Our final day in Harmons

Well, it is close to midnight on our last night here in Harmons, and the students are all frantically trying to cram their backpacks with their new treasures and find their shoes and waterbottles as we pack up to leave Harmony House. We are really stressing that the kids be ready to leave the moment that they get up in the morning, because what they don't know is that we will be waking them up in a special way in the morning earlier than they are expecting. Surprise!

Today feels very much like several days packed into one. We started out to work early in an effort to finish all the work before we left. I am so excited to report that both houses were finished today and dedicated to the families around lunch time. We presented them with the keys and several gifts to start off in their new home. We also completed our maul haul line, moving the ENTIRE pile to the new home site. That in itself is a full day's work right there!! We also were able to finish the last retaining wall at the greenhouse and had several girls working in the store today.

After lunch, we had our last opportunity to walk around Harmons and wrap up the soccer camp. Several of the boys in the town came out to play against the Americans, and we all walked back to have a delicious dinner of jerked chicken and cinnamon muffins.

Tonight the entire town showed up to send us off with one last dance. It was so wonderful to see that our students had made friends with so many of the young people in the town, and were dancing and laughing and taking pictures. Our guys even got Coach Bird to get out on the dance floor and attempt the Funky Dance. I really wish that I could post some of the pictures and videos that I have just of the dance...words cannot explain!!

Just when we thought the evening was over, the staff here at Harmony House blessed us in a very creative and touching way. Throughout the house they had set up stations with candles and pictures with scriptures for reflection on different parts of the week. They had set aside this time for us to just spend with the Lord and process through all the aspects of this week and how it touched us. This time was followed by some praise and worship and a time of foot washing, to symbolize how we, as the body of Christ, are called to be servants to those around us. I know that is was a very powerful experience for several of us there.

So tomorrow we start our journey home. On our first night, Lloyd told us that we would blink and it would be Saturday, and we all definitely agree that time has flown by so much faster than we expected. We will arrive in Ocho Rios around mid-morning, and will be climbing Dunn Falls at some point during the day. We will get a chance to snorkel a bit, and do some sight-seeing around town. Tomorrow evening will be our last team meeting with Harmony staff, and then Sunday morning we will be dropped at the airport to await our flight home. Our flight number is 1233, and was scheduled to arrive around 7:20 pm last time we checked. Just refer to the post right before we left for a link to check on gate and time information.

We love you all and can't wait to see you! We are looking forward to sharing our stories and adventures with you in person! Good night, and see you Sunday!!!!!