Saying Goodbye

Every year we (The SEMC) have sent a team to El Salvador to go change people’s lives, a team that I have finally been able to be a part of this year. But what I didn’t know, is that the experience can change our lives forever as well.

Earlier this week, we went to build in a part of the community we haven’t been to before. The first thing I noticed is the group of about five kids watching us put in the screws for the walls. I pointed them out to my grandpa, who was helping me, because I thought it was pretty cool. Next thing you know, he hands over the drill to one of the kids, and we have four extra helpers! I didn’t put in nearly as many screws as I did building the other homes, but seeing the kids smile as they helped us build was way better.

They were disappointed after the walls were all done, so that was when we got out the frisbees!  Even more kids from that community came along and we had over 20 kids playing! It was actually so much more fun than I thought it would be, everyone in the circle was laughing and enjoying themselves. Eventually they ran over to a translator to ask what my name was, and they somehow never forgot it! Apparently Lily is very easy to pronounce in Spanish.

That was the first time I met all of those kids, and later in the day they joined our soccer game, had their hair braided, coloured in colouring books with us, and just like that, we had many new friends. I knew it would be so hard to say goodbye to them, but I tried not to think about it because I knew I would cry (and yes, I did cry) the next day was our last day of building, and we were on the same street! That day was a lot different than the others - I barely cared about building, I just wanted to see my friends again. 

That day, after building the walls with them of course, we pulled a translator over and decided to play with the kids. They were asking us about school, talking about the soccer game, and one of the girls brought out her iPad to take pictures with us. This was one of my favourite parts of the trip. But sadly, we had to leave soon after.

Later that day, some of us went to walk back there to use the washroom, and I ran into the kids again and they were trying to tell me something. They said the little girl wouldn’t stop crying because we were leaving, and that I had to go see her. Soon enough, I ran down the street to give her a hug, and I was crying too. 

The next day, the key ceremony. I knew this was the last day I would see them, and they did too. They were following our team around for the last few houses, and they sat through the entire thing, smiling at us the whole time. After the last house, I couldn’t find the little girl. I had a bad feeling that she was crying again, but seconds later, she comes running back to us holding two bags of cucumbers for me and Abi. Then we had to say our goodbyes, tears in my eyes as I hugged all of the kids, knowing we were about to leave their community for the last time. I waved at them one more time as I stepped onto the bus.

The bus passed that little girl’s house, and I noticed her eyes were red from crying again. That’s when it hit me - I was never going to see them again. I cried the whole way back, something that I haven’t done in a very long time, and especially not over kids I met only two days before.

I still haven’t fully accepted that I will never see them again, but I guess I will have to, as I get on the plane back to Canada tomorrow.

It is going to be very hard to leave, but I know that I will never forget them, and I hope they don’t forget me either.

Lily