Winding Down

Yesterday was quite an experience. It was our last day with the children so we bought pinatas and extra candy. We brought our books to give to them. Carlos brought a microphone and the mayor of the colony said a few words and proceeded to give the six of us, Claudia, Kaleigh, Jon, Diego, Nick and I, certificates of appreciation. It was great of them. Each one of us had to say a few words. I needed Claudia to translate for me.
Next we unleashed the pinatas. One for the girls, another the guys. We then passed out bags of cookies and other candy. Finally we passed out the books. They were really happy and excited to get them. The extra we left in the small classroom.
We also brought baskets with foodstuff to raffle off. Rice beans pasta oil, etc. I gave the first basket to one of the oldest women in the village.she was in her nineties. When I looked into her eyes I was blown away. A lot of living in her face. We picked numbers out of a bag. The students and the children helped call out the numbers. The women in the village were excited to get the baskets. Many had newborns strapped to them or in their arms. After the children had a surprise for us. They decorated a classroom with balloons and posters. They made little cakes and chocolates. They had us sit in the front, our backs to the white board. They sang happy birthday. It was hard to keep the eyes dry. Throughout the day some of the kids slipped envelopes into our hands, letters written and decorated with much love. All of them hugged us and sad adios. Even the twelve year old boys. Diego gave his soccer ball to one of them and he cried too.
Some strange coincidences occurred too. We had invited everyone from Sevilla language school to join us. One gentleman who takes classes in the afternoon who I had not met came along. As I was showing him the classrooms and the field I noticed he wore a shirt with Farmington Woods, a golf course ten minutes from my house in Connecticut!
The other occurance was sad. During the pinatas I noticed a small procession down the street. A group of ten or fifteen dressed on black some carrying a small three foot white coffin down the road. I looked to one of the mothers who noticed it too. She explained a child had died the previous night. One of ours? I asked. No, she said, a newborn eight days old. I don't think many saw it. None of my students had. It gave me pause.
On the car ride home we struggled with our emotions. Our group went to sky cafe. It was such a powerful experience I think we needed to be together for a little bit.