Graduation

One thing I love about being here at Namwianga is getting to be Mom to so many of the students. I found out that many times the graduating seniors do not have any family to celebrate with them at the graduation ceremony, so I offered to be a stand-in Mom for any of the sponsored students who didn't have family coming. Obert (far left), Gift, and Decent asked me to be there for them, and I gladly accepted. Obert and Gift both lost their parents when they were very young. Obert was raised by his grandparents, and Gift has only an older brother left in his family. Decent has no father, and his mother and grandmother had no way to get from their remote village to the graduation.

I was nervous about doing the right thing, so I asked around to find out just what parents are supposed to do at graduation. I made sure I had cakes ready to give as gifts, and I got there early to get a good seat on the aisle where the graduates would come in. The students entered doing a fun kind of dance step to the gorgeous music of the choir. I joined each of my guys for the walk down the aisle (no dancing for me, thank you!), barely making it to the front with one of them before dashing back to meet the next one. Then when they received their certificates I was there to take a picture, give a big hug, and say, "I'm so proud of you!" Afterward we took more pictures and shared the celebration of this important milestone.

It was a joyous time, and I felt very blessed to be a part of it.