Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Sunday, December 28, 2008
The Harvest
This year we have seen one of the greatest harvests in many many years. God has blessed the region with abundance. The harvest is brought in by mostly women and children. They cut the rice out of the ground with a knife and bundle it. Then it is carried home and stored. Many people in our region do not eat their rice everyday but mix it with store bought rice. I find this curious and am still investigating the reason why they do not live off of their bounty. Never the less, this year there is lot's and lot's of rice. Thanks God!
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Christmas Cookies
After lunch we began the decorating. I was surprised at how everyone wanted to decorate cookies, even the new guy who I don't know. Ha ha. I love Wednesdays. The really special part was taking a picture of your cookie after you decorated it.
Christmas Cookies
My mother sent me two boxes full of individually wrapped presents. Each day or so I have been opening a present. The other day I opened a bag full of cookie cutters. Imagine my surprise! I was going to put these to good use. So I went in search of recipes, icing sugar, decorations for the cookies and food coloring. The food coloring and colored sugar came from the village of Niamone. Lisa, another American missionary, donated to the cause of village cookie making, plus my MOM!, and Ziguinchor super markets had a little bit to offer in terms of sprinkles. The rest was Oussouye talent at decorating the cookies. In the posts before and after this you will view the remarkable artistic talent to decorate Christmas Cookies. This was so unbelievable fun! Thanks to everyone that made it possible.
In the morning Marietou and I cut out and cooked all the cookies.
PS the photos were taken by everyone in the house. The camera was covered with icing at the end of the day!
Oh my Wednedays! Best Day of the week!
Each Wednesday I open the house up for students to come and have some fun! My house is a bit of a refuge. Jola's are known for their hard work. If the children are at home, normally they are doing work for the family. My place becomes the one afternoon they get to play. Watch movies, color with crayons, play on the internet, and eat in abundance. Each evening ends with our Bible Study. Some stay and others go, but they have experienced the love in this out and that is my aim.
New Roomy
A few days ago Jerome called me at about 9 p.m. and said a visitor was in town. Mary, she stays with Jerome and Marie Claire when she visits to plant and harvest her rice. Jerome opens his home for many students to stay there who's villages are too far to walk to school. So he needed a place for Paulette. Could she come and stay with me? "When" I asked. "Well she is on route to your house now." I guess that's yes then. Which is great because it means I am family and understand life in Oussouye. It's my pleasure actually because they open their homes to me each day when a spoon is handed to me and they say "eat." I normally respond "with pleasure." So Paulette is with me now for a bit. When I asked for how long, Jerome responded, "for awhile." When I asked Mary how long she would be in Oussouye, she said "mid January." No problem. It's great to have someone at the house everyday to chat with. I am realizing more and more that I need people around me.
So this morning she comes home after an hour of school. I said what happened. "strike again." She wasn't sure what to do so I showed her how to loaf on the couch. I demonstrated putting your feet up and laying down comfortable on the couch. She took to it quite nicely and I continued my work.
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