It is a natural reaction to do all within our power to avoid that which causes us pain. When leaving a place we have called home for many years and moving countries the process of saying goodbye is painful. As a mother I can say without hesitation watching my children say goodbye to their friends and seeing their hearts sink as they realize we may not see them again on this earth is heart breaking. It would be easy to attempt to avoid this pain by trying to run away without saying goodbye but the result of this decision would be a gaping hole in the child's history and a feeling of "unfinished business." So, despite the pain it is important to say goodbye to people, places, pets and possessions. 
There is no set way or rules surrounding this step in our RAFT except that it is important not to forget the "Farewells" log. Sleepovers, boat day, dinners and visits to friends houses played such important parts in our last three weeks in Davao. Time taken to equally affirm our relationship with someone and to say goodbye were crucial in the preparation to leave. For our family ensuring that our beagle dogs had a home, setting up a storage for our personal goods that could not come with us but that we may have the opportunity to ship later and taking the time to visit special places that play an important part in our family history were all important steps in the goodbye process. Remembering that people are only a part of the goodbye process, especially for children was a key in leaving whole and healthy. 
There are too many people to mention here who have impacted our lives over the years of working in Davao but as with all relationships some are closer and more meaningful than others which inevitably means more pain when we separate. The last three weeks I believe I have cried more than I anticipated, laughed harder than I thought possible and enjoyed events with a new found freedom to feel the pain knowing that it makes those relationships stronger and more meaningful.
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