  The bus finally got there about 8.  It was good because we got more time together, but were worried about missing our flight home.  I announced to say good-byes and so we started the painful process of saying good-bye and hugging friends for what could be the last time in this life.  I made sure to kiss everyone, even if it was awkward.  It wasn’t.  We were all family now.  I remember hugging Tito.  I want to hug like he does.  Jose and Andres were the hardest to say goodbye to because of their tears.  Jose said, “Hasta luego” no “Chow”, meaning not “goodbye” but “see you later”.  The Buenos Aires team went  with us on the bus so we got a few more minutes with them  I remember waiving goodbye was so hard as they followed us out this time, just as we had all done for the campers.  I saw Jose and Joni wearing the blue headbands that I gave them and Agustina wearing the watch I gave her.  I am sad to think about this.

The ride back was good, although we were stressed about making it to the airport in time.  I handed out passports and briefed everyone on what the plan was and then prayed.  We said goodbye to the rest of the Chicos from Buenos Aires, and Luis and Jessy.  Sad again.  But we had to get moving.  So we dominated luggage when we got there and then ran like crazy into the airport.  I remember turning and yelling at Tanner and John a funny phrase.  It was a good moment.  Everything actually went fine.  Our flight was pushed back.  Awesome!  Security was fine, but the terminal was a bit stressful.  I think I was just at the end emotionally.  And I wanted to make sure everyone got back home safely.  We all got on the plane and things settled down. Now we are heading back to Texas.  Wow.  What a phenomenal trip.  I am so proud of my staff and thankful for this opportunity.  It think I will sit here and cry for while and be grateful…

I am eager to get home to read my journals.  I am excited to read them to Brooke and re-live this incredible experience.  Thank you Lord.  Gracias Jesus.  Si Senor.

I can hear Elisa and Jose right now… “oh man!”