A terrific day full of visits with old friends. Magdaline and I had lunch with two Lavenda students I met in 2004, Jackson and Beatrice. Jackson has a temporary position at Treetops, and Beatrice is at Nairobi university now!
Then Magdaline and I headed to the site of Lavenda Springs Academy, which has new owners and management but is still called Lavenda. This is the part of the school that was K - 12 in 2004 when Julie and I first volunteered there and is once again serving the entire school, as there are only 76 students.
The dining hall, then and now.
Looking across to the old high school, which is only in use now if students want to visit the library. There aren't enough students to use the classrooms. Such a shame.
Magdaline, Mumbi, Beatrice (who was a secretary at the old Lavenda since 2007 and is still there) and Mama Elliot, a member of Magdaline's women's group whom I've known since 2004, walking up to the library building.
Mumbi is farming. Mama Elliot, Shiro, Mumbi, Beatrice, Mary (a new hire) and Magdaline on Mumbi's onion plot. Shiro's daughter Latifa is front row left.
Shiro and her family, and Mumbi, have moved into the newer Kivuli (orphan home) buildings. Here are Shiro and Latifa in their place. Unfortunately I forgot to take a picture of their wonderful daughter Maureen, who looks the same, but even prettier, smarter, and more grown up.
Mumbi's place. In a rather meta moment, I was in Kenya taking a picture of Mumbi holding a picture of my family taken in America.
So great to have seen Shiro and Mumbi again. They were my first friends in Kenya.
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