Days 8-9: Heading home

Tuesday, June 16- Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Devo
Last night we were too busy packing and didn't have time to have a devotional, so we had that this morning instead of quiet time. We have sung Someday so many times in an attempt to "get it right." I love it each time and am musically dense enough to think it sounds just perfect every single time. I kept forgetting to have my camera ready because I wanted to record it to have forever, but I finally remembered! It's a little awkward being recorded during devo or worship, but I couldn't help it. Also that big pole in the way :\

Watch it here. (sorry, the sound sort of cuts out at the end)

We would miss so many things...

the hammocks

the walk to the Children's Home

...but mostly we would miss the people...

Carlos (riding on the back of the Daihatsu)

the teens

the kids at the Children's Home

We would miss all the staff  at Manna- the missionaries, the interns, Carmen and her daughter (the cooks), Darlin the driver, Jorge the night watchman.

We would even miss Pequeñito the dog

One last photo in front of the Daihatsu

It is hard to say goodbye, but we must.

Dani waved goodbye until we were out of sight. I'll just say it again: it was hard to say goodbye.

We had about an hour to shop in Cabarete, where we got a few trinkets and had some amazing pizza near the beach. There was free wi-fi, so many charged their phones and reconnected with the outside world a bit. Then, we said our final goodbyes to the interns and headed to the airport.

At the airport in Puerto Plata we were again reminded of what a small world it is. I noticed a man wearing an Iowa Hawkeyes shirt in front of us at the ticket counter! Then a while later (with a group of 23, it takes a while to check the baggage and check in with passports), someone noticed a wallet. I opened it and saw it was a man from Iowa. I left the wallet there in case he came back to look for it and ran to look for him. There were tons of people, but everyone had to fill out paperwork before going through security and I found him at one of the tables! Had I not noticed his shirt, I never would have found him. And his ID, credit cards, everything were in it!

Our group passed through security uneventfully and after buying a huge bottle of water, we boarded our plane. Once we were in Miami, it was different going through customs. We had to use a machine that took a picture of us and printed out the horrid thing for us to take somewhere else. It was supposed to streamline things, but it really was more work on everyone's part. Despite a little drama with the Derengowskis getting separated (you're supposed to go through customs as a family), everyone made it through okay.

I wouldn't want to run into this person in a dark alley! Oh wait, it's me... I'm not exaggerating when I say I gasped and jumped back when it popped up on the screen after taking it. Believe it or not, on the screen it was EVEN SCARIER.

We all did our own thing for dinner and the Whitbecks, Goldie, Morgan and ReNay went to Chili's. It was close to the hotel (inside the airport), the perfect atmosphere, the service was great, and the food was amazing! I'm so glad we got to end our trip with this bunch- what a riot!

Goldie shared this ridiculousness with all of us - wow!

Both groups got in Omaha about the same time and it was good to see everyone's families and the emotional reunions. We would head home and have our own with Hannah ASAP! :)