Bonjour ya’ll! So this weekend a few of us woke up early to greet families. (It’s a custom to go and greet your neighbor, whether you know them well or not, and you just sit with them & talk). However, we did not know that we were going on a walk to do this : ) Needless to say, it was quite the adventure. On our journey we met a few old ladies, one of which escorted us to a courtyard whose son had just died, and we wanted to go and greet the family there. So instead of walking back out onto the main road, she took us the jungle route!! It was so cool. We met a man making moon shine at the river and he asked if we wanted any..Anglekia politely declined and said that it was too early in the morning for alcohol, maybe later. Haha it was great!
This morning we were paired up to go back out into the villages we visited (by
ourselves!) and given certain questions to either ask or observe within a courtyard setting. The questions were for a class on hygiene that we are taking. My partner, Jamie, and I went to a lady right across the road named Amina. She works a fast food stand…now when I say fast food, it’s not McDonalds!! It’s a little shack looking thing where farmers, bicyclists, pedestrians or anyone using the main road can sit on a bench out of the hot sun and eat fish, atteike, beans, rice and vegetables or take it to go in a little baggie. Haha, I cannot describe the situation well enough, so thankfully Jamie took some awesome pictures. When we first saw Amina and greeted her I asked if she would teach me how to cook. She laughed at me (my French really stinks!) and said ok. So..Jamie and I were given a bucket of raw fish heads, fish tails and various cut up fish parts and another bucket of flour. We rolled the fish around and put them into a pan of boiling oil. Since this stand is randomly on the side of the road there’s no electricity or stoves or anything, so the pan of oil was balanced between three rocks with wood burning underneath. After all of the fish was done she offered us some food…AND I ATE IT!!!! It was actually the best atteike I think I have ever had! (Atteike is African couscous and for those who don’t know what couscous is it’s a root) and the fish wasn’t bad, and what I’m excited about is that I didn’t get sick from it : ) The customers got a kick out of the fact that we cooked the fish and everyone was super friendly and greeted us. [picture is me eating...more pictures will be up hopefully tomorrow on Picasa, be looking out for a link]
Side note:
After the elections…we now have 2 presidents!! Haha people joke around with us Americans saying that America hasn’t even done that yet. But in all seriousness, things have been heating up here in the country. Thankfully being on ICA campus is probably one of the, if not the most, safest places to be in the entire country and there has been no hostility towards foreigners where we are. We have already prepared for evacuation drills if need be. However, my heart breaks for the families here! People are truly sick of war and are yearning for peace. There’s a refugee family staying with us for awhile, because things were getting hectic where they were. When the president with the minority of votes was sworn in the mother of this family seemed overwhelmed holding her 4 month old baby boy in her arms. She got up and left with a few tears in her eyes. That’s when it hit me. My safety is totally secure (thus far) but these families lives are here...this is their home, their work, their everything!! We have the option of leaving and being evacuated if things get bad, they can’t! My heart breaks for them! This mother’s heart is breaking for her young child’s future. I’ve never been so thankful for freedom and safety at home, in my entire life. Freedom and safety are not a need...they’re a luxury! And it’s a luxury that we take for granted every single day! Please keep these families in your prayers along with the country. I heard Cote d’Ivoire made front page news back in the states, so hopefully you know a little bit more about what’s going.
Prayer Request:
~The country
~The Ivorian families living here
~Safety
~Against spiritual attack
Scripture:
I can’t help, but think of the similarities in events between the crisis here in Cote d’Ivoire and in the Old Testament, when Judah was exiled and the Babylonians finally conquered them after 2 ½ years. However, I think it’s important to hold onto the truth that our Lord is a good God ALWAYS!! Even when times are bad…I like to remember
“For I know the plans I have for you says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.” ~Jeremiah 29:11-13
This morning we were paired up to go back out into the villages we visited (by
ourselves!) and given certain questions to either ask or observe within a courtyard setting. The questions were for a class on hygiene that we are taking. My partner, Jamie, and I went to a lady right across the road named Amina. She works a fast food stand…now when I say fast food, it’s not McDonalds!! It’s a little shack looking thing where farmers, bicyclists, pedestrians or anyone using the main road can sit on a bench out of the hot sun and eat fish, atteike, beans, rice and vegetables or take it to go in a little baggie. Haha, I cannot describe the situation well enough, so thankfully Jamie took some awesome pictures. When we first saw Amina and greeted her I asked if she would teach me how to cook. She laughed at me (my French really stinks!) and said ok. So..Jamie and I were given a bucket of raw fish heads, fish tails and various cut up fish parts and another bucket of flour. We rolled the fish around and put them into a pan of boiling oil. Since this stand is randomly on the side of the road there’s no electricity or stoves or anything, so the pan of oil was balanced between three rocks with wood burning underneath. After all of the fish was done she offered us some food…AND I ATE IT!!!! It was actually the best atteike I think I have ever had! (Atteike is African couscous and for those who don’t know what couscous is it’s a root) and the fish wasn’t bad, and what I’m excited about is that I didn’t get sick from it : ) The customers got a kick out of the fact that we cooked the fish and everyone was super friendly and greeted us. [picture is me eating...more pictures will be up hopefully tomorrow on Picasa, be looking out for a link]Side note:
After the elections…we now have 2 presidents!! Haha people joke around with us Americans saying that America hasn’t even done that yet. But in all seriousness, things have been heating up here in the country. Thankfully being on ICA campus is probably one of the, if not the most, safest places to be in the entire country and there has been no hostility towards foreigners where we are. We have already prepared for evacuation drills if need be. However, my heart breaks for the families here! People are truly sick of war and are yearning for peace. There’s a refugee family staying with us for awhile, because things were getting hectic where they were. When the president with the minority of votes was sworn in the mother of this family seemed overwhelmed holding her 4 month old baby boy in her arms. She got up and left with a few tears in her eyes. That’s when it hit me. My safety is totally secure (thus far) but these families lives are here...this is their home, their work, their everything!! We have the option of leaving and being evacuated if things get bad, they can’t! My heart breaks for them! This mother’s heart is breaking for her young child’s future. I’ve never been so thankful for freedom and safety at home, in my entire life. Freedom and safety are not a need...they’re a luxury! And it’s a luxury that we take for granted every single day! Please keep these families in your prayers along with the country. I heard Cote d’Ivoire made front page news back in the states, so hopefully you know a little bit more about what’s going.
Prayer Request:
~The country
~The Ivorian families living here
~Safety
~Against spiritual attack
Scripture:
I can’t help, but think of the similarities in events between the crisis here in Cote d’Ivoire and in the Old Testament, when Judah was exiled and the Babylonians finally conquered them after 2 ½ years. However, I think it’s important to hold onto the truth that our Lord is a good God ALWAYS!! Even when times are bad…I like to remember
“For I know the plans I have for you says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.” ~Jeremiah 29:11-13
Wow, Shorty I am so glad you ate the fish! And it's so sad but true about the things going on with the countries government. I love that you could share with us the disconnect of the elections and things going on politically there with the knowledge that you are safe and this is their future so sad, but thanks for giving us that perspective. Love you.
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