Goodbye Guangxi

By yesterday afternoon I had the familiar dreaded feeling that I would need to leave Guangxi soon. So much has happened in such a short time that it feels like a dream. The girls have done amazingly well, and have had such fun. My work in the orphanages has opened up more doors and invitations to come back. It looks like the orphans at Desheng will be getting water filtration systems to finally try to get rid of giardia. The many, many medicines donated by the SHED families are being translated into Chinese for directions to be used by orphanage staff. Big papi puffin (Katelyn's SHED friend) has experienced a night boat ride of South Park in Nanning, and went to the Great Wall of Desheng. We've laughed of the "suggestion" of traffic crosswalks and traffic lights. We all tried duck, and awed as a friend ate chicken head. I won't forget the faces of so many children I met, from newborn to teenagers living without families. It is humbling to think that somehow I was the one who was able to come to see these special children.
Saying goodbye is never easy, especially when things are experienced so powerfully as has been done on this trip. Part of who I am will always be here, with people who have become my Chinese family.