Alita

A couple months after we had been working here, we noticed that one of our workers at the children's home was starting to show a pregnant belly! I started asking her about it, despite our complete language barrier, and without realization that here in Africa you don't talk about the unborn, because of how high the miscariage & infant mortality rates are. Jane took it well, though. She smiled and laughed every time I asked about her baby. By the time I moved in to the home, she was almost at 9 months, and it showed! The other women at the home and I started calling her "Mama Kitumbo", which means Mama Big Stomach! She thought that was hilarious, especially when I said it, because of the language barrier and all. In May, we let Jane stay home for her maternity leave, and we couldn't wait for her seventh child to be born! On June 1, while we were Nairobi, Jane gave birth to a little girl. When we arrived home, we were told the news, AND that she had named her baby Alita, in honor of me. This last Saturday we finally had a free afternoon, so Carrie & I drove out to Jane's village with her husband David, a local pastor. David is typically an outgoing, smiley, good-natured sort of guy, and he was very excited about our visit. He explained to us the story several times on our 10 minute drive how when the baby came, Jane exclaimed to him that her name had to be Alita, so that they could always remember me here in Africa, even after I go home to America. Shortly after we arrived, Baby Alita was brought out and handed to me. She is beautiful! She has very soft, curly hair, and perfect little facial features. We enjoyed ourselves that afternoon, as we met the local chief (a woman!), the traditional mid-wife who delivered Alita, the rest of David & Jane's 6 children, and other friends who came to help prepare a meal for us. We had cokes, chicken, potatoes, rice, & chapati. David, Jane, the midwife & the cheif gave mini-speeches, and Carrie and I also shared our gratitude for being with them. I presented gifts of a baby blanket & baby hat. It was like an African baby shower! It was so much fun, but a very humbling experience as well. I never would have guessed some one might name their child after me! It was truely a humbling, yet encouraging experience. [smile]

Love & Blessings,
Alita