Goodbye...

Saying goodbye is never easy. When you pour into children whose past lives have been all but normal, and you love them with all that's in your heart it's hard to say goodbye. You may ask why I am talking about goodbyes a month before I leave...

I discovered it's harder still to say goodbye to a child that leaves the home. These kids are the strongest I've ever seen - for them no tears were shed - yet they were seeing a child go home that's been in the home for several years. Darwyn - a beautiful, sweet boy full of mischief and energy is going back to join his mother today. He's excited - he's talked about it all week- yet when the time came this afternoon you could see a sense of reality striking. I pulled him aside to say goodbye - biting back my personal feelings and tears - and asked him if he was excited. He shyly nodded his head. I asked if he knew what nervous was. He said no, so I asked if he was a little scared. He said yes. He's going back to what he knew before - it won't be like what he has here, but it will be better than what he came from. 

For me I know leaving is going to be hard; it's going to tear me apart. Granted I miss home- I miss my friends, boyfriend, beef, MILK, and hot showers, but I've also grown to like living here. It's hot and usually there is no air-con. There is pollution, it's dirty, the traffic is ridiculous, but at the same time playing with these children day in and out, providing them with an atmosphere they can feel loved and secure in, has been an absolute joy (more some days than others). But, no matter what the end of the day brings, there is always something that happened I can think back to that makes me chuckle and smile - EVERYDAY. 

Darwyn left, and I asked him one final question: "Who's always number one if your life?" His answer, with a smile: "Jesus". This little boy found Jesus and knows with his whole heart that he is forever loved by Jesus and has a Heavenly Father who will never leave him and always love him. 
I'm thankful he was one to add New Faith Family Children's Home to his life story. He knows he is loved - not just by us but by God. No matter how hard it may be to say goodbye, every one of us here knows we'll see him again one day- in Heaven. A day of rejoicing that will be- and I'm so blessed to be a part of his story - and been given the chance to love him. God's got bigger plans for him - now he can share with his friends and family the love of Jesus that he knows and glows with. I know God will use him and have no doubt that I will see others in heaven because Darwyn went home and shared with them the love of Christ!

Tessa Frye

Volunteer