Farewells, and be wells, one camps ends and another begins...

In this lifestyle, goodbyes get harder and harder to do! Today a few of us Shaka volunteers who are working with Ocean Healing Group for two weeks said goodbye to the first groups participants and most of its volunteers and tomorrow we welcome a new crew. All the volunteers have been living very closely in a house at Shaka for the past week, and it was beyond difficult to say goodbye. The things we have experienced together with these kids have really been beyond words. I feel so lucky to have been included in something of this nature. Last night Sean (one of the volunteers) put together a collage of images of the past week. Going through them as a group and laughing, and joshing together, felt a lot like being amongst a family unit. I cannot wait to see what the next group entails.
As a nice group treat, OHG took the group out to an INCREDIBLE restaurant here called Buenos Aires. SERIOUSLY, incredible doesn't actually effectively describe the time we had there. it's this really cool outdoor restaurant attached to a hotel at the top of the hills in Santa Teresa. That particular evening we were remarkably lucky to get a clear night and as a result we saw a really amazing sunset. The kids and their families were some of the happiest people I have been around in a long time. Just to be there and be able to see all the kids' smiling faces made the experience more than worth it. The totally mouth watering ahi tuna was just an added bonus.






Earlier that day, the kids went with some volunteers (myself excluded) to go ZIP-LINING! Seriously, with this group, there is nothing that any disability can hold them back from. Instead of asking what barricades there are in life now as a result of their disability, they ask what barricades there are not. The glass is half full around here and I want to soak up every bit of inspiration left over.
I cannot get over the attitudes of the kids. In particular, Chad, one of the kids, is ridiculously hilarious. A couple days ago he told me he was not into other men, but that in he actually has a thing for red heads. HA! Thanks for clearing that up Chad cause I was really worried!!!! Jake has this hilarious knack for answering any and all questions with "ya.... NO!" I seriously never know what his real answer is. He just has this really great free spirit that allows him to view everything as a blissful joke. I WANT to be more like them both! Brooke is much more sweet than the other two hooligans that were here. She and I talked a lot about her new outfits and how and where she got them. Just like the shopping buddy I always wanted :) HAHA - she has style too! Her surf gear is not something to be reckoned with!!! SUCH great kids! They will be seriously missed!!!