After a somewhat hectic, but mostly relaxing weekend, today I had to return back to reality. Well,ok...RELATIVE reality. I don't have class on Mondays, but I volunteer at an orphanage called Beacon House in the morning. It's sometimes hard to drag myself out of bed before 7 am, but once I am there, it is always well worth it.
Today was a very special day in particular because two of the children who I have been seeing each week and have grown somewhat close with were being adopted today! A young woman from Colorado is now the mother of two of the kids, one girl, Gifty (age 3) and one boy, Acholi (age 6). I don't know Acholi too well, but Gifty is the wisest and sassiest 3 year old you'll ever meet. My friends and I joke that she's like a grown woman in a 3 years old body, who speaks "the Queen's English".
There was a bittersweet vibe in the air this morning as everyone was excited for the kids, but also slightly heartbroken that they were losing two children who were practically their own.
Once I found out that there would be an official ceremony in the afternoon to send the children off, I knew I had to come back to witness it and to say goodbye. I am so glad that I made the decision to go back because it turned out to be one of the most heartwarming experiences of my life.
It started out with a bunch of prayers being said by the house mothers as well as by some of the other orphans. Once everyone started to say their goodbyes, the emotions really started to set in. It was the site of the other orphans giving tight, desperate hugs to Gifty and Acholi that made me start to cry.. I couldn't even imagine how the full-time staff who have lived with these kids must have felt. After saying my goodbyes to Gifty and Acholi, I spent some time hanging out with the other kids and then saying goodbye, which was harder than usual, even though I'll see them next week.
It is so crazy for me to think about the fact that Gifty and Acholi will be in the United States within a few days. They're actually first going to the Northern part of Ghana to say bye to Acholi's family...I'm not exactly sure what their whole story is, but I can't imagine that that will be easy. I can't believe that by the time they are grown up, Gifty and Acholi will be completely American, and likely will not remember their days at Beacon House. Especially considering that today that is all they know! It's too much to even process at the moment, but working at Beacon House is definitely an unbelievable experience!
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| Gifty! |
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| Michael and Gifty |
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| Emmanuel. the next Biggie, I guarantee |
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