So after many weekends at my friend Mwande's place, it was time I had them over at my place. Mwande had been over several times before but her family was eagerly anticipating this time to come. "How many people do you want to come?!" Mwande asked me. "Um...how many people want to come?" The list began. Then the list grew. Basically everyone I had encountered (and their uncle) in my time there wanted to come! We decided it would be best to split it into 2 days - the young crowd on one day and the older crowd on another. So a week ago Sunday Mwande, her 2 aunts (also our age), 1 teenager, and 14 children under the age of 12 made their way over on the minibus. Plus there were my 2 flatmates and another friend who was staying with us for a few days. I prayed that: 1. everyone would have a nice time, 2. it wouldn't rain and thus we could go outside, considering the size of my flat, 3. our power would be on (it has the tendency to go out on a fairly regular basis) to avoid having to cook for 22 people on a single charcoal burner outside, and 4. there would be enough food. Thankfully all my wishes came true. We made pasta (in a massive pot I borrowed from work) and veggie sauce, garlic bread, salad (coleslaw), and chocolate chip banana bread for a snack later on. The kids coloured, we danced, I gave them all temporary tattoos, we watched some videos and photos from the previous times I had been to their place, and played outside on the grass (there is no grass in their compound so as you can imagine, it was quite exciting for them). It did not rain. The power remained. Everyone went home with full bellies. Good times had by all. So much in fact that Mwande tells me that everyone asks on a daily basis when they are coming back. Soon, I say! Next time it will be Mwande and her mother, grandmothers, and older relatives. I am not sure that colouring, tattouing and playing in the grass will have quite the same effect.
