Time to go. It always happens so quickly.
I awoke to another perfectly beautiful day. Each day the weather has provided more and more evidence that winter is on the way. There was a wonderful breeze today, making it not at all hot but still plenty warm. When we arrive again in 8 weeks, it will be warm during the day and cool at night, much like a California spring.
After realizing we never mentioned the enormous, beautiful thatched restaurant Eunice is putting in at Castle Lodge, I took several photos to show you.
I finished packing all of our boxes before breakfast then said my goodbyes to the guesthouse staff. They are always very sweet, saying they will miss us and can't wait until we return. Our sentiments exactly.
The boxes with all our household items
Theresa and Simon came to collect me. Simon managed to squeeze all of the boxes and my luggage into the car, while still leaving a tiny patch of seat for me in the back.
Eunice and Theresa pose for a good-bye photo.
We went to the airport and checked me in. Theresa and I commented that we look forward to the time when we are checking in together for her first visit to the U.S. We had originally planned that she would come for the Bridge Walk this year. Mainly for reasons on this end (most significantly the fact that she still does not have her NRC card, which is a prerequisite for her passport, which is a prerequisite for her visa, etc.), we began to see that that might not be a reasonable goal. Additionally, Cheri commented recently, "You know, if we are going to bring Theresa all the way to the United States, we are going to have to show her New York City and Washington D.C. and the southern states and ..." Indeed, we realized there is enormous potential for Theresa's trip and have decided to shoot for fall 2009.
So, here is the plan: We will go to Zambia in the fall of 2009 for one of our business trips. We will travel back to the U.S. with Theresa (we can't imagine sending her on that journey on her own!), landing probably on the east coast. We will make our way west, stopping in as many cities as we have hosts. Between now and then, we will organize with all of you to see who would like to bring Theresa to their city. We will do a U.S. tour, including as many locations as possible so that a) Theresa gets to see the country, b) as many of you as possible get to meet her, and c) we can collectively reach some outrageous fundraising goal that will allow a quantum leap for the projects. It's not too early to let us know if you want to be on the list. We will be asking volunteers to organize events in your area for Theresa and us to speak about the projects.
After we checked in at the airport, we went to Strawberry Cafe, which is very near the airport and a far more pleasant place to hang out.
Theresa at Strawberry.
When it was time to go through security to the departure lounge, we headed back to the airport. I did not make Theresa come in again; she had told me she hates the part where we are leaving and she has to be at the airport when we go.
Looking out to the runway where a couple of private jets had just landed.
We exchanged big hugs and pretended we would see each other tomorrow. I handed her my Zambian cell phone to hold until we return. That is always the final symbol that our work here is done for now. No more last minute follow-ups.
The departure lounge is a place of metaphorical silence, without any way to communicate with either our Zambian or U.S. colleagues. There is only the waiting to board the plane to begin the long transition between our two homes. It's funny, although the physical distance between these two places remains the same (24 hours flying time, 36 hours in transit), somehow over time the gap diminishes. Perhaps some of that is having all of you with us as we are here. We stumbled into writing these blogs--the first time just jotting notes to tell people how it was going. We could never have predicted the overwhelming response people would have to it or the importance it would take on for us. It is a wonderful practice to communicate as we go. We thank you for being there to read and respond. As always, we welcome and enjoy your comments.
A billboard on the tarmac.
Until the end of June...
In lovingkindness, The team
A view inside one of the brand new concourses at the Johannesburg airport.