But it’s easier to explain the farewell in pictures:
Upon entering the party you must go through a tunnel of singing people
As guests of honor you sit up at the front while everyone sings & dances to their places
After announcements by the MC Hillary, the food line opens
Beef stew, irio, rice pilau, sukuma, and kachumbari. Anne's favorite is the green irio, Ian's is kachumbari (looks like slaw on the top)
After lunch the singing and dancing begins...complete with heaving us up on the shoulders
Ameena gets into the dancing too as Esther carries her around
I think it's safe to say Eli enjoyed the dancing
Esther with Ameena in her African party dress which came via Naomi's friend at St. Patrick's Catholic Church
Receiving the gifts...it's a really big deal to take a picture of the gift and giver!
Eli and Lucy thought presents on a non holiday were fantastic!
A special song prepared and sung by the day program teaching staff
Ian and I had to give "speeches" to the staff. I talked about how God has a plan written for each one of them & how much each one had contributed to the success of the Centre
It took Ian a moment to find the right words to express all that we had experienced in our 15 months in Kenya with this staff.
We tried to keep the end of the party light with a "guess the $ in the jar giveaway" & the promise of shopping at Momma Eli's duka (shop)
At the end of our party we took about 30 of this same shot, with a different staff member or resident inserted. We then printed copies for the staff as photos are a very treasured and special gift.
The staff & residents of Karibu Centre. In 15 months, we went from 4 staff and 0 residents to about 27 staff, 27 resident girls, babies and abandoned babies and about 120 children in the day program! We felt so blessed to be with these people day after day!
And that was our formal farewell. More in the next few days of my “garage sale” aka Momma Eli’s duka & of our push by staff/friends to the airport.