Yesterday I had gone into Karen to buy Easter ham and other needed items. After I got back here around 4 pm, I launched into the making of cupcakes for the 70+ people we expected to be feeding Easter lunch. This is particularly tedious when the only oven on the property accommodates only one 12 cup cupcake tin at a time! Thank goodness several of the girls wanted to help - I was particularly grateful for that around 9 pm when it was time to frost all those little buggers. Since it was late, I originally thought I’d leave them on the counter and frost them in the morning. But then I thought about the ants that seem to be everywhere, and the possibility of mice and I had visions of coming in in the morning and finding just mounds of ants or thoroughly nibbled and useless cupcakes. So I decided they really needed to go into the fridge, but they needed to be frosted to keep from drying out. So nothing would do but it all had to be completed Saturday night. But by 9:30 we had them all frosted, decorated (a pretty gummy candy and sprinkles atop each!) and in the kitchen fridge.
Although it was sunny in the morning, just before lunch, the skies opened up and it came a gully-washer. Everyone had to make a mad dash from the houses into the dining hall. What I thought was going to be a fairly simple meal of ham, mashed potatoes, and cold slaw turned into a belly-busting dinner of ham, chicken, mashed potatoes, cold slaw, rice and juice (meals are usually accompanied only by water to drink) with the cupcakes for dessert. Mum Susan outdid herself - everything was delicious. It was quite the feast! Those of the guys who weren’t in the middle of something they couldn’t leave came in and joined us. What a lovely huge family gathering!
The plan for the evening was to have a bonfire with a simple worship service and then make S’mores. It rained a good part of the afternoon, so there was some question about whether the bonfire would happen or not. We had, however, taken the precaution Saturday evening of moving all the fire wood under the roof of the dining hall courtyard, so we did have dry wood, if the rain would ever stop. And, blessing upon blessing, it did! By dinner time the sky was clearing and we moved all the wood out to the fire pit area. After dinner, the ‘uncles’ started the fire and everyone gathered round. One of the boarding school girls, Ann Waithera, had organized the simple worship service which consisted of an opening prayer, a scripture reading (last chapter of Matthew, vs. 1-9) and singing. Ann and the other girls leading the worship lead the first few songs, all spiritual, then the girls all chimed in with their choices. When one song ended, someone would launch into another and everyone would enthusiastically join in. I videoed some of the singing (as much to record the sound as anything else - it was pretty dark, to say the least), but I guess those won’t be shared until I get back to the US.
By the time they ran out of songs, the fire had burned down enough to have a good base of ashes, perfect for S’mores. So that’s the way the evening ended - and was that ever in interesting experience! I had a platter of chocolate and marshmallows and a big box of ‘Nice Biscuits’ (Brit’s influence - sweet crackers). Ever try to organize S’mores for 60+ girls? I had girls poking sticks at me form every direction, first to put marshmallows on them and then to pull the marshmallow off between two ‘biscuits’ with a piece of chocolate in the middle. At any given time, I was being (literally) pressed in upon by 20 or more girls each saying urgently “Mum! Mum! Mum!” with very sticky sticks all around. What a hoot! I think all had a good time and everyone got at least one good, sticky S’more to savor. Amazingly enough, I ended up with only a tiny bit of sticky marshmallow stuff on my jacket - I figured I’d be coated with it!
So that’s the way we celebrated Easter at Hekima Place here in Corner Baridi, Kenya! Hope your Easter was as blessed!
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