The End

Well I've survived South Africa! It has been a once in a lifetime experience that I know I will never forget. Today was my last day with the kids and I leave for the airport tomorrow afternoon. It is so crazy how fast this month has gone by. Today was a really great last day. We made the class a photo album of pictures we had taken this last week and they were really excited about that. Tandeka also had us bring in white t-shirts, and today she helped the kids put their handprints on them and she decorated them for us. I am so excited to have this! It was so nice of her to do that for us! And it's so funny because she wrote "Luthando Educare. Have Nice Day Karli. Thank You." on the shirt. But you would never be able to tell because she stamped the letters all out of order. I don't know why! I was trying not to laugh as I watched her make it. She was so pleased with her work though and I think it just adds to it! I love it!

The one girl I have connected to the most here is Lelethu. We have developed this really neat bond that I love. And although she speaks little english, it was so apparent today that she understood this was the last time she was going to see me. That this was a real goodbye. She wanted to be held the whole day and almost never left my side. She wasn't her usual hyper self. The last half hour, I just held her on my lap as one of the teacher's daughters was reading them stories. She always plays with my chin and face, and she was doing this as she rested in my lap. I was talking to her and explaining why I had to leave and how much I loved her. And she would just look up at me and nod with the saddest face. It was so hard to get her to smile. And seeing this made it so much harder for me. When my ride came, I stood her up to give her our last goodbye hugs. It was so sweet and special. It's hard to explain, but I know that she understood the meaning of us leaving and that we weren't going to be able to come back. After saying goodbye to all the other kids, who were of course very energetic and jumping all over us, I looked back at Lelethu right before I walked out. She just stood there silently in the back, waving her hand with the saddest face looking back at me. It broke my heart and that's when I couldn't hold my emotions in any longer and let them loose.

I have loved my time with these children. It's so hard to enter their lives for such a short time and then have to leave. Especially knowing I could give them so much more. There is always more that can be done to help. But right now I am so full of gratitude for the opportunity I have been blessed with to come here, and to get to know these sweet children of God for the time that I did. I know they may not always remember me, but they have made such a deep impression on me and I will keep memories of them with me my whole life. They will always be in my prayers and I hope that they will be able to feel those prayers.

Tandeka and I with the older kids

Tandeka and I with the younger kids.

Ps there is also a baby room but I didn't get a picture with them :(

The shirt they made me today!

The other teacher that helps out sometimes.

This is horrible, but I was never able to understand what her name is!

Teresa (the other CCS volunteer there with me)

Nanhla the cutie patutie! She was huggin my leg for a good 15 minutes today! Love her

One last piggy back ride for Lelethu!

This captures the moment pretty well.

Lelethu and I right before I had to leave...so sad!

I love these kids!

I have four more days with these kids...it's gonna hit me hard when I have to say goodbye. My time with them each day has been so incredible. And I know that I will take away so much more from this experience than I was able to give them. I'm trying to make the best out of these last few days and will hopefully be able to leave them with no regrets. They are so special!!!

The Garden Route

This weekend, a group of ten of us went on an adventure tour called the Garden Route. It was a 6 hour drive to start and just so beautiful the whole time. I didn't even sleep in the car because it was just too fun to look out the window and see everything! We stayed at a backpacker/hostal type place which was a good experience. Freezing, but fun! It was a nice place to come back to after a full day of ADVENTURE!

An amazing sunset we got to see when we were driving. I love sunsets!

Zip Lining

We went on a 2 hour zip line course and it was beautiful! It was just really relaxing and fun! It was also a good way to warm us up for what was to come later in the day...

One of the lines we went down. It was just gorgeous! Lots of water and green and rocks everywhere!

Caving

Another part of our weekend was going to the Cango Caves. We chose the "adventure route" of course! It was so beautiful! Haha I just realized that I say that in basically every post. But it's so true! We had to squeeze through tiny passage ways, climb up tight tunnel-like places, slide on our stomachs, and crawl. It was definately more of a work out than any of us were expecting but we had such a good time together!

One of the holes we had to slide through!

I DID IT!

Yes I'm rediculous for even wanting to do this...but it was the most amazing thing I've ever done in my life! No regrets! I lived! Ps- this is the world's highest place to bungy jump off of a bridge! Nine of us went together and we had a blast! It was an experience I will NEVER forget!

World of birds

We spent a few hours at World of Birds today! haha it was fun at first but it got really old by the end....birds are just...birds. But the best part was going in the "monkey jungle". It was full of little monkies and they would just jump all over you! Kinda scary but fun!