Aunty M. has been on leave, a much needed rest between teams and 17 hour days. But I am a bit lost without her. I have been so spoiled while living in Salone. I haven’t had to cook for myself or worry about coming home after a day at the center and finding something to eat. I’ve dined on some of the best Chinese stir-fry ever, ground-nut stew that is heavenly, and chocolate cake (although I would never be allowed to eat just chocolate cake for dinner!) With my “Sierra Leone Mother” gone I’ve been fending for myself and gotten pretty good at noodles and laughing cow cheese!
However, the worst part is not my cooking—it’s eating alone. I don’t really care for it. And I can’t simply sit and enjoy a meal alone; I must find something else to do while eating! This has all lead to me eating lunch with the kids at the center occasionally. Tuesday’s are my favorite days because we have beans! Today though, it was crain-crain. Another green leaf mixed with palm oil, maggi, and pepper and boiled and put on top of rice. Honestly the food itself doesn’t bring much joy. Some days there is so much pepper in it my upper lip sweats and I wonder if I am going to make it through the bowl in front of me. But I’ve realized that the joy comes in sharing a meal with others. And didn’t Jesus say something about fellowshipping around a table? And Paul about eating with one another?
It seems somehow sacred to sit and share in the abundance of food that these precious children have begun taking for granted…they always say thank you…but I think that they are trusting that they will be provided for. That food is not something they need to worry about right now; they can be children and play and not starve. And they fight over which table I should sit at and which one gets to watch “the white man eat black food” and they claim that cassava is making my skin darker!
(September 1, 2011)
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