Family. As of March 24.
The volunteers and staff are very much family. We live together, work together, and socialize together. We are all we have. Unfortunately, volunteers are short term-coming and going and coming and going. In december I posted a shot of the volunteers, as we all ate together. And realized that in just a few months, our family was almost completely different. One person comes, one person goes and I sort of just don't feel the change so dramatically, but then realize how much change we long termers go through. The above photo is of most of the current female volunteers. We have a couple of guys as well. But this set of volunteers have been SOOOO great, we share so many laughs together. The woman on the left is the new career counselor for the teenagers and she will be here more long term. She just moved down to my building (a next door apartment), so we will be working and living closely. She is full of energy and ideas and is a huge answer to prayers.

With the close living/working/socializing environment, it honestly has been really difficult in the "getting over the guy" situation. Luckily, he has been on leave a few weeks, but still it is really difficult. Needing a breather, I have decided to come back to the States in early April (about a month earlier than planned). I am not feeling too able to work with him at this point, so asking God to do something-either moving him or working inside of me, to help, because I feel so strongly like I cannot leave this place. Its been a hard trust issue with God to keep going on what seems like a very painful path, when really I just want to fix things myself and ease the discomfort (quit).