The last day at Rising Star. The hardest day of this entire trip. I had the tutoring rotation and I was very grateful to be able to have spent the entire last day with all of these kids. I can’t even begin to explain how amazing each and every one of these kids are. They have touched me in a way that they will never begin to know. I thought I was going to come here to help them, but of course not. They have helped me so much. I truly love them with all my heart. Later that night after school and playtime we all gathered in the dining hall where the school choir sang a couple of songs for us and life dance did some performing. It was simply awesome. There was one dance in particular that had me bawling like a baby at the end. The director was going to teach them a dance about suffering and pain and how we have angels who help us and lift us. After trying to teach them he realized that these kids had seen so much pain and suffering in their own lives already that he let them decided how to perform this number. These kids… wow. I LOVE them! They are such an amazing inspiration to me. Leaving them was the hardest thing that I ever had to do. Thinking about the day that we would have to leave, I didn’t think that the kids would be too sad about us leaving. What made it so hard was to see these kids that I love, crying and asking me why I had to go and when I was going to come back and if I was going to write them letters. How could I leave them now? I love them. I want the absolute best for them.

 Basha and Go-go got their necklaces at the star store and they couldn't even wait to show me so they came running over to the elephant house as soon as play time started to give me a hug! It made me so happy to see that they loved the gift! When it was time to say goodbye that night and all of us had been crying, Go-go turned to me and kissed his necklace and said, " I will never forget."..... Neither will I Go-go.