Happy Easter

It's Saturday night and everyone here is at Mass in the schoolhouse.I'm in Cottage D with awino and Ken.(she typed her name!) Ken wasn't up to going and I'm not sure why Awino isn't in church but I offered to stay here. I can hear the singing, it's very peaceful here. We started the Easter services on Holy Thursday, with an evening Mass. Some of the boys got their feet washed as part of the service, it was very sweet. Usually Mass here is quite a production, it's on Sunday morning and there's much singing and dancing. Lots of people from the community come, some people end up sitting outside. What has been wonderful about this week is that the services are at night and it's just Nyumbani, even most of the staff aren't here.It's so much more intimate, I've really enjoyed it. When it's time for the service one of the kids walks around ringing a handbell, and everyone pours out of the cottages and gathers. On Good Friday, (yesterday) they posted pictures of the Stations of the Cross on buildings around the compound and we all walked from one to the next,there was singing and praying.One of the kids was Jesus and carried a cross. He is quite a ham so it was a very theatrical performance. At the end of the service we all stood in the center and made a human cross. Very inspiring. Tomorrow will be a huge Easter Sunday Mass, they have even erected a tent next to the schoolhouse for the overflow crowd. The choir kids have been practicing all week, I'm looking forward to experiencing it. After Mass there's a big lunch, goat, salad, rice. Then an Easter Egg Hunt! There's no talk of the Easter Bunny or baskets of gifts.
The volunteers and I have been talking about the role of religion here at Nyumbani, it is a Catholic orphanage after all. We are all of different faiths, some go to the services some not. We all have different opinions about what role religion should play in the world, we all see firsthand the damage the Catholic church's stand on condoms has caused. What we have all agreed on is how these kids draw comfort from their faith, it gives them structure, a sense of community. They truly believe, and for these kids there is so little to believe in.
I will take pictures of the kids in their Easter finery and try to post them soon.
So Happy Easter, thinking of all of you.
Stay safe officer timmy, xoxoxo little boy.