Unique Christmas Gifts

During the weeks of Christmas break a number of students stay here on campus instead of traveling to their families for the holidays.  Most do so because they can't afford to travel home and because they can earn extra money by working for the school during the break.  One of the groups of people that keep ABC running is the night security guys.  They patrol all over the college, faculty housing, clinic, and academy from 6:00 pm until 6:00 am while we're all asleep.  During the semester they do this and then go to class!  From time to time they get a "wall jumper" coming in to scavenge whatever but thankfully, in recent months, things have been quiet for them. 

Sarah and I wanted to do something for them -- and the dozen or so others who work various jobs around the campus -- for Christmas break.  I overheard some students talking about how their special Christmas day meal of roasted goat turned out to be a meal of goat bones as someone charged with preparing it absconded with the actual meat.

I inquired that goat meat to feed 25 people could be purchased for about 8000 Kwacha (about $40) so Sarah and I gave the head security guard (Richard) the money to go out and purchase the goat meat for a New Year's Day dinner.  To our surprise, today just after lunch time Richard knocks on our door and very politely says, "We purchased the goat and wanted to show HIM to you before we cook him."  He looked so proud and happy that I didn't want to disappoint him by telling him I had no desire to see this poor creature moments before his demise.  Also, Grace (who we call "the Ears" cause she never misses anything) overheard about a goat and instantly wanted to go and see him. 

Richard walked us across campus and behind the (you guessed it) dining hall, and there filling up with grass was a clueless, shaggy goat.  Grace ran up to him and started petting him with Richard alongside.  She asked if we could call him "Pet" but I quickly discouraged any naming.  Two students stood in the background holding knives but Grace never saw them - or if she did, she didn't put 2 and 2 together.  Gotta love the innocence.  At dinner tonight Grace asked us, "Tomorrow will the goat be a goat - or will there just be meat instead?"  How her 5 year old mind is processing this is beyond me but I didn't feel like she needed the full visual just yet. 
The students thanked Sarah and I profusely and they welcomed us to come up to the dining hall after church tomorrow to partake.  Maybe this is a return gesture for the fruitcake we forced on them before Christmas?

My apologies to all the vegetarians out there - but this is life in Malawi.