| | | Posted Nov. 26:
Good morning VIETNAM! And goodbye. My journey to Vietnam was a lifetime in 28 days. I won’t return home whole, because I can’t help but leave a part of myself here. Let this be a warning to anyone who might come here unaware of the risks. If you don’t steel your heart before you arrive, the people here will steal it away from you, and you won’t even put up any resistance.
Last night just before midnight our room telephone rang. The young man at the front desk heard that we were leaving in the morning, and wanted to say his goodbyes.
This morning we dashed out the front door to go to church (5:00 am, remember?), only to discover that it was raining lightly. Without any exchange of words the doorman/parking coordinator/security person handed me his umbrella, which we quickly accepted. Arriving at church I looked for the destitute young woman we had seen at the gate during our first 2 days in Saigon almost a month ago. She wasn’t there, perhaps due to the weather, perhaps she will never be seen again. We entered the church, and during mass the same woman who had helped us find the right page in the prayer book during our first days here again gave us some assistance. I clasped her hands and quietly said goodbye.
Yesterday we met with “5” and his wife, who came here from 2 hours away to see us one last time, and we met with a handful of others who became precious to us during our stay. I had my last “one more coconut”, brought by another dear friend from almost two hours away. Not to mention the fresh "mit" (jackfruit) that was back on the menu, also brought from two hours away.
This morning we say farewell to “the little angel” and her friend. Then we’re off to the airport. God willing we’ll be safely back home soon.
We arrived home on Nov. 27, safe and sound.
Posted on Nov. 28:
Soooo hungry... must be lunchtime. Sooooo sleepy... must be 3:00 am
And THAT, my dear friends, is the END of the story... I hope. |
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