We had such fun honoring these 8 women. Pictured below is the outdoor kitchen where some ladies from the community came to cook lunch for us.
Our wonderful, dedicated teacher, Lillian tested the students so she could rank them according to their comprehension and achievement. Pictured below is a portion of the test she gave them. I know it seems very basic and in fact, it is. But to these precious women being able to write their alphabet is a huge step.
We began the ceremony with a word of prayer and then the students, led by their teacher Lillian, filed in singing a song about God's goodness and faithfulness. 
As they settled into their places, they continued singing and praising God.
Even the children participated in the celebration. It is such a joy to see their enthusiasm.
These are some proud mamas enjoying being the center of attention for the day. They should be! One of them shared that a benefit of learning to read was being able to find a person's name on their cell phones. Yes, many of them have phones, but since they couldn't read, they would have to hand their phones over to someone else to find a number so they could talk. It is one aspect of literacy I never even considered. We truly do take so much for granted.
This baby was in class throughout every session. This young mother is in her early 20's and was our youngest student.
Pictured here is our oldest student who is somewhere in her 80's. Her eyesight isn't good so we gave her some very strong reading glasses. She was so thrilled with the improvement and became even more determined to learn to read. What a blessing.
After the speeches, handing out of certificates, and honoring each and every student, we had to celebrate with a beautiful -- as well as delicious -- cake. 
Our proud students with their certificates!
Again and again, I am reminded of the the joy this work brings to my life. Thank you for helping me make a difference.
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