"Through a Veil of Tears"

     This morning was a groggy one.  My head was hurting from a lack of sleep.  I felt it ringing as I pulled the wadded up toilet paper from my ears.  My thoughts for the day were a mixed bag of raw emotions.  I`m sure Anna, Michelle, and Matthew were all feeling the same as I was.  Excited, upset, happy, and a bit sad.  I was excited and happy to be one step closer to going home to the life I know and the people I love.  Upset and sad because this place had become my home and these people my family.  I had gone through so much with them in just a few short weeks.  Even thinking about it, I had no idea how hard this goodbye would be.

     The worries of the day passed away as the church service started because, I was busy doing something.   Everything went by so quickly and flawlessly it almost seemed like a dream.  As the service ended people came up to me asking for photos of them or their kids with me.(and by me they meant the team) I replied with a quick, "We`d love to!"  But in my head I thought, "Who do these people think we are?  The Pope!?".  Later on in the day while reflecting on the past the significance of what had transpired hit my like an overwhelming flood.

     After the photo snapping mob left we had to finish up our packing.  I noticed the whole team seemed to be in a somber mood.  There was no energy or life in any one of us.  Once we finished packing we went on a short walk to a lovely apartment for our last lunch in El Codito.  The walk was made in almost total silence and the weather began reflecting the somber mood.  The sun had disappeared behind dull grey clouds and the temperature had dropped.  Maybe this was foreshadowing what was to come.

       The meal served to us brightened our spirits, mostly because it was an adventure in food.  They brought the fish out on a plate with its crispy fried eyeballs staring out at you from its almost completely intact body.  The only damage done to it was from being fried in oil and having an incission along the bottom from which they emptied out its squishy guts.  It was pretty tasty but as soon as the adventure started it was over and reality struck us again.  It was time to leave our home and family.

     The walk back to our home from the apartment was dull and dreary.  As before it was made in almost total silence.  The things that stuck out on the walk were the dead dry crunchy roses and the crusty brown leaves.  There was little beauty to be found.

     As we looked up the street to where our home was we saw the sad teary eyed faces of our Colombian hosts, friends, and family all gathered around to see us off.  The bishop was waiting there with his car for us to load.  We begrudgingly packed all of our belongings into the back of his miniature suv.  I gave away my new white Colombian hat to my freind David and I had already given my brown driver cap to Zully.  She was still wearing it from this morning.  I don`t think she will ever take it off, even to shower.  Of the tears shed on those church steps she shed the most.  None of us wanted to be the first to get into the car and the bishop was beginning to get impatient.  Several times he told us it`s time to go but, the photos and hugs just didn`t want to end.  Finally I knew we had to go and I got in the car shortly followed by Michelle, Anna, and Matthew.  We waved goodbye as the car crawled away.  As they disappeared from sight the bishop said, "You broke their hearts."  This caused us all to start tearing up again.  Matthew said, "I wonder if they will run down to the bus stop and wave to us.  It seems like something they would do. If they do I think we will start crying again."  Michelle mentioned that, "They were the best friends I have ever met."  I stared out the window with a few tears rolling down my cheeks as the downpour started and the sad blues trumpet music started playing from the bishop`s radio.  It was then that I thought, that God was crying with us.  And through a veil of tears I realized He was. 


-Kyle Letcher

P.S.  This was actually written on Sunday and I haven`t gotten to post it till now.