It’s a rap

So…I left the Dale House…after a week of crying.

It was really tough for me to leave. It is still hard for me to realize that I am not going back there. This is not just a vacation. I already miss the community so much. I lie awake at night thinking about it. I am constantly subtracting 2 hours now to see what they are doing at the DHP instead of adding 2 hours to see what the East Coast is doing. It’s a weird switch.

One great thing about leaving the DHP is that they are SO good at goodbyes! They want to make sure each person feels appreciated, valued, and like they are leaving well. I really am thankful for that because it gave me sufficient time to say goodbye to people I love so much.

My goodbye process started about 2 weeks before I actually left  

Here’s the way it started…

The last weekend my team was off, we took a weekend get-a-way to a beautiful cabin in Breckenridge. We just wanted some time to be together and away from everything else. It was so much fun just sitting around, eating, playing the same “guess who is written on the piece of paper stuck to your head” game, relaxing, and really just doing nothing together. I feel so blessed to have gotten to work with these people. It’s just such a gift. I was really happy that Allan got to be there as well because I wanted him to get to know people I love so much and I wanted to people I love so much to get to know the man I love so much.

Sunday morning was an extra-special time together. We each went around and shared about “our next step” and then each of us prayed for one another. Man, did the tears flow then! It was incredible the spirit of love that was in the room.

(side note: while we were in Breck, we found out the DHP office, mainly our secretary and George, had been robbed at gun point. The DHP has been robbed before but never an armed robbery. They took about $7,000 and the guy was caught later on that day. The guy was an accomplice to an old resident who knew George kept money in the office. Very sad, but we were thankful everyone was okay.)

After that incredible weekend, Stephanie and I spoke at my last Sunday night family night. Of course, I cried, but it was just a really special time to be with the kids and get to tell them something that I believe with all my heart: that they are valuable, worth it, and loved. I just so badly wish I could make all of them believe it!!

After Steph and I spoke, something crazy happened: a resident named D raised his hand from the back and asked if he could say something. This never happens. It’s normally we pray, then the kids disperse immediately. But not tonight. He came to the front behind us and proceeded to thank all the staff for what they do. He was grateful that we stick with them through the thick and the thin. He as thankful for the times we make him mad because we are just trying to make his life better.

I was blown away. What a gift from Jesus that was. If nothing else great would have happened all year, that one little speech from D would have made everything, every fight, every annoyance, every frustration, worth it.

Wednesday night family night was set aside for the kids to get to say goodbye to us. I think this is HUGELY important for these kids because goodbyes are things they are used to, but things they hate. They are used to people walking out of their lives for no reason or explanation. I’m really grateful the DHP recognizes this and wants to help make a smooth transition and also teach the kids how to say goodbye well.

All of the “leaving” training staff set up front while the kids went around and shared memories of each of us. It was so sweet to hear the kids talk and hear what they remembered about the year. One girl, B, who seemingly hated the DHP the entire time she was here, cried her eyes out as she talked about how Stephanie had cared for unlike anyone in her life. It was awesome.

After the “talking” part, we had a small celebration with sparkling cider and cookies! I also used the time for some last minute photos! Here are all the female staff with Kevin and George, our fearless leaders!

Thursday morning was the goodbye time with all of the staff! Another time to cry! YAY!  

We all showed up sporting our George t-shirts as a surprise! It was great!

This was also a really special time together. Memories were shared, I cried, and then they prayed for each of us. We also each got the coveted Dale House Project coffee mug and bookmark!! I was so excited : )

 

Whew…that’s a lot of goodbyes! and that wasn’t even all for me! I worked the last weekend and had to say final goodbyes to all the kids and Kallie, Mike, Annie, Andy, and Travy as they all left for camp on Sunday. That’s when reality really hit.

I spent the next two days packing up my room before Allan and I headed out on Tuesday.

Lots more tears were shed that day as I said final goodbyes to the people who were still around and drove away from that place I grew to love so much.

I can’t describe it exactly, but, man, it’s going to be an adjustment.

so that’s the end of my journey in CO.

but it’s the beginning of my journey in SC. It’s the beginning of taking what I learned from the DHP and living it out. It’s the beginning of answering the call in a different location with different people.

I’m excited and nervous all in one.