markets and church

This was a nice weekend. Friday we got out early because of the kid’s exam. We saw Joshua, a teacher and invited him for sodas at the duka. It’s a little ritual we have, to get sodas. Joshua is a sweetheart and talked to the pastor and translated for us the history of Manow and the school. I kind of went in and out but it was nice to get interaction. That night Marty and I graded the tests and two got 100%! I was proud.

Saturday was market in Lwangwe with Jacob. We got sweet potatoes, lots of tomatoes, lettuce, bananas and avocados. I love avocados. They are only 20 cents here, so we get our fill!! Marty has started cooking breakfast with fried egg and some avocado. So yummy. Ooh and the best part- we got over four pounds of beef! It’s hard to get protein in our diets. We eat eggs and meat when we can. Later we got a surprise dinner of chips mai ai from Mr. Macame. That’s potatoes (irish, they delineate since sweet ones are more common) sliced into fry shapes and cooked in fried egg. It’s super greasy and super good. I like it with ketchup. Nicole, you’d be proud. We thought we were just invited over for a visit, not a whole meal! When you eat, they always begin with woman pouring a pitcher of water over your hands to clean them. Then, at every meal so far I’ve been to, you have a soda with your meal. The sodas are in a glass that has been used probably a good 20 times because they are worn white. It’s a cool system really, and we Americans should get rid of our plastic “recycling” ways and do this. The food was delicious and we decided we’ll get a kitange for the mother. (Sewing material to make clothes, looks like a Hawaiian sarong but not stretchy and darker in color) That’s etiquette for dinner invitations. Then we got a tour of Macame’s farm which was beautiful because we went up on the high hills and overlooked the country, including our town Manow and neighboring Lwangwe.

Later we had good ol chili with our freshly purchased meat. We invited Jacob over to join us. Thanks to him, we got the meat without any bones or fat. That’s a feat! Sunday my parents called and we tried figuring out places they could find on the internet that is located close to me. I was a bit out of it, so I’ll have to have them call me again. We got to church at 10 am and it was 2 ½ hours. Almost like an LDS church! They had three choirs, blessing for the Form 4 kids because they have testing next week and local news. The choirs were so pretty with their acapella. I got a little emotional because although there are not many who can talk to me with the Swahili language barrier, I could listen to the harmony and beauty of the songs. The last song was one I actually recognized from our hymn book and I was thrilled! I felt at home. The whole service, I didn’t know a lick of what we were doing. All in Swahili. I followed the liturgy and the evangelist Mwandenkuka helped me find scriptures. After there was the weekly auction and they sold a mkeka for elfukuminatano (14,000 shillings…aka 13 bucks for a straw weaved rug), a live chicken, 6 feet long sugar canes, and a tree limb thing with big leaves. Only in Africa right? Later we got invited for lunch at Jacob’s. It was very nice. Actually it was way nice to get comfortable and chat. I feel like I haven’t really opened up or been my bubbly self because this school thing stresses me out. I got up and down. But Jacob gives me motivation to really be positive and pay it forward. He is an AIDS orphan and he volunteered for three months teaching at an orphanage. He is supporting three boys and is really generous. He’s going to be really missed in this community when he sets off to Dar for his masters. But it will be so good for him, plus he’ll be reunited with his wife.

Tonight I ended a good night with banana pancakes with Marty, calling Liz and having a good convo, and saying goodbye on the phone to Nancy. She’s flying out of Dar. Makes me think of flying out and how I think, I will miss it here. I will make connections and friends and I don’t think I’ll ever have the means to come back since it’s so expensive to fly here. Sounds strange. I am so glad for this crazy unique opportunity. Wow I am blessed.