Killing a chicken and drinking Mata

Sometimes God works in mysterious ways. This week was another great week in Africa.

I got to lead devotions on Tuesday before we left for the village. We played a team bonding game where we each had a partner and had to find thing in common with each other. It was very successful and took up our whole devotion time. I never know how to plan for devotions because things take longer or shorter than I expect. After devos we ran a sponsored kid party. They all came about 9am and Portia and I got to lead praise and worship. The kids love when us mzungus lead because we really have no idea what we are doing half of the time. We also got to lead a bible study with them and encourage their spiritual growth. We talked about how they are such a treasure in Gods eyes. The message was led by Gaspar and then we got a chance to spend time answering questions and praying together. After that it was time to EAT! We made porridge for them and gave them each a roll. I would say there were about 75 kids but I could be totally off I am not much of a gestimater.

 

I still cannot believe I am here.

 

Then we loaded up the van for a week in Zirobwe. We were on for manual labor this week.

I always set up as fast I can and then run to my favorite houses and play with my friends. I feel like a kid again running over to my neighbors house and playing with the kids and visiting other peoples houses. I grabbed my bag of string and beads and ran to Mama Franks house. On the way I ran into one of my best friends Sande and we walked to Franks house and sat and beaded with mama- I taught her how to make the bracelets that I always wear. She has really bad eyesight so it took her a good 3 minutes to put one bead on. As we sat on a mat in the dirt and we all lounged around the children that live there (Fred and Gaba who are both under the age of 5) ran around and picked up Encocos (chickens) and through them as high as they could to see if they could fly and the chickens face was obviously in some sort of distress. As I was falling asleep a bug kept hitting my tent thinking that it could get through and paranoid as I am every couple minutes I would shine my phone light around the tent just to make sure it wasn't actually inside.

 

I woke up to the rain (encuba) pounding on the tin roof that was above our heads. I smiled because I knew that meant I could get out of manual labor because we cant work in the rain here. Somehow God knew that was why I smiled because it stopped raining as soon as we were meant to start work so we went. We planted maize from 9- noon and spent time singing. After it rains here- when the sun comes out it get SUPER HOT...like unbearably hot. It feels like you are standing still and the sweat is just pouring off of you. With that said I am looking into getting a solar paneled refrigerator so that we can have cold water waiting for us. If you want to donate or know someone who wants to please let me know I will be eternally grateful!

   

We had rice, vegetable curry sauce, and matoke with Gnut sauce for lunch.

 

We also had a financial planning meeting with the teachers from our primary school. I didn't realize what little resources the school is running off f right now. It was great to be able to hear what they invision for the coming years. They currently don't even have plates to eat off of, the kitchen they use is falling apart, and many of them do not even have the materials to clean their classrooms along with many other things. All that aside this is our first year and I am excited to see how the Lord is going to provide. During this meeting though- one of the teachers heads up the "senior women" section of the school which educates young girls about their bodies and helps them in crisis times. All the male teachers plugged their ears, or left, or started making silly jokes because they were uncomfortable. It was an INCREDIBLE reminder that boys are boys no matter where they live. :)

 

Now: the story you have been waiting for.... the ENCOCO

Alex came to me two weeks ago and just was asking me questions and asked me if I eat chicken. I said not in Uganda because I am scared of the meat haha. This week he told me he had asked that only because when I left in February he was able to work for some money and buy a small chick...now five months later it was grown and ready to eat. He had bought it for me in hopes that I would return. Of course I felt like the worst person in the whole world because I had let him down when he had asked me if I liked meat. He told me that he wanted to meet at 5 and we go to his moms house. it was a very cultural experience we walked about 3/4 of a mile to his moms place and all of his siblings and his mom were there waiting for us and greeted me very traditionally kneeled down and brought me the best seat that they could. We had a film going that had been translated into Luganda so Alex didn't want to stay long so they presented me with the chicken and off we went. Mind you I am always scared they are going to try to peck at my hand and so I was super nervous about killing it but I had to redeem myself and embrace the African way. As we waled back to the training center Dad Sande stopped me and asked me if I would come to their house in the morning to take Mata (milk) and that he would have it delivered if I wasn't able to make it.

 

Half way home we stopped to take a photo with the chicken and right after the photo was shot the chicken jumped out of my hand and ran as fast as it could into the bushes we had to run after it...it knew what was about to happen.  Alex, Sande, and Frank all helped me because I couldn't do it by myself. I wasn't even strong enough at first but then I told myself I had to do it and then I did it! I became a killer. haha. I couldn't believe I was able to bring myself to it. All the kids that were standing around just laughed because I was so proud at what I had accomplished. the boys gutted it and then we had fried chicken for lunch today.

 

During manual labor Shadia brought me a bucket of fresh cowks milk. Viola cooked it with some Ginger and it was some of the most delicious milk I had ever tasted.

 

That's my week in a nutshell. <3

 

This week was good. As you can tell by the photos.