Ugly good-byes

Dear Family,

Well here we are at the end of another transfer and my time in Santiago is coming to a close. I'd like to think of Santiago as my ¨refining zone¨ of the mission because I think this is where I learned the hardest lessons. Still though, I really do love this place and now that it's coming down to the wire, I'm not sure if I really want to leave.
My last week here went out with a bang--and I mean that in a literal sense because since Thursday and onward the sky´s ripped open and the Panama rain is coming back with full force, thunder, lightning and all. I think I'd forgotten how hard it rains here but I was quickly reminded after we got absolutely drenched a couple days ago and had to come home midday to change and warm up a tad with some hot chocolate before facing the storm again (I know--being cold in Panama is weird). The bad news is that apparently getting wet DOES make you sick as they say, because this weekend I landed myself in bed with a sore throat, pounding head and nauseated stomach. Bleh. The worst part was that I wasn't able to get up to go to my last sacrament meeting in Santiago, which meant I wouldn't be seeing most of the members to tell them good-bye. I was sad about that, but in a way relieved--good byes are not my forte. Sometimes it's easier just to rip that band-aid off. However...the members gave me quite a shock when right after church on Sunday a whole crowd of them came over to see me and say good'bye. The unfortunate thing is that I had just woken up and they beheld me in all my puffy, sick-faced glory, which is probably the last image they´ll have of Hna. Brewster, but it was a sweet gesture. The tears came gushing out unexpectedly as I gave my final hugs to some of the good people I've come to know and love here these last 4 months. I think being sick just made me extra emotional. I also found out that one of the investigators we just started teaching came to church along with a few others, so it looks like Hna. Aguero might be here to witness a baptism after all. Whether I´m here to see it or not, it doesn't really matter. I´m just happy that we did our best to help the people here in whatever way we could. I´ll miss Santiago.
So...12 more weeks in a new area and I have a feeling it'll go by too fast. But there's plenty of time for a few more joys and heartaches
I'll let you all know next week where I'm at, unless they grant my wish and send me to the San Blas Islands where there is no internet...

Love you all,
Hna. Brewster