Christmas Party

I love Christmas!  The Annual General Meeting for Starfish Charities falls in December each year.  It seemed like a good time to have a party (after the meeting of course).  So I asked all my board members to include their families and plan to spend the day.  Also included were a few families from Nairobi who have been close to Starfish Charities.  The new training center was a perfect place to make it all happen.  The room was decorated and I was ready to start receiving guests.

Teresa was in the kitchen organizing the food and many baked goods we had cooked all week.

After the board meeting, we joined the families and began a time of sharing.  There were 38 of us in all!  We sat around and shared favorite stories from Christmas' past.  It was so enjoyable hearing tales of childhood memories.

The couple in the center, James and Grace Bukachi, along with their three teen girls, arrived after we had finished the sharing.  But if they had been there earlier, I know James would share the miracle God performed on his behalf.  James was diagnosed with cancer several years ago.  After all the Nairobi doctors did all they could, they advised the family to put James on hospice and wait for the end.  I don't have all the details or enough space or time to give you the whole story, but God provided the funds for James to go to India to seek treatment last year.  Upon arrival they re-ran all the tests and confirmed the cancer diagosis and scheduled surgery.  Later that week prior to the surgery, they did one more test to confirm and clarify the surgical site.  The baffled doctor came back into the room to tell James to go back  home to Kenya.  They could find no sign of cancer anywhere in James' body!  Wow!  God is a miracle working God and James has been faithful to share his testimony anywhere and everywhere he goes.

Franklin was sharing his testimony.  His memory was of his university days in China some years ago and how faithful God was during that lonely time away from his family.

This is part of Pastor John's family waiting their turn to share.

John's oldest daughter Alice, with her child, Rhonda Maria!

After a time of sharing time was over, we took our food outside.  The fellowship continued as we ate with one another and, for some, made new friends.  It was a beautiful day with mild temperatures (70's) and soft breezes.

The teen girls gravitated to one another.

The ladies did what ladies do!

But the men also found each other and enjoyed a time of fellowship. It looked like some serious discussing going on.

The members of this group declared this table was the Executive table.  Basically old friends who had not seen one another in some time.  They had a lot of catching up to do.

Rhonda Maria enjoying the attention of all the adults.

Arriving a little later were the newly-weds (only three weeks) Teddy and Jeddi.  He is the oldest son of Franklin, pictured above.  Teddy has been such a blessing and inspiration in my life.  Together with his beautiful wife, Jeddi, they serve God with enthusiasm and joy.  I love these kids!

After lunch, we went back inside and sang songs.  We didn't limit our singing to Christmas songs.  We just allowed the songs to flow.  Here, we invited Pastor John and his family to share a Maasai song with us.

Teddy arrived with his guitar, which Franklin promptly took and began playing.  He did his best to keep up with the many and varied songs we sang.

All in all, I have to say, I had a very blessed Christmas, surrounded by close friends.  My biological family is in the U.S., but God has definitely multiplied my "family" with His family.  He is so good and faithful to bring people into our lives, and to walk along side us in this journey, as we walk together with Him..

Merry Christmas!

Kimasiany Graduation

 The last graduation of this year's Adult Literacy Program was perhaps the most successful yet!  As we arrived at the school, we experienced a "first".  All the students were present and waiting for us.  We weren't late, they were early.  That literally has never happened before.  However, they weren't inside the school, they were outside under the trees preparing lunch for the event. 

 They slaughtered a goat for the celebration and were all busy chopping, peeling, and getting everything ready for the cooking pots. 

Wheelbarrows are very handy when you don't have tables or cabinets.

Once the students left their fires and came inside, we began the celebration.  I was very eager to commend them for a job well done.  This class has excelled in their training, as well as attendance and paying of fees.

After prayer and introduction, we sang a few songs of praise and worship. 

The lady in blue is the wife of one of my faithful board members.  Her name is Maria and she came along that day to help anywhere we needed.  The young lady in maroon is our teacher, Jane.  She completed high school last November and wishes to continue her education in January.  Not surprisingly she wants to be a teacher.  I am amazed at her passion and love for teaching and it definitely shows with the results she achieved with illiterate adults.

This is one of the charts she used on a daily basis to teach them not only the alphabet, but the sounds of the letters.  The class was in front of her during this demonstration, reciting their ABC's and then following with the sounds of the letters.

Then we had a demonstration where each student wrote their names on the blackboard.  This seems like a simple exercise to most who will read this blog.  But, when she started with these students, one of the first lessons was how to hold a pencil or chalk.  Most of the women who held a pencil for the first time, tried to write with their hand positioned like you would do while milking a cow.  It brought a lot of laughter to the class, but they were all in the same position, so it was all in good fun.

This "ray of sunshine" is Jane's mother.  She was so delightful throughout. You never saw her without seeing that radiant smile.

Sophia, proudly displaying her written name.

Naomi needs to work on her penmanship, but as one of the older women in the class, I applaud her effort to even want to learn.

Pastor John Shakai, bringing a message of encouragement to the student. Jane translated for those of us who don't speak Maa (the language of the Maasai)

Each student was presented with a certificate of completion for finishing the 16 week course of study.

We had three young men in class this year.  In the past, the men weren't too eager to attend, but this year marked a change in that.  All three classes had male students.

Jane has has many reasons to smile.  Pictured here are three of her students, namely, her mother, her step-mother, and her brother.  The two on the right is her father and younger brother.  It is amazing what this 19 year old accomplished with all her students being older than her.

Our three male students proudly displaying their gifts from Starfish.  Each received a shuka (blanket) and handkerchief.

Next the female students were given their gifts.  Each of them received a handkerchief, a wrap (lesso), shampoo, lotion, and a small sewing kit.

Excitement doesn't begin to describe their reactions to their gifts.  They started laughing to the point, I ask why they were laughing.  Jane,explained they never expected gifts and they were so happy they were almost crying with joy.  In fact, one student was crying so hard, she left the room to compose herself.

Lovely Jane also received a certificate for teaching this class.  Prior teachers have successfully used these certificates with their resume to get other jobs.

Jane also received gifts from Starfish.  I am showing her a journal, and the other items in her bag.

Then it was their time to give us gifts.  John received a shuka, Franklin (in red, another board member) received a special beaded necklace, I received a very unique beaded choker.

I was impressed with the faithful support of this older man, Jane's father.  Many Maasai men don't encourage their daughters to advance in education, but he not only supported Jane in this endeavor, he also paid for and encouraged his two wives to attend class, along with his son who somehow missed education.  I was so proud of him for encouraging this, I presented him with a special gift all his own.

He was so excited to be receiving a new shuka and handkerchief, but mostly for being honored.

John was happy to help him tie on his new shuka.

Franklin also stood before the class and encouraged them to continue from this point forward.

A celebration of any kind isn't complete without a cake.  Of course, the same baker made this one as the last time, and once again, she misspelled success!  But it didn't affect the taste one bit.

John and Maria, faithfully passing around pieces of cake to the students.  They are such a Godly couple, who understand what servanthood is all about.

After the ceremony, speeches, gifts, and cake, the food for the day was brought in.  John was given a huge piece of goat and is using his "sword" to help him eat it.  

The graduates!!

2013 Adult Literacy Celebration

On Saturday, June 29th we held the first Celebration ceremony for two of our Adult Literacy Classes.  These classes were held in Olmeroi and Oreteti, and they joined together for the completion ceremony.  Although the cake was tasty and beautiful, I thought it was a little ironic that the baker misspelled "success" on a cake done for a literacy class.

Upon our arrival, I first had to visit the "kitchen" to check on the food preparation.  They were really amused that I wanted to stir the pot of meat.

While the children wait patiently, the women are busy scurrying around, serving tea to those who've arrived for the celebration.  Most of the cooks are also students who will be graduating.

The men typically gather under the trees and solve the world's problems as they await their tea!

After tea, the ceremony began.  This church was packed with students, family members, and community well-wishers.

Meet Emmanuel.  Not only is he the pastor of the church in Oreteti (pictured here), but he was also our teacher for this class, and my capable interpreter for the ceremony.

Pastor John Shakai, my friend and board member, delivered the message of encouragement to the students. 

This lovely lady is Sally, wife to Emmanuel -- our interpreter.  This is actually the first time I've seen her all dressed up like a Maasai woman.  She is educated, fluent in English, and a wonderful pastor's wife to Emmanuel.  It was obvious she is well-loved in this community.

This man and woman are two of our students from Olmeroi.  We were so excited to have several husband and wife students.  This man, Pastor Joshua, was very determined to learn all he could so he could better serve his church and community.  We are all very proud of his determination to learn to read his Bible.

These guys are three brothers, a wife to one of them, and her son, the teacher.

These two ladies are co-wives, meaning they are both married to the same man.  A common part of their culture, but disappearing in the younger generation.

This is a mother, her daughter, and a co-wife.  I am so thrilled with these families learning together.

This young man, Solomon, is the teacher for our other class held in the Baptist Church in Olmeroi.  We also presented our two teachers with certificates.  Other teachers of our past literacy classes have used these certificates as proof of their experience, and have gotten other teaching jobs.  This young man wishes to go to aeronautical school next January. 

Emmanuel receiving his certificate.

After presenting all the certificates, it was time for gift giving.  We gave a bag of gifts to the two teachers which included a handkerchief, socks, and a study Bible.  Emmanuel stated he had been praying for a new Bible.

A very happy Emmanuel and his wife Sally.

This is Solomon's wife, Lois.  Saturday was the first time I had met her and what I didn't realize is that she was expecting a baby.  (They are very good at hiding it).  Today, (Sunday) Solomon called me to inform me she gave birth to a baby boy this afternoon.  What a surprise!

The Maasai women are very generous with their beautiful bead work.  They presented me with this special necklace.

Then, another lady came forward and presented me with another one.

Teresa, my wonderful friend, is ever at my side these days, helping any way she can.  She was also recognized and given special beads.

Not one, but two!

This picture is specially for the ladies at Cross Community Church in Poteau, OK.  Here I am explaining to the ladies this bag of sewing items in their gift bags.  The ladies at Cross Community, spearheaded by Zula Clark, made up numerous sewing kits to be given away.  Although these Maasai women use needles, thread, etc. to do their bead work, they often don't have normal needles, buttons, and thread to do simple repairs on torn clothing, etc.  They were very excited and appreciative.

These are our 15 graduates from Olmeroi, along with their teacher, Solomon.

These are our Oreteti graduates, nine in all, along with their teacher Emmanuel Kinayia.

What an amazing day of celebration, recognition, food, fun and fellowship.  I praise God for these 24 students who now know the fundamentals of reading.  Thank you to all who have helped make this possible.