Oh my gosh - this was SUCH a fun day! The first guests of the day included Evans and his sister (my friend) Ann Mueni...we met for a year end department/farewell party for Eric a young American who has generously spent six months working tirelessly with our team...he WILL be missed! The party venue was at the home of Ryan and Eric.
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| Mueni and Evans kicking the ball around - a favorite Kenyan past time. |
Ryan and Eric have been staying in the servants quarters (SQ) of the home where missionaries Keith and Kathy Ham live...so we had the advantage of this huge yard, a barbecue and trampoline :)
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| Evans and Ryan (who grew up in Kenya) playing in the large back yard |
The trampoline actually was at Ryan's family home where he grew up in Kitale, Kenya...funny how it is now in his back yard!
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| Not sure I've ever seen someone jump so high! When he landed the tarp almost hit the ground! |
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| Aw sweet Mueni offering me a Christmas present <3 |
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| Peace has arrived (oh, and Esther too)... |
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| Such a cutie - last time I saw her she was just 4 months old, now she is over 1 year! |
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| The next guests arrive - Peter, Caroline, Abraham and Francis |
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| Ah the food! Well, at least some of it :) |
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| Planning meeting...who does what to get the goat cooked... |
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| Abraham Opiyo holding the baby :) |
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| Lois helping to heat the charcoal for making Ugali |
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| Preparing to prepare the meat! |
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| Separating the meat...what gets roasted, what gets boiled, what gets fried |
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| Agh! Ryan lighting the grill...it has a nasty habit of 'spitting' fire :) |
Last time we partied here all the hair on Ryan's arm got singed off!
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| Francis showing Ryan how to roast goat...it is called Nyama Choma, which loosely translated means meat over fire |
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| Hmmm...is it hot enough? |
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| Esther, the Nyama Choma expert lends a hand! |
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| Then plays with her girl...sweet :) |
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| The grill just won't do...he removed the meat and cleaned it |
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| Such a good mommy...we call her Mama Peace |
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| Cutting the meat to be boiled and fried |
Opiyo and Lois in front, Peter and Mary in the back...
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| Sarah being Sarah :) |
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| Salting the goat |
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| Male bonding - Ryan, Eric and Francis |
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| More male bonding :) |
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| Female bonding - Lois and Mary |
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| More female bonding - Sarah (being useful adding more corn meal for the Ugali) and Caroline |
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| Ryan is intrigued...believe me that is hard work! |
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| Meanwhile Mueni is working up an appetite |
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| ...and baby Peace is sweeping the grass |
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| Ryan decides to give it a try - as strong as he is, he wears out quickly! |
Caroline taught me that until it is fully cooked, the ugali will stick to the pot and to your fingers if you try to serve and eat it too soon...see how it is separating and sticking?
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| I think there is a technique |
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| More salt and plenty of supervisors and onlookers :) |
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| ...a very special onlooker! |
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| Sarah proving she can work hard! |
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| See the difference? It is now ready...see how it is forming into a ball? |
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| Me the student... |
I LOVED picking her brain, asking questions and hearing about what she knows...she is so patient to listen to and answer my questions...
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| Caroline the teacher |
Caroline taught me that you need to store the ugali under the pot this way so that it stays hot, but does not dry out or 'sweat' while the other food is being cooked...
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| Eric snagging hot charcoal for his incense burner |
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| Ingenious use of this branch...to apply salt to the meat :) |
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| Cooking meat over the stove is Mary in the kitchen |
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| Yum...I think it is almost done! |
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| Sweet face :) |
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| Mary brought chapatis...yum! |
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| Evans waiting patiently for lunch - he is Mary's son |
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| Sweet Mueni is Mary's daughter |
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| Millicent and Boniface arrive! |
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| Oh no! A downpour just when the food is ready... |
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| Moving everything inside... |
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| Boys will be boys...playing in the rain! |
Ummmm...not sure there is room for 16 in this already cramped 10' x 10' room!
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| Peace, Esther, Mueni and Evans <3 |
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| Cooking under umbrellas :)...the green one is from my daughter's wedding in 2008 |
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| Wetness...Eric, Opiyo and Boni |
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| Peter, Milli and Ryan |
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| Milli and me :) |
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| Caroline and Sarah |
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| Just as I was convinced we would not all fit in the house, the rain stopped! |
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| Lois serving the Ugali...by cutting it with a knife... |
Esther decides to wrap the baby, who is getting tired...so that she can help finish and serve the meat.
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| Snug as a bug in a rug :) |
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| Meat cooking on the jiko...in the kitchen |
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| Caroline, Sarah - and Franciscah, who just arrived... |
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| Esther and Francis cutting and prepping to serve the meat |
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| Serving ourselves... |
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| Enjoying the feast |
...and all the food has not even arrived yet! We decided to prepare and eat what we had...
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| My plate - chapati, ugali and nyama choma - yum! |
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| Eric's plate...not sure why the ugali is on the chapati - hmmmm... |
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| Meanwhile more food is cooking :) |
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| Joseph (and the rest of the food!) arrive at 4:30...AFTER we are all satiated |
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| Mary serving the boiled meat...Peace resting on mama's knee |
Now begins the second phase of prepping, cooking and eating...
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| Millicent in the kitchen chopping peppers, tomatoes and onions... |
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| ...and dirty plates! |
Caroline is cutting oranges for desert...
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| And round two of food! |
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| Peace playing hide 'n seek! |
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| Joseph enjoying the meat... |
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| Franciscah holding Joseph's phone - his hands are greasy :) |
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| The cooks have been in the kitchen! |
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| Lois serving mango |
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| Sarah serving watermelon |
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| Eric serving meat to Joseph! |
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| Joseph has an amazing way of getting onto the trampoline! |
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| Is that a banana in her hand!? |
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| I think she is enjoying the food! |
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| Opiyo trying to start the gift exchange 'session' of the day... |
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| Francis receiving his gift from Mary |
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| Peter appreciating Francis |
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| Joseph receiving his gift from Esther????? |
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| Francis introducing the next 'session'...talking about our welfare fund |
Basically, we each contribute a certain amount every month into a fund from which we borrow and pay interest all year. At the end of the year we split the total among all the contributors...
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| Our next 'session' - appreciating Eric...Joseph begins |
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| Mary continues... |
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| and Caroline wraps up the session |
Then it is time to present Eric with the group gift we bought for him...
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| Niiiiice! |
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| Time for the cake! Here Peter is apologizing ahead of time for the condition of the cake... |
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| Some of it sorta stuck to the top! |
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| A photo I took earlier gives a bit better view of the cake and an idea of what it looked like before the damage |
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| Hmmm...what shall we do with all the frosting stuck to the box? Can't waste it! |
Yeah! Let's decorate Eric with it!
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| Eric was SUCH a good sport! |
Time to cut the cake...he cut 16 pieces - one for each of us...
The group is singing a 'cake cutting' song to help him with his endeavors
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| Hmmm...what is that look? |
Opiyo and Peter and Francis are suggesting that Eric should help Ryan to look like he does...I mean, it's only fair...
I know! Eric can feed Ryan his piece of cake...
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| Francis is coaching Ryan to open his mouth wide! |
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| Ryan is saying the piece should be cut in half...his mouth is not nearly as big as Eric's! |
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| Nope! Eric is sure the piece will fit :) |
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| I think Eric is enjoying this way too much! |
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| Ryan's face cracks me up every time I look at it! |
Sarah cutting bite size pieces to serve to all of us...
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| Franciscah decides there is too much frosting on Eric's face... |
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| Sarah serving |
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| Eric expressing his appreciation and saying his 'good byes' to the team... |
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| Francis helping clean Eric up... |
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| Group shot... |
L to R, front standing; Francis, Sarah, Lois, Millicent, me, Ryan, Mary, Fransiscah, L to R, back standing; Caroline, Opiyo, Boniface, Joseph, Esther (Mama Peace), Kneeling in front; Peter and Eric
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| Three buds - Boniface, Francis and Opiyo |
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| Caroline and Sarah cleaning the kitchen - nice! |
Ryan drove everyone, three at a time, to the stage where they could get public transportation home. The party was SO much fun...lasting until about 6:30 at which time it started to rain again - yikes! That makes for a hectic commute...but everyone made it home safely.
Ryan was kind enough to take me all the way home...as I live close enough and do not travel or even venture out after dark...
