It feels like time has flown by way too fast. Thursday came and went and it felt a little like something was breathing down our necks, since we all knew that we’d be saying goodbye to the kids that afternoon. Each of us has family and friends that we’re going home to, and we’re excited to see them again, but at the same time, you can’t help but look into these little faces and wish you could stay. For these almost five weeks since the advance team arrived, they’ve had playmates everyday. Hugs, high fives, and just a person to sit next to and smile with. The staff here does an awesome job making the kids feel loved, but when our teams are here, it’s an extra 20+ people to help do the loving and the kids just light up when one of us initiates a gesture.

It was another gloomy start to the day, so the construction projects were a no-go until the sun came out later that morning. The electricity was out all day (which is why we couldn’t update yesterday), so Ali made do with what little sunlight there was in order to finish her butterfly mural in the girls’ room. She attracts quite the crowd of Center kids and staff who just want to catch a glimpse of her in action. It’s amazing to see her use the gift God has given her. Over at the Multi-purpose Building Chris was finishing up the final touches on her cross and crown of thorns wall art and hanging the art boards people from our church had painted. They look AWESOME! It’s amazing to see how that room has transformed. It was funny to watch the kids ask to borrow our cameras so they could take pictures of the wall art.

Jamie (Dayton), Sarah (Dayton) & I trekked over to the Multi-purpose Building to play with the kiddos for the last time. Andy, Tim, Mike (Dayton) & Mike (California) were trying to play catch-up with the swing-set project since both the weather and health issues had delayed them. Once Chris was done with her painting, all the kids rushed to help us carry our supplies back over to the Residence. To watch these little girls balancing large tubs of paint on their heads was hilarious…they do it so naturally, and when we try, we end up looking like fools.

It was our last peanut butter and jelly lunch (although we’re not too sad to see that come to an end!), and then our last walk back to the Multi-purpose Building for a team picture and our goodbyes. With our goodbyes, we decided to do something different this year. Last year we had a big send-off, and after we left, the children had seen all of our tears and were pretty upset, wondering what they had done to cause them. So, in an attempt to not have that happen again, we simply said our good-byes like we did at the end of each day, only this time our hugs were a little longer. Each of us wanted to tell them how much we would miss them and that we would be back to see them, but we knew not to make that promise, since these children remember EVERYTHING! From all of the conversations afterwards, though, if it’s God’s will, each of us would love to return here again, since packing these kids and bringing them home with us isn’t an option.

It was a more subdued walk back to the Residency, and if they were like me, they were just trying to soak everything up just one more time. Michelle (Dayton) had a letter one of her new teen friends had given her, stating that she loved Michelle with all her heart…Sarah (Dayton) had a picture drawn of her and one of her new little friends…Jill had a letter from her sponsor girl who she was able to really connect with this year…I had a picture from my sponsor girl that she had colored for my four year old son. These are such special, special kids with such huge hearts, just waiting to spill that love all over someone who will love them back. They’ve grown up with so little, most of them have had their entire families ripped away from them in death. Some have been abused, others were neglected, but no matter how bad their situation, they all had one thing in common. They had a God in heaven who was watching out for them, loving them, and preparing a place for them at the Passion Center where they would hear about Him and learn of the love He has for them. How amazing that is! And how blessed our team has been to be here with these people.

As I write this, it’s Friday morning here, and most of our team is taking a well-deserved rest on the Mvuu Safari. For some of us who went on the Safari last year, we’re heading down the Blantyre a little early. Tonight we’ll be staying at the McGrath’s home, just like last year, and then tomorrow we’re off to the airport for our flight home. So, this will be it for updates. Thank you again for all your prayers for our team. It’s such a blessing to know we have our church family supporting and praying for us while we are here.

At the beginning of the trip we prayed that God would first work in us and then through us. Listening to all the stories at team time, it was evident to see the work that God was doing in each of us sitting around the table. And seeing the kids light up and run for hugs was evidence that God was working through us. Our prayers were answered, and now we’re praying that we don’t leave behind the lessons God has taught us here in Malawi. That would be a travesty. He didn’t bring us here for these two (or five) weeks in order to have us go home and be the same people we were before we came. He wants us to be more like His Son, and now we ask that you pray for us in that way. Once we get home, we want to continue to be the hands and feet of Jesus, doing the work He called us to do once we accepted Him as our Savior.

—Brooke