Cooking in the village

This sweet lady was grinding peanuts to make g-nut paste.

Yes, that is a huge rock she is sitting and grinding on.

I was then taken to a hut where this other lady was grinding. It was a great chance to practice some language.

She was sweet to give me a chance to grind - although I think the laughing I provided for her and the other ladies was proper payment for her kindness.

All in all, there had been three ladies grinding g-nuts, so when they all finished, we brought them together to a community fire, and put them in a pot to cook.

This is g-nut paste. It never goes bad (sort of like peanut butter) because of all the oil.

She scraped off the oil at one point, and we were so excited, thinking it would be a healthier meal.

With the oil set aside, she added some cooked beans to the g-nut sauce, to make something they call ococa (pronounced "oh-cho-cha").

The smoke really burns the eyes - you can see Kylie for proof.

Then, she added the oil BACK to the beans and g-nut paste. Oh, yummy!

She let all the kids take turns stirring.

You can see what a kick they get out of a "man" doing housework.

They thought it was hilarious that Caleb stirred the pot.

Ococa.

They gave us seats of honor in the community building, and fed us enya and ococa.

After a good Bible story time, a filling meal and amazing company, we had to leave.

Hope to see you again soon, Etori!

Village Life

My kids were only bothered for a little while by the language barrier. I came out and talked in the little Lugbara I know, and soon, everyone was playing "Mbata, mbata, au" (Duck, duck, chicken).

New games in the shade.

Caleb decided to come in for story time. I have NO idea why he didn't use the door, except that he's a boy.

See! There was a door.

The momma of this little boy told me her son was NINE! Caleb just turned five, for those of you who don't know.

What a difference proper food and nutrition makes!

Karis found "boy," and they were happy most of the day. (When I asked his name, he told me his name was "boy," but I'm not sure either of us understood properly).

Caleb got more than a little dirty.

Caleb also took my camera and took these pictures.

Karis and "boy" got some company.

Caleb has a stick, pretending it's a sword, but apparently, it doesn't hinder him from drawing a crowd.

This was a great day for me and the kids. We hope to have many more like these in the months to come.

A village named Etori

Part of my team has been doing some agriculture ministry/Bible stories in a village near Arua.

I was blessed to be invited a couple of weeks ago, and the kids and I had a wonderful time.

I always find it so peaceful to be out in the village, with no cars or town noise.

The people of the village gathered in a building to learn the story of the woman at the well.

They really worked through the scriptures as they tried to tell it and re-tell it.

They decided they could learn it better if they acted it out. Immediately, a gentleman stood up, picked up Kylie's and Karis' shoes (who were outside barefoot - as usual), and he stacked them like you see below and put a ring of dried grass twined together over the top of them.

This represented the town. The bowl was the well, which we later moved farther away.

While Jesus waited at the well, the disciples went to town to buy food.

Here comes the woman to the well to meet Jesus.

This little one kept crawling to the well, so we passed him around so the "actors" could focus.