June 25, 2009
Today, Thursday, was our last day with the kids. It was so sad seeing them leave. Most everyone in our group connected with at least one child and to think that we might not get to see them again was heart wrenching. We all said our good-byes and gave hugs as they hopped back on the vans. Hopefully we’ve made as big an impact on their lives as they have on us.
The kids here at Fortress are truly special children.
There were many positives to today. We took the group on a field trip to the Botanic Gardens to see the Japanese Garden exhibit. The children absolutely loved it! We got to see a sand garden and feed koi. One of the youth members even found two snakes, and some of the groups got to see a special gift given to Fort Worth by the Japanese.
My girls seemed to be thrilled by the fish so we spent most of our time there rather than exploring.
After we returned to Fortress from our field trip and the children left, we had a close-out session with Mr. Quest and some of the other staff and interns. We shared the experiences we were taking away and how much of an impact this trip had made on us.
All the members spoke about the relationships they had made and our hopes for Fortress to continue with great success. Thank you Fortress Staff, Interns, and children for an experience of a lifetime and a great opportunity to serve. You will be in our thoughts and prayers.
Christina Bartelt
Tags: Summer JAM, Washington Street