"The Smell of Separation"

In the morning, as we packed, we sensed an anxiousness about leaving this place.  I asked myself "What will I do with this?"   

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Ety made our day very special:  First he brought Della's foster mom to our hotel.  When I saw her we embraced and I cried.  How do I explain in words or emotions how grateful I am to this woman who loved my daughter for more than a year?  Through interpretation we talked...I had many questions for her.  She told me she was very grateful that I asked to see her.  It was a very sweet time.

After Mama Josee left, Serge joined us and we went down to the Congo river.  It was very wide and had lots of large rocks.  There were fisherman on handmade wooden boats.  Some men who were working allowed us to step onto their boat.

 

After a good lunch Jean Paul drove us to the airport.  It was the usual hectic, crazy traffic (like New York City on steroids).  Ety said "The smell of separation".  We had a really fun day which contrasted with the heaviness of the last four days.  Ety said he wanted our last day to be enjoyable.  I am so glad he did that for us.  It reminded me that this country, these people, are so beautiful.  And they are just like you and me.

We boarded the plane to Belgium, as we flew, I wondered again 

  "What will I do with this?" 

The heaviness of the children came back, the heaviness of leaving friends, the heaviness of

"The smell of separation"