Today was one of the most emotional days for our team. After investing in the lives of many Albanians, their hearts were tied to Kosovo. Many of the expressed their sadness and said they didn't want to leave. I heard others make comments on how they must come back. There's something that each one of us learned on this trip that will stay with us forever. Our dinner the last night was provided by the students who came to America last fall. Some of the students who were selected to come this year also joined the celebration. We had a spread of all kinds of traditional food and upon walking in the room when they arrived with their food, I started getting emotional. I had a sense of thankfulness that resonated so loudly it brought tears to my eyes. Most of them had already invited us to their house and given to us then, but now they continued to give their love and it was overwhelming. They were so excited about the food they/their mom made. I was guided from dish to dish as they explained what they made. My heart for Marigona and Kadda extended even more this year than I ever thought possible. These girls are girls of peace and they constantly bring joy into my life. Our team enjoyed the good fellowship time with the students who came last year and the students who will come to America this year. After the delicious meal, we ended the time with our friends with a little more dancing. Dancing to Albanian and American music always draws us closer to each other because of the vulnerablilty we have when we act silly!
Some of my favorites- Kadda, Marigona, and Krislynn
The goodbye line.
The "I don't want to leave" face.
The "I love Kosovo" dance
The "I love my friends" face
After the students left, Berat encouraged us and told us that it had been the best summer camp yet! He blessed us with a Kosovo flag to remember our stay. We also got to pray for his family and the team that will stay for a little bit longer.
My favorite drink other than water- Bambi
Instead of going to bed, we all went out one more time to get coffee and ice cream, but really it was to hang out with people again. Most of the team stayed up most of the night because we were packing and having our last good moments in Rozafa as a team. They were hilarious as they ran around with toy guns and things they bought at the market. The thing about this team was that they always made each other laugh. We said everyone had to be in their rooms by 11:30, but the noise quieted down in the wee hours of the morning. Our 3:30 wake up call came quickly as we rushed around, loaded up the bus, and prepared to leave. Our bus took off at 4:30 on the dot.
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