Mercy Trips: Goodbye Salone :(

"I won't cry today, I won't cry today, I've cried enough this week" were my words on Thursday morning, December 1st, my departure day. Monday, I had visited the family of a day worker, who had opened their home and church to me, and shed tears with those goodbyes. Tuesday, I had gone to Pastor Abu and Mercy's house and had to say goodbyes then. Wednesday, I had visited Koya Town for the last time and visited the school and visited with Kadiatu and Alie, and spent the day with Pastor Nat, and tear were shed as I said good bye to Kadiatu and the family. Not to mention all the goodbyes since Friday, the day of the day workers celebration. In the morning, after packing up and having my cabin inspected, I went into town to see the boys. None of them were there, and then someone from the community told me that they had all gone to Government Wharf to meet us at the ferry. Some of the day workers were outside the gate and I said goodbye to each one, promising again not to cry, promising that they will always be in my heart and that we will try as best we can to keep in touch. I returned to the ship, checked out at reception, and then said some goodbyes to crew members that were also my family while I was here with Mercy Ships. The hardest goodbyes were the ones to the African crew members, who had accepted me as a sister, without knowing where my roots were from. After I had done research and found that my ancestry is from Ghana, the Ghanaian crew members adopted me even more as their own. I will truly miss each and everyone of them - the guys from Benin and Cameroon who taught me some French, the many African meals that were made for me when I was tired of cheese sandwiches, the trips to get fufu and my attempts to each with my hands :), our many conversations about living on the ship long term, and our many conversations about each of their dreams and aspirations. I will miss all they taught me about myself, about Africa and its culture, and the friendship that I found in them.

Almost thirty crew members were leaving Thursday, so once we moved to the dock and started loading the landrovers that would take us to the ferry, most of the Africa Mercy community was also on the dock saying goodbyes. Again, I said to myself, "I will not cry. I can not cry" But the tears came. Small small (as I would say in Krio). After loading the landrovers, we left, with a line of a large number of the remaining crew on the sides of the dock waving.

I was really quite during my last drive through town on our way to the Government Wharf. I took it all in- the traffic, the noise, the colors, the crowds, the people, the shops. I thought Oh how I will miss Salone.

We were early arriving to the ferry so I was able to spend some time with the boys before boarding. Mohamed, Mohamed, Abdul, Yaya, Alhaji, and BS were all there. Aminata, one of the day workers also was at the wharf to meet us and then bought a ticket to ride the ferry with us to the airport. When it was time to board the ferry, I said my final goodbyes, trying with all my heart not to cry. After I boarded, I looked back at the shore and saw the boys standing there. I waved from the ferry and saw that they could see me, as they waved back.

I took in my last views of this side of Salone, and thought again how much I will miss this place. As the ferry pulled away, I burst into tears. I saw the boys sitting on the wall waving goodbye. Mohamed was wiping his face and I knew he was crying. I was leaving my children. While I had peace knowing that they would be looked after by Pastor Nat, my heart tore knowing that I had no idea when I would see these precious ones again. I said a prayer for them and prayed and asked the Lord to protect them and to please allow me to see them again. I will miss Salone, but I will miss my children oh so much more.