You can’t celebrate Easter in Kenya without goat…so we’re told.
We all gathered in the kitchen early that morning, not for a traditional day of work, but for preparing our Easter feast. Everyone had their task: chopping vegetables, slaughtering goat, making Kikuyu sausages, preparing chapati, etc. Ian purchased two goats for the occasion and as they were wandering around the Centre campus days before they were slaughtered, the thought of eating them made me nauseous. Traditionally, women aren’t allowed to play any role in the slaughtering of goats (it’s men’s work), so when the opportunity presented itself, many of our staff women eagerly signed up. By far my favorite Kenyan food is chapati. Instead of just eating a lot of it, I’ve been wanting to learn how to make it for myself for some time now. After preparing around 100 of them by hand with one of our house mothers Lillian, I can say with confidence I know how to make chapati!
This was the first time we’d all been together at the Centre on more of a social level. Everyone really let loose and enjoyed the day. The kitchen was packed. People were singing and dancing. There was so much smoke you could hardly see across the room. People were everywhere. Blood was everywhere. The American’s seemed to be the only ones bothered by it.
As Karibu Centre staff, residents, volunteers, and friends sat down to eat, it was like one big family gathered for a holiday meal. It was unlike any Easter feast I’ve ever had or will probably ever have again. Just another Kenyan holiday at Karibu Centre!
I check your blog every day, waiting and waiting. Then today, finally, a new post. Hooray! Now I will spend days trying to get those goat legs out of my mind. Yuck.
Meeeee too Connie. I had almost given up – then there it is…a new post. Yaaayyy Mega! Soak it all up, it’s almost over. Hugs!