BQ 2012

After my last post I was sick for several days and then we went out of town again so I am just now getting to posting these pictures.  These pictures were taken the actual day of banquet.  The Juniors did not have class on that day so that they could finish last minute preparation.  We had to sweep, set the tables, get the tunnel outside ready, and finish up the food for the meal that would be served that night.  Then in the late afternoon while the junior and seniors were getting all dressed up the rest of the school and staff could do a walk through of the banquet hall to see what all had been done.  We rushed through and just took a few pictures. 

This is how the table was set.  You can't tell all that is on the table but the kids did an amazing job setting it.  The centerpiece bowl was made by the juniors.  It had sand inside with shells and a party favor(which they also made) for each of them to take home.

They even made the hanging lamps!  The tables had a board connecting them to make a ship. 

Some of the sophmore class is chosen to be servers at the banquet.  During the walk through they did various things to add to the set like in this pic. they were paddling a boat.

the main ship

the town of Tortuga

RVA is really in one of the most beautiful locations.

Kevin helping Justin with his tie.

He is so handsome if I do say so myself!

Justin putting a little cologne on his roommate Kyle.  

I got to pin on the boutineer.

Kyle's mama pinning on his boutineer.

A last min. shave!

The other juniors in Justin's dorm.

Justin and his roommate Kyle.

walking up the hill to pick up their dates.

Justin and his date Sara.

Each couple had to walk all the way up the hill as people lined the walkway.  Then when they got to the banquet hall they came down these steps onto the platform and were introduced to the crowd.

Justin and Sara

Justin with some of his friends

Banquet Preparation

This past week Kevin and I  had the opportunity to go to Kenya to visit with Justin at RVA.  Each year the junior class prepares a banquet for the senior class.  They create the set, come up with a play and music, and prepare the food.  The weekend before banquet, parents of the junior class are invited to come and help.  We worked hard each day helping to prepare for this event.  At the end of each day we were so exhausted!  It was so much fum to visit with Justin and get to know his teachers and classmates.  We are so thankful for this school and the opportunity it provides for MK's all over Africa. 

A few weeks before banquet the guys are allowed to ask the girls to banquet.  They always try to come up with some special way to ask the girl.  Above is  a picture of the things Justin used to ask his date Sara.  He attached these notes to her throughout the day with clothespins without her seeing who it was.  Then finally, he attached the last one which said, "Find the matching clothespin."  A bunch of his friends were around her but all had different colored clothespins.  Justin had the matching clothespin.  When she found him he asked her to banquet.  

Kevin, Wade, John, and Mark built the platform where the couples would walk down to and be announced to the crowd.  It should have taken just a couple of hours but when you have all these strategy guys together....well, it took basically all day!  After a little sweet tea that Mark brought everything came together!

 

Justin and Kevin 

It was so much fun to see friends that we had not seen in a long time.  Here is DeeAnn and Wanne waiting on their husbands.

The theme was Pirates of the Caribbean.  The kids are all so talented to create this set.  Here are a few pictures at the beginning.  The stage was made into a ship.

Over to the side was a town, Tortuga.

a sunset

behind the ship was a beautiful moon

With the platform finished some of the kids practiced walking down the steps.

This is Nathan and Rachel walking down first.

out in front of the cafeteria

out in front of the cafeteria-a place to hang your mugs for chai time.

Justin and his friend Nathan

Each year the senior class has something built and donated to the school.  This clock was donated by Zach's class a couple of years ago.

On Sunday, we got to go into Nairobi and visit The Village Market.  It was fun to rest a bit and have fun.  

Justin is enjoying an ostrich burger.  He said it was really good!

Justin enjoyed the waterslide with his friends.

I enjoyed working in the kitchen with some of the other ladies.  Above, is a picture of the spinich feta puffs.  They were delicious!

Here is one of the 27 pies that were made!

After tackling the platform, the next day the guys decided to work on the walk through.

This was a big job but the guys did a great working together.

Matthew Dina helping with the walk through.

I also helped paint the sunset.

Later in the week the set is really coming along.

finishing up the walk through.  They later put a tarp over this and this was used for the kids to walk through as they entered the banquet.  All year, the juniors keep the theme of the banquet a secret so the seniors will be surprised.  In the walk through or tunnel they put different things up from the past and maybe some clue of what the theme is for that year.  It isn't until they walk into the banquet hall that they know for sure what it is.  I think they really liked the end result. 

Encouraging Words Make a Difference

This past week when I went to teach the Palliative Care ladies in Ng'ombe compound I strayed away from my original lesson plans and taught on encouragement.  I knew that as these ladies went out into their compound to help those who were very sick and confined to their homes that encouragement would be a great issue for us to talk about.  I started off by asking the ladies, "Have you ever known someone who believed in you, someone who frequently spoke words of encouragement and praise to you?  The kind of person who made you feel you could do it, whatever "it" was?  I waited as they sat there and thought about that question.  They all said no except for one woman who said maybe her parents were like that to her.  My heart was broken!  How could these ladies, all between the ages of 30-50 not be able to think of someone who had encouraged them or believed in them.  As I think back on my life I could name many people who have encouraged me along the way.  Why should these ladies be any different? In my mind I think that it is just not fair but I continue on with the lesson explaining that God wants us to be a person who encourages others every chance that we get even if we have never felt that encouragement.  The bible says in Ephesians 4:29, "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."  Then in 2 Corinthians 1:4 the bible says, "(God) comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God."  These ladies have such a great opportunity to encourage the sick and dying in their compound.  I asked the ladies to list ways for me as to how they encourage their patients.  Just by visiting the patients is a great encouragement because sometimes even family members will not even care for those who are sick.  These caregivers also try to pray for their patients and help them in anyway that they can while they are in their home even if that means cleaning their house or making them a meal.  As we finished up the lesson I had them make a list of at least 4 important people in their lives-family, neighbors, or patients.  Then beside each name write down something they could do that week to encourage each of the people listed.  Next time we meet I'll find out how their encouragement was received.
Prov. 3:27: "Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act." We are not to refuse showing mercy and kindness to others when it is in our power to do it.  The extent of God's mercy and kindness toward us will be dependent on our extending mercy and kindness toward others. Who knows?  Our demonstration of love toward people might result in their obedience to the gospel of Christ!  Please pray for these women this week as seek to encourage those they come in contact with.