Back to the Watoto: If today is a sign....

...Of a great year to come, then we are in very, very good shape!! Watoto World Center had one fabulous day! I arrived around 10:00am today, because Tony gave me a car to use for the weekend. Apparently, he has a friend who wants to sell this car, and leaving it in Tony's driveway is just not an option. There is no room. And just for the record, this friend does not expect me to buy it. In other words, it's not a set-up :-)

The WWC van is undergoing a good overhaul before the new school year, which starts on Monday. Nothing serious, just a basic tune up on a 20+ year old vehicle. Plugs, sparks, tire rotation, battery check - that kind of thing. So, having my own car is a treat.

The first order of the day was Jacinta and Tony's baby, Carala. Carala was born 2 days after I left in November, so I was chomping at the bit to see her again (I met her yesterday). Unfortunately, I had a good fight on my hands with the WWC kids. They all adore babies....except the little ones, particularly when I held Carala. It reminded me of Emma, when Cary was born.. Emma announced soon after her sister arrived home "Baby go home now??" Uh, no. Baby IS home! was the response. Today, Tiff and Sheila were not too happy with me. Josie was outright jealous, she couldn't hide it. Njeri tried to push Carala away, and when I took Njeri in my arms?? She tried to bite me. Kids. Universally the same. I had to stifle a laugh.

Thomas loves babies!

Carala, only 7 weeks old

When I showed up at WWC, Bernard was busy at work in the kitchen. He had slaughtered the goat and had placed the ribs in our fabulous oven - something I had not seen Faith do before. The fire was going outside, meat already barbecuing. I lugged one of my four bags to the home - this one filled with gifts from St. Matthew's Church in Wyndham, NH. Coloring books, crayons and paints. My friend Connie in Maryland never fails to send me original gifts: card games, beading tools and boxes with the kinds of toys and puzzles I used to buy our girls, which I didn't know even exist today.

Njeri, happy once Carala was away from me:

I got everything going today, all at once. Book reading (Kevin, mostly), card playing, beading, coloring on a 50 foot roll of paper and water colors. The children were delighted to wear their new WWC shirts that Peter had made. They take real pride in wearing the same shirts - they love uniforms.

What you see from these pictures today, is what you get: Children who are happy, grateful, loving to one another and helpful around the home. Today, they simply amazed me. I don't know why, because they are always so wonderful. But... they couldn't stop smiling. I had the younger boys in the office with me - Kevin, Joseph, Eric, Martin and Joshua emceeing (is there such a word?) the conversation. We talked about all things disgusting and fascinating to boys: intestines, nyoka (snakes), panya (rats) and, well....you get the picture. I laughed 'till my sides hurt, which only made the boys act up further. As we talked, they colored horrific pictures for me, of me and of all the things I don't like.

Kids keep us young, right?