Cultural Differences In Cooking

Even after all the years we've been in Africa I still shake my head at the way Africans do things. It always cracks me up when they remind ME of the crazy way I do things!!

Today while preparing dinner Pelegrino and Elisha were sitting at our dining room table with Bill studying the Bible. I was making a garlic-ginger paste for my new Indian recipes. Out came the blender, which made so much noise they had to take a break and just watch me. It was at this point that Pele asked Bill, "Do all American girls go to school to learn how to cook?" I've been told before by African women that there are way too many steps in our food preparation. I guess Pele was of the same mind because he thought there was no way an ordinary woman could learn to do this without a proper school. Little does he understand that my schooling came from the school of Trial and Error!

You know, actually going to a school to learn how to cook from scratch would be a great idea for the new missionary wife. I mean let's face it. Unless you've been blessed with a mother or grandmother who taught you how to cook we are clueless to what real "from scratch" cooking is.  I can well remember our first term in Kenya and my attempt at making re-fried beans from dried beans. I didn't realize I needed to clean them first. Weren't we surprised when our first bite showed it was full of BUGS!

Now I have an even better idea that is actually do-able... Maybe some of you older ladies can teach these new missionary wives how to cook! I know a godly lady in our church who often hosts a missionary family in her home during our church's Missions Conference. She happens to be a GREAT cook and could be such a blessing to these wives. Life can be so overwhelming when a new missionary family first arrives. There is so much to adjust to. If you add to that a wife who hasn't the faintest idea what to do with an open market, dried beans, and rice that is not done in a minute, well just picture her standing in the kitchen with tears rolling down her cheeks in despair while a hungry child pulls on her skirt! You think I'm exaggerating? Nope, I've been there!

I'd love to hear about any other missionary wife's story about learning to cook from scratch. I'd also enjoy hearing how you older ladies have lived out the Titus 2 woman by teaching your valuable cooking skills!

HAPPY COOKING!!!

Our God Of Miracles

I had the HUGE privilege of seeing God work a miracle! Some months back a pastor's wife, Justa, came to me for some advice. She and Pastor Delphinus have been married for going on eight years and she had never been able to conceive. She had gone to several doctors and was finally told that it would be next to impossible to conceive, and even if she did her uterus was off to the side and would burst about three months into the pregnancy. However, she continued to pray for a baby. Being childless is a major deal here with African women. Their total identity and security is wrapped up in their children. To not have a child is a great shame here. It was also a hindrance in her being accepted in her role as a pastor's wife. Then about a year ago her brother agreed for her to adopt his child since the mother had died in childbirth. Maria was 1 years old when she came to live with Justa and Delphinus. They took that as God's answer, although never stopped praying if it be His will to give them another child.

 

The day Justa arrived at our home for some counsel she was coming up on three months pregnant and was fearful that any day her uterus would burst and she would lose this baby and possibly die. She hadn't even allowed herself to experience the joy that she actually got pregnant after 7 years. She just kept thinking of the news that doctors had given her about a year prior. I had heard of a good clinic about 30 minutes away so we made plans to drive there the next day to see a doctor. When we arrived they took her in for an ultra-sound and the Tanzanian doctor reassured her that her uterus would NOT burst. That as the baby grew, her uterus would also grow. Justa and I got to see the baby's little heart beat. When we left the clinic and got into my car I asked her if I needed to further explain what the doctor had told her. She said yes and could hardly believe it was true. She was three months along and the baby was doing great. We sat in the car and praised the Lord! She just kept saying over and over again, Mungu ni ajabu!!! God is amazing!

I went to visit Justa one day to explain about what to expect in childbirth and how to know when she should go to the hospital. I wasn't quite sure the baby was head down and the local clinic she was going to hadn't said anything on her last visit. I felt the Lord urging me to take her back to the Nyakato Clinic so we made plans to go a few days later. When we arrived the place was packed! I hadn't realized there was going to be a team of doctors from the States there doing surgery. We waited, and waited, and waited. When we finally got to see the doctor he did another ultrasound and told us the baby was breech.  He told Justa that she needed to go to the hospital to have her baby and that they might have to do a c-section. Now I'm not a doctor, but as far as I understood most breech babies in the United States are taken by c-section. I was nervous about going back home so told Justa to wait for me and I would try and find the American nurse who helps run the clinic. As soon as I explained the situation she said she needed to be seen by the American doctor who was there, who "HAPPENED" to be an OB/GYN. So we waited some more and then the doctor checked her and found that the baby was presenting feet first. A c-section was in order and he and his team were willing to do it. So what was a visit turned into an overnight stay with the c-section scheduled for early the next morning. However, the Lord knew she needed to be in that clinic that very day because in the night her water broke and she went into labor. Bill and I picked up her husband and rushed to the clinic. We got there just in time for her to be taken into surgery. We waited (again), with her husband who could not stop smiling and praising God. A few minutes later we watched him hold his beautiful little girl, Rachel.

That night I stayed with Justa and Rachel and went over again and again in my mind about what a miracle this baby was. She was born to parents who never thought they would conceive. She was carried full-term when the doctors said it could not happen. She went to the clinic and when we found out the baby was breech there were American doctors there to do the c-section. We serve a GLORIOUS GOD!!!!!

Enjoy the journey!

This morning as I was taking a walk I began to notice my surroundings. I saw three women in typical African dress (a colorful kanga wrapped around them as a skirt) walking together in companionable conversation with containers on their heads. This is something I see most every day. To me it is the norm. Next I hear a man who is cutting a hedge singing. Again, another very common thing here. All around me is life happening - African style. However, it is easy to grow accustomed to things that make tourists smile and take pictures. In fact, photographers and journalists from all over the world come to take pictures and write articles on the life I don't even think twice about anymore. You see, I'm just like you. I get wrapped up in doing laundry, cleaning the house, cooking, helping my daughter with homework, going to church, etc. It is easy for me to just live and not enjoy the life God has called me to. What about you? Have you taken life for granted? Maybe the beauty of the mountains? The stars? The sound of your child giggling as he plays with the puppy? Maybe the sound of the church choir or orchestra? As the song says, we need to stop and smell the roses. So as for me, I spent some time talking to the Lord and asking Him to help me today to rejoice in the unique life He has allowed me to live in Tanzania and to not get caught up in the daily living, but to enjoy the journey!

Trip to Tabora

Our family took a little vacation and went to the city of Tabora. We have missionary friends there, Tim and Kim Whitfield. We’ve known them since we first moved to Africa in 1995. It took about 7 hours, although it was only 230 miles. It was a long drive, but it was nice to get away from the big city of Mwanza and have some time of fellowship with our friends.

It just so happened that the Whitfields also had guests from the US – Tim’s parents. Bill and Faye have been in the ministry for many, many years. Abby enjoyed spending some time with “Grandpa and Grandma” during our time there. She and Faye spent one afternoon in the kitchen baking a delicious lemon cake from scratch! It’s always a blessing when she gets a chance to be with other godly women and learn from them.

We were thankful for the many days and nights of power while there. Up until our visit the power had been going off just about every day. However, one night it did go off - just in time for dinner. We pulled all the leftovers out and I heated them up on a one burner gas tank. It took a while to get everyone’s desired leftovers heated. (Abby had fun taking pictures of me. She said it looked a bit like a witch cooking her brew. Not sure if that was much of a complement for dear ole Mom, but I do have to agree that the lighting in the pictures was eerie!)

On our return home we stopped to look at a well known tree here called the Baobab Tree. It is an oddly shaped tree that is humongous. To show how big it is, we had Abby stand next to it. Can you even find her?!

Here is a bit of background information I found online:

"The Baobab is called the Tree of Life with good reason. It is capable of providing shelter, food and water for the animal and human inhabitants of the African savannah regions.

The cork-like bark is fire resistant and is used for cloth and rope. The leaves are used for condiments and medicines. The fruit, called "monkey bread", is rich in vitamin C and is eaten. The tree is capable of storing hundreds of litres of water, which is tapped in dry periods.

Mature trees are frequently hollow, providing living space for numerous animals and humans alike. Trees are even used as bars, barns and more. The Baobab also features as the Tree of Life in Disney's "Lion King", and is the centrepiece in Disney's Animal Kingdom." http://www.baobab-solutions.com/the_baobab.htm

Hit The Ground Running...

We arrived back in Tanzania on November 5th and hit the ground running! The national pastor we work closely with, Pelegrino, was getting married on December 3rd and we only had weeks to help him plan this big event in his life. We have been praying with Pastor Pelegrino for a godly wife for years. Now those years of praying were finally coming to fruition and we wanted the day to be as special as possible for this new couple.



Right after the wedding Bill taught a counseling class at Lake Victoria Baptist Bible College here in Mwanza. It is always a blessing to meet together with these men and women as they prepare for the ministry. I look forward to teaching a ladies class next term in June.



Next were the holidays and all the special church services in each of the six churches we work directly with. The day found us celebrating with our newest church plant in the village of Kitongo. We also enjoyed a traditional turkey dinner with fellow missionaries Greg and Paige Wagoner and Family.

The New Year has brought some new ministries the Lord has laid on our hearts. This past Wednesday Bill started Bible Institute classes at the Independent Baptist Church of Igekemaja. He is teaching the book of Matthew. We also look forward to the upcoming Family Seminars we'll be teaching at each of the churches in the Mwanza area. Our first being in T-X on January 22. Then on January 28th we will begin hosting a monthly Pastor's Fellowship at our house.

We are excited to see what plans God has for us in 2011!