Bless this food before us set,
it needs all the help that it can get
On many of our trips, meals consisted of some crazy foods. I thought I would share about some of more adventurous eating.
We had a team with us in Kenya one year. The places we visited included some schools. The first prepared a meal for us. The team spread out across several small square tables each holding four individuals. My husband and I sat across from two other team members. The meal consisted of a soup like stew over reach with lots of fresh vegetables. The woman across from me excitedly dipped her spoon into the steaming bowl of goodness. As she pulled it back out, I noticed her eyes widen in horror. I glanced at her spoon and spied the chicken head complete with beak and eyes intact. I quickly hushed her so she would not scream. I did not want to insult our host. We explained to our team member that the head in the soup showed how fresh it was and it was an honor to get it. She was not amused but ate all the rest like a trooper. A good lesson to remember is to always expect the unexpected and not react in way that upsets those who prepared it.
I like to help around the kitchen when we visit different areas. The local women love to teach me their skills. One day, they proudly announced their plans to teach me how to wash and braid intestines. WHAT? I need to stop volunteering to help. They brought me the raw intestines and showed me how to run water through them until it ran clear. OK – Yuck. Then we let them dry for a little while before I started the about what I was braiding. I debated with myself about adding this skill to my resume?!?!? Worse part, I still had to eat them as part of dinner.
In Nepal, the food struggle is the choices offered for meals. We get rice with spicy vegetables for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack before bed. After about three days, I usually swear I will never eat rice again in my life but I still have six days left with this trip. As spoiled Americans with all the variety of food options, I cannot imagine eating the same thing every day for years and years.
Oxtail soup, whole fish on plates staring back up at you, organ meats of all kinds, and various varieties of freshly butchered animals adorned our plates through the years. God was always with us and all these meals offered to us with love. I would not change any of these experiences for anything. I am just always glad to get back home and back to my regular food. God is good.
Yvonne
Matthew 28:19 “Therefore, GO and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”
