Christmas in Kenya!

Christmas is a very special time to children (and adults!) in Kenya.  We were hoping to be able to Skype with Andrew and the children there in Ruiru, but we were thwarted by computer issues.  However, we were blessed to be able to talk on the phone for a few minutes.  During the Christmas season, most of the orphans go to visit relatives for at least a few days.  These relatives may be elderly grandparents or distant family who can not take care of the child on a regular basis.  Andrew tries hard to maintain this practice so that the children can have a connection to family and their fellow tribes people.  This is good for their identity as well as in the spread the Gospel.   However, there are some children who have to stay at the Centre because they have no one outside the orphanage.  As a result, Christmas can be a particularly sad time for these children.  
This year, there were about twenty children who stayed at the Centre.  But, there were special festivities planned for the children this year.  Thanks to the generosity of supporters, the Great Goat Quest of 2012 was on!  The children rarely have meat, so any meat, at any time, is a big deal.  But the most desired Kenyan Christmas feast is a meal called nyama choma, which means "roasted meat."  The "roasted meat" is traditionally a goat.  But every family wants a live goat, so goats were scarce (and scared, too!)   The heroes of the story, Joseph and Joseph, joined the quest late.  They searched high and low for a goat.  Now, mind you, this goat for which they are searching is NOT going to show up wrapped in plastic, cut in nice pieces and ready to be tossed on the barbie!  There will be MUCH prep involved - for the faint of heart, I will not go into it.  Finally, Andrew received the triumphant call at 5:00 PM: A goat had been found!  So, Andrew and the Josephs "prepared" the goat, while Agnes and the girls prepared another Christmas favorite, chapati, which is a flat bread similar to a tortilla.  The family at Bethel had a short worship service and then enjoyed a wonderful Christmas feast.  Andrew said their time today was a true blessing.  Asifiwe Bwana!  (Praise the Lord!)