Party time!

Virginia Njoki Kamau is 24 years old and recently graduated with an advanced diploma in Community Development. She is my friend and we work together in the Business Development Services (BDS) department at Missions of Hope. I was quite disappointed that I could not attend the graduation ceremony that was held on Saturday the 27th of October...but i was deeelighted to help her celebrate with family and friends.

This first photo is one of her brothers - the one in whose home we were visiting. In his lap is his precocious daughter Grace...she is just over 1 year old and I fell completely in love! (by the way - the feeling was mutual)
Okay - here I am, as Henry (a co-worker) puts it, "hammering a point"...he is the one who snapped this photo so I guess it is fitting that he should also caption it! I am talking to Jane, another co-worker.
Several members of Virginia's family - she has 6 brothers and sisters, but one sister could not make it...and of course there were children...
Here is Virginia with Henry - we all work together, along with Jane and Paul...
Here is Paul! Virginia asked him to more or less run the show...
Ah, little Grace! pushing on her cousin who is more than a year older! hmmm...for those of you who know my daughter, Amanda, I think you will agree when I say that Grace reminds me of her at that age! maybe that is what drew me to her so quickly...
and no party is complete without singing and dancing...


...then I noticed this little one, sitting in the middle of all this praising of the Lord...and I remembered something my pastor told me - when children are brought up in the faith, they sort of 'absorb' the praising and soon the songs are just inside them...do you think the songs are being absorbed by her right now???
Virginia and Paul - even though I could not understand the words to the songs (they were singing in Kikuyu, their tribal language) I could feel the spirit moving!
This is Virginia's mom - she is nearing 65...several family members and friends spoke to and about her...again I could not understand the words, but I could feel the love!

Nelson is a brother-in-law...he delivered the message - in THREE languages! English for me, Swahili for the non-Kikuyu present, and Kikuyu...as I listened I was delighted to realize that whatever the language we pray in, we sing our praises in or we preach in...God understands them all! In some mysterious way, this made me feel so so close in spirit to all my brothers and sisters around the world.
The gent on the left is Virginia's pastor. He is sitting next to Grace who is sitting on her mama's lap...Virginia later told me that this man has been very influential and encouraging to Virginia and was instrumental in her completing her degree.
This is Virginia's brother - she is the youngest so all the siblings are her 'elders'...
Virginia had her turn to speak...it was quite moving to hear portions of her journey to getting the diploma - most of it was lost on me, but Paul (who accompanied me to my home, since it was after dark by the time we left!) filled me in on some of the stories. One thing she did say in english that touched my heart was "actually my mom is my spiritual mentor"...
Okay - I know this is a lousy picture, but I just had to include it cuz it is so precious of Virginia and Grace...every time I smiled Grace just laughed and laughed!

THE CAKE!...

...being cut into small squares by her sister-in-law...you'll see why in a minute...this photo is actually of the sister-in-law, Virginia and her mother all three cutting the first piece...

...which was fed to Virginia...

...then all these other pieces get fed by Virginia to her guests. She later told me that some people only offer the cake to the most admired and respected people...as a gesture of honor and gratitude, but Virginia fed a piece to each of us to show her gratitude to all who came to celebrate with her...she did, however, start with the most important people...like her mom.
Here she is offering a piece to her brother-in-law, Nelson...and by the way - the cake was really good!
The Parting Shot...this is something I never saw in the states...you may have noticed all the feet were either bare or stockinged...it is customary to remove your shoes before entering a person's home...I just love when all the shoes are gathered outside the door...especially when they are this haphazard!...so I could not resist...my friends here think I am very strange!
I felt privileged, honored and just, well, good to be included in this celebration. Virginia has told me several times how 'touched' she is that I came to her party.