The count down

It is now my final week and I can't believe how quickly it has gone.

Over the past few weeks, when the children have asked me how long I have left, I've been able to respond with 'four weeks', 'three weeks,' 'two weeks', and now it has gotten to the point of 'this week'. I know I will be back, but the thought of leaving them is crushing.

We went to USA river academy open day last week and were able to see the children's work and how well they are doing. We are so proud of them all. It was a really lovely day, but was also over-shadowed by the thought that we would have to say goodbye to them all. Seeing Aroni for the last time was heart-breaking and saying goodbye to him was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do; when we said goodbye, he turned to me and said, 'I want to come and live with you'- you really do connect with the children and become incredibly close. He's such a beautiful boy and I know he is going to do great things in this world.

Working at Nkoaranage Orphanage has been an incredible experience. I am so grateful that I was given the chance to get to know all of the children individually and watch them grow. I can go home knowing that I was lucky enough to see Ester and Neemas first steps, Gracy sitting up for the first time and Zawadi successfully overcoming rickets and managing to walk. I can also go home knowing that I was given the honour of cleaning Pray up on the common occasion of him pooing in his pants- you're not a true Nkoaranga volunteer until you have had the joy of mopping Pray up whilst he mess's about with the water taps and screams his head off with glee.

One of the best moments at the Orphanage is the point at which the children first learn your name and scream it down the corridor to you. You especially know you are making an impact when the toddlers start tottering towards you with a massive grin on their face, food all down their fronts, screaming your name at the top of their voice- the fact that at the age of 2 they are able to remember you is really special.

I know I will come back to visit as soon as possible, but in the mean time I'm going to work with 'The Small Things' as much as I can to help aid the orphanage in the best way possible. I'm so terrified about saying goodbye to the children but I'm so glad that I can go home knowing that I will still be involved in their lives and that the children are being looked after by such wonderful women, who truly love them.

You really do fall completely and totally in love with every single child; there isn't a single volunteer who hasn't.

Each child is unique and every single one of them is going to grow up to be a wonderful individual- they are going to do some seriously amazing things. They are going to be the legendary.