I can't imagine anyone doing as good a job as Immaculata did in establishing our school nurse's office. To those who needed comforting, she provided it. To those who feigned illness to get attention, she managed to give them attention and yet help them get beyond "faking it" to get such attention.
When we Jesuits (Kizito, Soreng, Waweru, and I) lived above the school offices in the first days of the school, Imma would often stop by at the end of the day and visit for a few minutes before walking back to the convent. Those moments were marked by joy.
The celebration today was wonderful. We went to the sisters' house for the noon meal. They had prepared a feast. We began with a prayer led by Sossy, and then the sisters sang a great version of Psalm 133. This was followed by the feast (kiti moto (pork), pizza, pasta, fries, and ndizi mzuzu (fried bananas) -- get what I've been saying about loads of carbs?!)
After dinner we had some fruit and then the cutting of the cake. This is always done with great ceremony, and today was no exception. One of our scholastics, Anthony Ochen, was given the honour of carrying (balancing) the cake atop his head following a line of dancing sisters. He was given this honour principally because of his name -- the foundress of the Ivrea Sisters was Blessed Antonia Maria Verna. Upon arriving to Imma, he knelt and folks followed the custom of singing the words Kata keki, tule! (Cut the cake; let's eat!) while Sossy, Sr. Imma, Sr. Maria (the superior and director of boarding) and I cut the cake.
After enjoying the cake Sossy, Sr. Maria, and I all spoke of Imma's joy, generosity, and competence before she said a few words of farewell.
Indeed, a sad happy new year.
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