The First of the Lasts

I leave my site this coming Saturday which means today marks the first of the lasts: last time at church, last sphatlo date (sphatlos are delicious sandwiches that even have FRIES on them), last relaxing weekend with my family, last taxi ride, the list goes on and on.

People keep asking me how I am feeling about leaving. The truth is that I’m not really sure how I feel. I know I am ready to move on to the next chapter, but I also know I will miss this place and these people so much when I am gone.

I recently realised that this is actually my longest lived in home since high school. Over 2 years in one place. One beautiful place. And it really has become home.

Today is my favourite unofficial holiday here: Summertime. Every 1st of September kids fill up any sort of container they can find with water and have a huge neighbourhood water fight. It is a day full of laughter, shrieks, and smiles. And judging on how soaked I got, I think I lost the fight. This was my 3rd and final Summertime celebration in Limpopo. It was one I definitely won’t soon forget it.

After our water fight, some of the kids in my neighbourhood helped me make our routine Sunday pancakes (after putting on dry clothes of course!). We licked the batter bowl clean, stacked the pancake plate high, and thanks to these cuties, we made it another last that is sure to stay in my memory forever.

That is my prayer and focus going into this last week: to soak up (pun intended) all the lasts and store them up in my heart so they remain lasts that last. I’ll be honest, it is tempting to just detach from everything and everyone now and let this week pass by. It might make the goodbyes easier in the moment, but I know in the long run I'd regret it.

With all these lasts, I’ve been thinking about what it looks like to end well in my Peace Corps service. Whenever I want to know how to do something well, I look to the life of Jesus. I guess it’s a W.W.J.D. type moment. There is that verse, John 13:1, where it says that Jesus knew his hour had come to go to the Father and “Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.”

Now I’m no Jesus, and I’m not about to die on a cross for the world’s sins, but I think I can take the point that ending well means loving right up to the end.

That is how I want to live this last week. I want to remember this home. I want to be present today with the amazing people around me. I want to love the people in my world to the end, and thank God along the way for everything from the first to the last on this wild adventure.

Happy Summertime to you South Africans and happy Fall-time to all you Americans!

I’ll be home to start up some “firsts” again soon. Until then, cherish today and love to the end.

See you SOON!

Caitlin

P.S. And thanks for lasting through all these blog posts! ;) ...but this isn’t quite the last one yet!