The last day

Today was my last day at the orphanage. It's felt really weird. I don't think I have yet comprehended that I am leaving, and I have definitely not comprehended that I start school in a week! I'm all ready and packed up to go. Ginny and I did laundry today, laid it out to dry, and then it started to rain. I tried to spend as much time with the kids today as possible. I gave the boys some awesome dinosaur and alien stickers and the girls some flower stickers. I brought some finger nail polish for them so the girls all had a good time painting each others nails. One thing that Cambodia is pretty known for is its skirts. You just buy the fabric and someone will make one for you. I bought some fabric and had my skirts finished today. They are so pretty and I am excited to show everyone when I get back!

Ginny and I went to the market today one last time and met some people from Australia and Germany. One is working with an organization and teaching english, where the other two have a little dance studio.  I am really hoping the children can participate in this! They will love it! We started talking, well, because I saw white people in the village and I also randomly asked them if they could help me understand some Khmer the lady selling me the bananas was saying. There have been a lot of different people in and out of the orphanage today. One girl I met, who is also Australian, and the first one I have ever met, is here doing mission work and is visiting different countries helping with church planting. Ream;s brother Rah also popped in today. He and Jessica are working together to help out the village by trying to plant wells, and maybe eventually toilets, and other shelters for the people. Open sewage leads to illness which leads to death, so if they have clean water and toilets, it will be such a benefit to them. Another missionary stopped by today, also from Australia, who works with a nonprofit that helps children with special needs. She had been before and was familiar with Soy. When we were in the market I bought these purple potatoes. They were really good and beautiful too.

I tried to take as many pictures as I could today of everything I might have missed. Tonight we had a dance party and the kids attempted to try and teach me their special Khmer dances....let's just say I have two left feet. The way the girls dance is so beautiful and poised. There are certain types of dances you do with certain songs. After that the kids watched a scary movie (they really like scary movies for some reason), and Jess and I decided to try and scare them. We waited for a suspenseful part and then banged on the doors and opened them. They all screamed and we all laughed! It was so funny. I am going to miss them all so much.

Chantrea, who I have grown pretty close to, gave me a present today. It was a little book with the story of the Wizard of Oz, and some plastic butterfly clip on earrings. I know that these were her personal items that she was giving me, so it meant so much! I think its cute how she gave me a book because she knows I like to read to them. I am going to miss reading to them. I love doing that. Sedong, a worker at the orphanage made me a ring with a flower on it. She left today to be with her husband for a few days and I didn't get to say goodbye to her. I grew pretty close to her. She speaks english very well and we got to talk a lot.

The kindergarten teacher for the school lives here at the orphanage and came back today. I was able to help her with a few little crafty things for her classroom. It was really fun and I was exactly in my element.

It is going to be so weird not waking up to laughter outside my window every morning at 5:30am. I am going to miss these kids like crazy! I do want to come back, I just don't know when and I don't know what God has planned, but whatever it is, I will follow Him.

In the morning we are headed to Phnom Phen and then Siem Reap where my plane flies out. I will try to update on our adventures to the Killing Fields and Angkor Wat, but I may not be able to.

It is such a bittersweet time. I do miss my family and friends, but I also don't want to leave. I feel like I just got here. I feel like I was just getting into the swing of things, and now I have to go. All the kids are like, "no go, Lah-rah." I keep telling them I have to go back to "study" and go to school to be a teacher. They keep asking if I'll come back. I won't give them a definite answer because obviously I don't want to disappoint them if I am unable to return. When I do though, I want to bring some people with me, so if your interested let me know! :)

Blessings,

Laura

P.S. Thank you for your prayers throughout all of this. Please continue to pray for safe travels.