Returning

"We're in Bousse! That means we're halfway!"
"Now Arbioles: twenty minutes!"
"The peage!"
That was me on the bus ride to Yako from Ouaga. Miriah didn't need a play by play of what time we could expect to arrive in Yako based on what town we were passing through but I was excited.
It had already been an exciting couple of days. The day after we arrived in Ouaga Ruth arrived and we were able to spend time catching up with her. I'd spent an antsy afternoon thinking every car that drove past the gate might just be Ruth driving up, finally when she came I was doing a little happy dance in the courtyard while the card parked and the guard laughed at me. I think my lack of Burkinabeness was showing in that moment. The next morning Adiara came to our guesthouse to visit her. I bolted into her arms and she, Ruth, Miriah and I spent some time that morning catching up. Adiara was married in January and so is no longer in Yako at the orphanage. Hopefully though, we'll see her from time to time.
Two exciting days before returning to Yako...
Lisa and Sarah (two SIM short termers at the orphanage) met us at the gare (bus station) in Yako. They told us the kids had been asking when we would arrive and if they were allowed to go to the gare to pick us up. They'd even seen Aristead sneak to the gare and had to send him home.
Arriving in Yako felt so good! It didn't feel like 10 months had passed; everything was still familiar. We walked from the gare, past my favourite tree (still standing precariously), down a backstreet near the church and...the closer we got to the orphanage the more my heart raced... and then we turned the corner on the last street and we were at the orphanage! I saw Aristead poking his head out the gate. He dissapeared momentarily (I assume to alert the others of our arrival) and then ran back to greet us just as we arrived outside the gate. Soon there were children everywhere. The girls and Ferdinand came right away for hug (Ferdi a giant bear hug). I saw Therese and Joseph standing and giggling timidly by the gate so I scooped them both up for a giant group hug and then gave them individual hugs and got a brief moment to chat with each of them before greeting someone else. Aristead took my backpack from me, and our crowd moved from the street into the courtayrd.
As I got more hugs and shook more hands I heard a familiar name being called: "Bitty". It was Joseph calling me. Now, keeping in mind he is only 3 ½ I believe Therese was coaching him. But, having him call my name and run for another hug from me was a better reaction than I could have hoped for- in fact it made my heart glad! Last year he ran away crying from new people, and I'd prepared myself for the little ones like Joseph to do the same when I returned.
The next of the greetings were a little less crowded and busy than those on the street but just as joyful. Many of the boys were gathered under a big tree so we joined them there as the others that were finishing up a soccer match and joined us slowly. We shook hands and gave hugs, asked about each others families, how school is going and about the other's health. It grew dark quickly and the power had been cut in Yako so we sat chatting in the dark. I was able to make out the children still by their voices and usually by their silhouette.
So much of the evening went by fast I can't begin to tell you everything. I loved the little moments with the kids. Therese lounged on my lap for most of the evening; every once and a while telling me something she remembered about when I was here. Ferdinand snuggled next to me on the bench and told me to 'eat my shoe' (in english) and then smiled, waiting for me to say I remembered that. Evance asked me to describe the emotion I felt upon returning and when I said "joy" he showed me he'd just updated his facebook status from his cellphone about how joyful Miriah and I were to be back. Barke had baked us a welcome cake and we all shared it together. It was a busy evening in the sense that there were so many children to see and catch up with. I was feeling so many emotions and there was so much going on it felt busy...But it also felt right, in that it was an evening lounging under the big tree with the kids. There was a lot of laughter, lots of hugs and lots of sharing of 'remember when'...
The next day (Friday) I spent more time with some of the children in the morning as we played a round-robin of connect four. Then we all shared lunch of to together. It was just as I'd thought: I wanted the community with the children but I hadn't really been missing to. That being said it tasted just fine and it was fun to have again. While it rained for the entire afternoon and evening that day Therese and Ferdi still came to visit us at the house. Therese smiled at me and ran across the living room, jumping into my arms for a giant bear hug.
These hugs from Therese, or the giant smiles and big handshakes from the boys are special greetings. I was thrilled to be able to, once again, do the special handshake that we do between friends here: snapping eachothers middle fingers as you pull your hands away. It has been so special to see the children again, to catch up with them just a little in the first days and to recognize these reunions are just the beginning of the time we have together. I continue to pray about the relationships I have with the children and that they would continue to grow and strengthen. The kids ask about how long I will stay this time: I tell them four months and they are happy (although some say I should forget about university and just stay here...). I pray about how I can build into their lives in the time we will have together.