Saying Goodbye

Kyle's Aunt's friend's sister, Nancy, had us over this weekend. We ate falafel sandwiches and tons of karkade tea, and swapped stories for the last time. I will miss Nancy and our insightful discussions about Middle Eastern culture and Islam. Mostly, I'll miss how wonderful it was to be in their home and feel the warmth of their family.

Sunday was our last visit to the orphanage. Kyle and I shopped for hours downtown looking for the perfect gifts to give my girls. I finally settled on two silver bracelets from the jewelry suq, and the salesman wrapped them up nicely in jewelry boxes and gift bags. 

When I got to the orphanage and the girls and I settled down in the study room, they had some exciting news for me. They said, "Teacher, we have an exam!" I thought they were referring to an upcoming exam that we had to prepare for, but they corrected me. "No, we have it!" The girls smiled at each other, reached under the table and simultaneously pulled out the exams we studied for last week. Their English teacher had written EXCELLENT on the tops of both! A's all around! The girls were beaming. I jumped out of my chair to hug and kiss them both. I cheered, "I knew you were geniuses! You girls are fabulous! I'm beyond proud of you!" They laughed and said, "The teacher is very happy! The sisters (who run the orphanage) are very happy! You are the best, Bristyl!"

I figured that was the perfect time to give them their "never forget how much I love you" bracelets. I told the girls to close their eyes while I pulled the presents out of my bag. When they opened their eyes, my girls looked so happy! They carefully pulled out the jewelry boxes and started thanking me graciously. They thought the jewelry boxes were the gifts! I told them, "No, no! Open the box!" They did. 

My heart absolutely melted. Their sweet eyes were overcome with the most sincere gratitude I have ever witnessed. They instantly attacked me and I almost fell off my chair! "Oh, Bristyl! I love you so much! Oh, it is so beautiful! Oh, I love you! Oh, thank you!" We all had teary eyes. They put them on, but then asked if I would wrap them back up. The girls wanted to put the bracelets under the tree so they could have something to open on Christmas morning. 

It's so strange- to fall in love with two Jordanian orphans only to realize that you might never see them again. I told them I would find them if I come back to Jordan, and made them promise to stay at my house when they come to America someday. The saying comes to mind, "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened". So here I sit, trying to smile. 

The one souvenir I wanted to bring home for myself was a mosaic. Jordan is famous for them--specifically a small town about an hour away, called Madaba. We stopped there briefly during our first week here, but did not have the opportunity to buy one or even shop around. So we planned a trip to Madaba for our final weekend in this great country. 

There is a man named Osama who owns the two nicest mosaic shops in Madaba. His two sons, 5 and 7, have cystic fibrosis. The LDS senior missionary couples volunteer their time at a rehabilitation/physical therapy center where his sons receive treatment. Osama quickly found out that we are also Mormon, and couldn't say enough about how the missionaries had impacted the lives of his children. He told me, "Bristyl, pick out your favorite mosaic." I laughed and said, "I can't afford my favorite mosaic!" He said, "Yes, yes, you can. I will make you a special price, just for you, because I want to share some of the kindness that was shown to me and my boys. This is the only way I know how to say 'thank you'." My eyes welled up. I cautiously pointed at a breathtaking mosaic of the tree of life. "Yes, this one is perfect for you! Just pay me when you can and make sure to send me a picture of this hanging on your wall!" We thanked Osama a billion times. His generosity wasn't spent yet- he also gifted London two stuffed camels that she has yet to put down. 

Sometimes I forget that people that wonderful exist in the world. People who would be so kind to absolute strangers. And then, I'm reminded of all the people we have met here, who without hesitation, treat us like family. People who, if I have any say in the matter, are going straight to heaven.