Saying Goodbye

I am a little behind on blogging, but I will try to catch you up...

  It seems like so long ago now, but it's only been a week since I left the Emmaus kids behind in Bogata. I look at their pictures way too often, and feel like they are so far away, even though it's only a 6-hr (less than pleasant) train ride away, whereas when I go home it will be..... much further than that! I pretty much miss them all, but the Tamas family sticks out in my mind....

  Anna with her beautiful features and maturity that goes beyond her 12 years...Lati (pronounced lot-SEE) is a kind of a shepherd to the younger ones, Eszther says. He seems very genuine, and different from the older boys who try to act "cool"... and Katalin (Kati) is so full of love, and God bless her but she would always try to talk to me in Hungarian and I couldn't understand a word! Misi (MEE-she) has grown up so much, I can tell he is more mature, and even though he still picks on the younger children a lot, I know he has a good heart and wants to do good. He was answering a lot of Bible questions, and I am encouraged by his spiritual insight. Erszi I called her "my baby girl." Spending 3 weeks with her, I often wondered what her deep eyes have seen, and what goes on inside that little head of hers. I loved it when she smiled at me, her smile was so precious. Anti was my favorite (besides Bernie of course!) I was so happy to see him smile and laugh and even joke around with me... last year his eyes and face showed no emotion. All the older boys loved him a lot and it was good to see he is being taken very good care of! Bernadette is hilarious. She was always falling tripping, falling out of cars, she would fall when she was sitting on my lap! She was a ball of energy and totally and completely-- I don't even have the word! I love her little giggle, and when she spoke - even if it wasn't that often - and when I would hold her hand while we were walking somewhere and every 10 seconds she would lag behind and I would have to tug at her arm because she got distracted by something on the street. I loved when I would come into her room every night to say goodnight, we would snuggle and she called me "anya" ("mother" in Hungarian). There are so many other things I loved about her...

  When I was saying goodbye to them, they were hugging and kissing me and telling me not to cry... which of course made me cry even more! I know better than to make promises, but I know in my heart I will see them again. And I will continue to pray for them, and little Ilona who will join them at Emmaus in September!