Today was our last sunday and I´m suprised at all the emotion the day has brought.  The children were extra wonderful today.  One boy, Deivid, (yes, it´s spelled that way to make the pronounciation more like the American David) age 8, came in a little late,and was very shy because, as he told me, he didn´t usually come with this group.  At first, he kept his head down, not saying anything.  Things went really smoothly in the morning - I tried to make sure to include Deivid as much as I could and I think that made an impression on a bunch of the boys because for the first time they (boys) reached for my hand when walking or wanted to sit with me.  Generally the boys don´t look for affection in such obvious ways (having been socialized that way), but today was different. 
We had a half hour for the children to write a letter to La Casa de Panchita and Deivid´s was great.  I wish I could remember it word for word but basically he said this:
Dear Panchita,
Today when I came I was very shy because I did not know the kids or the professors.  The new people made me red (¨"me ponen rojito" - for those who can appreciate that endearing phrase).  Really I´d prefer to be in the street because in the street I can do whatever I want and play all the time.  But I do like the food here and the games are fun.  
with love, Deivid
There was more and it was better but that´s more or less what he wrote.  In the afternoon, after lunch we went to the park as usual but everyone was feeling tired so for the last 10 minutes we all sat in the grass.  I was surrounded by a few of the children: Cintia, Teodora, Deisi (Daisy), Jesús and a really sweet kid named Dario, with Deivid, not quite over his shyness, leaning against my back.  They asked me to sing for them because they had heard of the workshop we did on American music so I told them that they had to sing for me first.  They started and a bunch of others joined in.  Later I sang just a little bit of  "Yorkshire girl" (for those few who know that) for them.  I wonder if I was somehow exhuding a need to be filled by them today, because this group (some of whom had accidentally come before) did just that.  They filled me up with so much sweetness and cute little kid stuff that I think it will last me for a while.  At the end of the day Beto made the announcement that this would be my last day and suddenly I was giving out my e-mail address to half a dozen kids who don´t use the internet.  I don´t expect to hear from them, unless they take my advice and write to me via La Casa de Panchita, but maybe they´ll find the paper and remember me.
After the kids had left the people from my group, Beto, Edith, Carlos, Iris and Elena and I all sat down and had some soda and crackers while being very leisurely about our evaluation of the day.  They ended up by going around and saying some really nice things to me about my work.  They were all so great.  I tried to let them know how much I appreciated them but couldn´t put the words together right.  Soon I will write them each an e-mail to let them know.

So tomorrow is the last day and we have lots of last minute work to do.  Sorry this was sappy, but the day was sappy and I´m only recording.  See you all soon.
Emma