Home

Oliver Wendell Holmes once said that home is where we love, and while our feet may leave, our hearts do not.  I’m virtually certain that he wasn’t referring to an orphanage in Battambang when he said that, but it’s amazing how accurately his quote describes this place.  As we begin the transition back to our life at home, and our thoughts turn to the appointments, schedules and daily routines awaiting us back in Atlanta, we feel a great sense of sadness in leaving.  We are all leaving a piece of our hearts with these kids…a big piece.

Last night, we had a team debriefing and discussed what we all felt Sunday afternoon saying goodbye to these incredible kids.  I promise you, there was not a dry eye in the room.  The word “family” was mentioned numerous times.  So were the words “love” and “return.”  We all echoed pretty much the same basic viewpoint: these kids have become a part of our family and we love them…all of them…and none of us can wait to return again.

As we pack up and prepare to depart for Phnom Penh tomorrow to catch our return flight home, I can’t help but wonder if that’s really where we’re going?  It feels like we are already there?  It feels like that’s exactly where we were Sunday afternoon?