I cooked spaghetti bolognese for 50 people - an interesting endeavour considering the fact that I had never attempted to cook meat before. After much seasoning and re-seasoning and forcing everyone in the house to try it to make sure it was okay, it turned out fine and the children loved it. It is a rare treat for them to eat meat, as their usual diet consists of rice and beans. Very rarely do they have anything else. I also baked cakes for the children and they had juice and soda as a treat.
45 children patiently waiting for their meal.
Photo Credit: Stina Gränfors
Despite being unsure how much food to make, it turned out to be just the perfect amount. Every child and helper had enough to eat.
Photo Credit: Stina Gränfors
Photo Credit: Stina Gränfors
The children enjoyed their food. "Kitamu sana," Aston said. "Very sweet."
Photo Credit: Stina Gränfors
"Cakey! Cakey! Cakey!"
Photo Credit: Stina Gränfors
I made a new cat friend who was more than happy to eat up some scraps of spaghetti that were left over.
Photo Credit: Stina Gränfors
In the weeks before the party, Betsy and I had bought presents for each of the children. I had a local lady at the market, who I have befriended, make small bags made out of study kitenge fabric which we could put the gifts in - that way, the bag would be an extra gift in itself. Each bag contained a bar of soap, toothpaste, a toothbrush, washcloth, t-shirt, packet of biscuits, pencil and notebook, a balloon, bubble mix, a lollipop and a little extra gift - bracelets for the girls, packets of chalk and light-up cars for the boys.
Photo Credit: Stina Gränfors
Photo Credit: Stina Gränfors
Kelly giving out the gift bags to the children.
The look on the children's faces as they saw what was in their bags for the first time was beyond anything I had ever seen before.
Photo Credit: Stina Gränfors
Photo Credit: Stina Gränfors
Photo Credit: Stina Gränfors
Photo Credit: Stina Gränfors
Photo Credit: Stina Gränfors
I blew up so many balloons that muscles I didn't even know I had hurt!
Photo Credit: Stina Gränfors
Another gift that Aston and his children received for Christmas was the gift of water. Many people donated money so that water could be pumped onto Aston's property, which means that the children do no have to walk to the spring to find water any more. A water filter bucket was also donated which means that the children will have clean water to drink every day.
Trying out the new water filter.
Enjoying a drink of clean water.
At the Christmas party, I spent a long time talking to Aston's sister Jessica, who helps with the children. She introduced me to her youngest sister, Eli who has just finished high school and is currently waiting for her exam results. Both of them one day hope to go to university. Education is important anywhere, but here it is the key to everything. The chance to go to school means a chance to change your life, your family and potentially your whole community.
Aston and I with his sisters, 19-year-old Eli on the far left and 24-year-old Jessica beside me.
Jessica and Eli told me more about the hard time that they had growing up with their alcoholic and abusive father. They said even now their life is very hard, but that they are very happy because God is good and has blessed them. This coming from two young women who currently live with their parents in a tiny mud hut with not enough food to eat.
Photo Credit: Stina Gränfors
For Western children, what we did at Aston's was nothing special. We gave them bags with soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, a washcloth and some other small necessities. We fed them spaghetti and cake - everyday foods for most of us. And we played with them, blowing bubbles and tying balloons. As we were leaving, Aston told me that the children were all very happy because they had full stomachs and they had been given a gift that was just for them.
Imagine a world where the best Christmas present you could get is a full stomach. There is so much we take for granted all the time. If I only came to Africa for this one reason - to help give these children the gift of clean water and a Christmas meal, then it has been worth it.
xoxo,
-Hannah
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