Memories & Hopes...

I am sorting through my stuff and found a few cd's with pictures. One of them contained pictures taken by an amazing photographer, Esther Havens, when she came to Sierra Leone a few years ago. Looking at these pictures brings back great memories of the clinic, the children and my 4+ years in Sierra Leone. And yes, that is Piglet sitting on my desk. Piglet was very helpful in keeping the children's tears away! These are picture of the past, yet when I look at them they bring hope for the future. I am very aware that my next phase in Sierra Leone will be very different than the former. New colleagues, new living situation, new work etc. I wonder what the transition will be like; not only the transition from Holland to Sierra Leone, but the transition in my mind of what life was like in Sierra Leone to what it will be like now. But I am very hopeful that this next phase will be as good, if not better than before. Don't get me wrong, I had a great 4+ years there, but I believe that as we move forward in life we need to strive for something bigger, something better. Something that brings us closer to making our dreams become a reality. I hope that through this new job I will be able to make a difference on a larger scale. At the hospital, amongst my colleagues and friends and in the lives of patients. Even though I will primarily have a non-clinical role I am hoping I will be able to connect with the children and their caretakers. I want the children and their caretakers to leave the hospital with big smiles on their faces, not only changed physically, but on other levels as well. I am certain that although my job and circumstances will not be as they are pictured above, I will find many reasons to be joyful. I am sure I will be found once again with smiling children in my office and a 'piglet of sorts' to keep away potential tears. I must look for a piglet replacement next week to take with me!