So the end of my 2weeks has finally arrived and i have to say it has been the most emotional time, as i sit here typing this blog i find it hard to hold back tears due to how special and fantastic this experience has been. I have met some amazing little girls, full of life, full of love and as much as they may have their little tantrums, they are children and after what they have been through deserve the odd moment.
So here is how my final day went in Cusco Peru.
Sunday morning waking up to the sounds of cats and dogs screaming and barking, a few hens and a cockerel all having their very early morning arguments and it only gets louder, so from 5.30 for the last 2weeks i have had the pleasure of the loudest live alarm known to me but i wouldn’t have had it any other way, because it meant i was able to get up every morning and see the girls before they headed out for school or just as soon as they woke up. So today was no different from any other day only my throat and chest has never felt such pain, my flu symptoms have only gotten worse over the last few days but i have had no choice but to just carry on through. So i went downstairs and the girls were having breakfast, they all wake up very early and from 6.30am they were sitting down waiting for breakfast to come to the table, or at least called to help set the table and help take the bread and butter and jam to the table. Prayers are said and then they start eating, the youngest ones always take a lifetime to finish their food regardless of what it is but they get helped and told to hurry up and eat, which is always quite amusing because they never seem to speed up but they certainly finish everything in front of them, regardless of how long they take.
We didn’t go out anywhere Sunday the plan was just to spend as much time with them as possible, a lot of them knew it was my last day and kept approaching me with sad faces, asking if i would stay just a few more days, it of course was so hard knowing they genuinely wanted more of my time despite how poorly i was and didn’t have a voice but they just did not want me to go. We played a few games and then eventually the morning caught up with me and i had to have a bit of a nap, as much as i was being asked to go to the doctor, they would only inject me and keep me in and i refused to spend anytime where i didn’t actually need to be, especially knowing i would be travelling home anyway soon and can just see my doctor.
The afternoon soon approached us and Katie had also arrived so there were quite a few of us playing with the girls, we did drawings and i sat down with Roxanna for about 20mins reading through the bible, she had the english – spanish translated version for me so each verse were alongside one another, i helped her pronounce the spanish words correctly whilst i read the english translation in parallel. She would randomly say the english verses out loud but it never made sense and she would just laugh out loud, which actually isn’t funny but watching her make herself laugh just made me laugh with her. Soon after reading through quite a few verses with her it was soon time to set the able for lunch, they were having soup for starter and then rice and kidney beans with a fried egg. Still not sure of the combination i have to be honest, but i was given a plate and i had a couple of spoons as i just wasn’t able to stomach anything properly.
I wanted to buy all the girls a big cake from me as our last supper together, so i took the eldest Soraya with me and we went into Cusco city centre or downtown to find the Tres Leches cake they all love so much. We went to the first cake shop and they advised they didn’t have any, we then hopped on a bus and travelled a few blocks down to check out another cake shop we were told about, but unfortunately they said they didn’t have any left. So Soraya advised we should keep walking a little further and then we can maybe ask as well if we don’t find it. On our walk i asked if she fancied a frozen yogurt, her face lit up and she asked if i didn’t mind as she would love one, it was a little bonding time with the eldest as we had not actually gone out on our own anywhere, so i brought her an ice-cream, she was very happy and i am so glad she enjoyed it. From there we asked the lady at the counter if she knew where we could buy one of these cakes and she pointed to a shop across the road. Sure enough we went on in and there was a family sized tres leches cake, i immediately said we would take it and had a little message put on it and away we went back home.
So back at home all the girls were waiting for me to return, as soon as they walked in they were thanking me as they had a little party planned, which i had no idea about and on top of that i had bought a cake, so unknowingly we all worked together. Even before i had put the cake down on the table i began to feel quite emotional, this was the moment it all became real that it was my last night in Cusco and i was going home. The girls all sat around the table and as mamita Carmen started unwrapping the cake, one by one they all said a little message to me. This was all just so heart-breaking as they started with Zulema and she started thanking me for spending time with them all, the presents they had received and for the company, and then she completely broke down in tears and then of course i couldn’t hold back my emotions any longer and then after she finished, she came over and gave me the biggest hug. Then Lindsay raised her hand saying she wanted to go next and she started off again thanking me and one by one they all went around the table, and after they had said their piece they came over to me to hug me and kiss me and tell me they were really going to miss me. I was so amazed and moved by each and every one of these girls, not only because of the tears that ran down their little faces for me, but after 2 weeks they had become so attached to me and had such emotions to share. I was so overwhelmed by it all, i just can’t believe i had made such an impression on them.
It was just the most moving 30mins, of all these girls and mamita Carmen saying how happy they were i had entered their lives and that i would always be welcome, they were missing me already and my goodness, i just could not believe what they were saying and how much i meant to them, i just wish i could bring them all home with me. We took videos and photos and after so many big hugs and plenty of kisses, it was time to get stuck into the cake.
So once we had finished dessert the floor was cleared and i was asked to sit at a particular place in the room, as the girls had arranged a little song and dance they wanted to perform for me. Of course as soon as they started dancing i could not hold back my tears, they started off with saying a few words for me of how much they love me, will miss and thanks for my time i spent with them, before taking over the floor with their singing and dancing, it was the most fun and wonderful performances ever and i just cannot explain how moved i was by the whole evening. They just kept on going with dances after dances, songs after songs and little poems in spanish, which i wish i knew fully what they were saying but either way was very touching, then they would say thank you and come over and give me the biggest and tightest hugs.
Soon after all the performances it was time for them to wish me a goodnight for the very last time and regardless of how ill i have been the last few days, these two weeks have been the most amazing experience of my life and i cannot thank these little girls enough, for making my time so memorable and i pray that God has a great future planned for them, because they are so talented, so beautiful and incredibly intelligent regardless of the bad memories and upsetting circumstances in which they have to try and move on from.
I am so glad i have had the opportunity to meet these girls and i certainly hope i get the chance to meet them again and see how beautifully they grow up.
SaimasCharityTravels 