Jessie's Birthday Party

I helped plan a 30th birthday party for my friend Jessie. She is a translator who has allocated to Aitepe West where she is helping a multi-language program. When we found out that she would be here in Ukarumpa on her actual birthday, we knew we just had to plan something. She leaves again for the village on September 1st....so if we had waited, it would have been over a month before we could have had a party for her. In my opinion, that would just not do for a 30th celebration. (BTW- I am already planning mine.....I am hoping it will involve a helicopter ride!)

The party was thrown together the Wednesday before her birthday on Saturday. You would think that would be too short notice....but, no! We had about 24 people show up! :) In fact, only two people invited couldn't make it!

Also, miraculously, the WA Center was available for us to rent. This is THE place on center to have a party. It may look new and nice and a bit more modern than everything else here on center....and that is because it is! It is pretty inexpensive to rent for an evening, but it does book up rather quickly for week-end parties. (On a side note, my friends are throwing a joint baby shower/party for me and my friend Kelly next week-end. We are due 10 days apart. Our shower is really an excuse to ask the husbands to watch all the kids while the moms and other young adults get to hang out. I am SO excited about this party!!! It will be an overnight in the bottom section of this WA Center.)

Ok...back to this party:

Picture of Jessie with her cupcakes and dirt cake (per request & YUM!)

Here are the two pictures that were taken of me during the night. Above, I am trying to figure out iPod speakers and below, Jessie and Melody pretended to be pregnant with me. (Melody helped me plan this party.)

I think my belly looks cuter, don't you?? hehe.....their "babies" which were pillows are all misshapen and lumpy! Oh....and just so you know....I'm 25 weeks here.

I made these cupcakes for the party.

We thought it would be fun to rearrange the letters:

"Hippy Body Art Hath Jessie"

When Jessie comes back to Ukarumpa, she always likes to eat tacos! Think homemade tortillas piled high with all your favorite toppings....all fresh and all so yummy! In the village, you just can't eat like this. If you do, you are re-hydrating your meat, rolling out your own tortillas and stuffing them with other veggies.....but not the ones normally found in tacos. :)

Everyone brought a part of the taco meal and we had a ton of food.

Here are some pictures of the guests:

Joy and Mandy
Joy is a friend who used to live close to us when we were in the 4plex. She recently (about a month ago) returned from her village stay. Mandy is in my Bible Study (the couples one we go to on Thursday nights.) Mandy and her family work with Jessie out at the Aitepe West Project as translators for the multi-language program.

Melody and Hannah (above)
Melody is one of my best friends here on center. We work out together every M-W-F. It is nice to see her so often and to just chat about this and that. Hannah is helping me lead the high school senior girls' Bible Study on Monday nights. We have about 13 girls, so half meet with her and half meet with me. We are loving this new set up because we feel like we can be more intentional about the relationships with these girls now that there are less of them per "leader". We still meet in the same house every Monday, though.

Caryn and Shannon

Caryn is a high school teacher here (and roommates with Hannah above). Shannon is a hostel mom. She and her husband live pretty close to us in a hostel named Dorelo. Think college dorm, only for high schoolers. Lots of kids live here while their parents work elsewhere all over the country. Shannon and her husband are their "parents" when school is in session and the kids are here on center. It is a very demanding yet rewarding job. I couldn't do it, but I am thankful that God has sent so many amazing hostel parents who can....