Umuganda Cookies!

So what does a pregnant girl do when she is hungry and craving cookies but all the shops are closed for the community work morning and she can't find a recipe that uses the ingredients she has on hand?  She creates her own cookie recipe!  Every last Saturday of the month here in Rwanda is a day we call "Umuganda."  On that day the people (or at least one person from each household) come together in the community and they do work together.  Maybe it is digging or cutting grass in the community or some other kind of project but it happens every last Saturday of every month.  All the shops are closed for the morning from around 8 until 12 ish, hense the reason I could not go to the store.  So I did something that I have never tried before...how hard could it be to create a simple cookie?  When I say simple, I mean simple, but in the end, after a near disaster, they actually taste great!  Just for fun, let me give you the recipe exactly the way I made it :)

Umuganda Cookies

Whatever margarine happens to be left in the container (it happened to be about 1/4 cup)
3/4 cup of shortening (or whatever it takes to make a total of one cup mixed with the margarine)
2 eggs (one Rwandan egg and one "muzungu" egg) *Rwandan eggs are generally smaller and have an almost             orange yolk, and for whatever reason they are also more expensive.  I think they come from a                   different kind of chicken?
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla
1 teaspoon of almond flavoring
a pinch or two of salt

1) Cream together shortening and sugar.  Add eggs (cracking them into a separate container first to be sure they are good since I bought them from a young boy along the road :)  Mix well (by hand of course since we don't have an electric mixer)

2) Gradually add the flour, soda, and salt mixing well with each addition.  Add vanilla and almond flavoring.

3) Turn on gas, light the oven with a match.  Turn the dial between the third and forth dash (it has no temperature markings so I just take a wild guess!)  Remove the tray that came with the oven but also serves as a cookie sheet since I don't have one of those either.  Grease the tray.

4) Drop two dough blobs onto tray and put in oven to "see" what happens. Be sure the oven tray is all the way at the top of the oven to prevent burning since your oven is basically a box with fire on the bottom!  Haha, no fan to circulate heat evenly.  Turn the tray half way through baking time in attempt to bake more evenly.  Bake until you realize that it is not working and the cookies are completely flat and beginning to burn.  Remove from oven.  Take a break and have lunch while pondering what to do with the bowl of dough that seems to have been a total waste.

5) Decide to try again.  Add more flour (making a total of about 2 1/2 cups) to the dough and refrigerate for about an hour or two.

6) Light oven again.  Roll the now chilled and stiff dough into small balls, roll in sugar until coated, flatten with a fork and test two more cookies in the oven.  Bake for about 8 mins. or until light brown around the sides.  Hey, not bad!  Taste one and let your husband taste the other one.  He approves :)

7) Bake the rest of the cookies in the same way, rolling out little balls and coating in sugar, flattening with a fork.

8) Make a nice cup of tea for your husband and enjoy the cookies!

So, it was a bit of an experiment and this recipe probably totally confused you but it was a fun little project and I was actually pretty proud of the outcome :)

So Mom tells me that quite a few people have recently told her that they enjoy reading and following my blog!  That is exciting for me since I really enjoy writing it but was never really sure that anyone was actually reading it!  So thanks for reading :)  Hope you continue to enjoy the little glimpses from our family and our life here in Rwanda.
Yesterday was a tiring day in town for me.  Mission #1: find a new (and not too expensive) fan!  There are several "western-type" stores in town that I knew would have fans but they are always way over-priced (sometimes even double the price).  So yesterday I decided to put my language and bargaining skills to the test on the street to see what I could find.  I ventured to the crowded vending streets of town where I tend to be the only "muzungu" (white person) to see what I could find.  I quickly became the entertainment of the day as I turned heads and heard whispers of "wow look at that pregnant white woman."  Of course they were not speaking English so I quickly made a fun little game out of surprising them by responding in Kinyarwanda and watching as they seemed embarrassed as they realized that I understood what they were saying about me!  It was quite entertaining on both sides, I must say.
My husband was at a pastors' seminar all day so I was on my own in my little shopping adventure this time.  It was a very tiring and very hot day but at the end of it I had found my fan and a maternity dress along with meeting some very interesting people and making a few new friends along the way.  I say it was a success! 
And after that long day, I picked my husband up at the seminar and we drove home together.  We had a relaxing evening and I slept like a baby with my new fan!  It was quite wonderful!

Just thought I would add (following yesterday's post with the Garden Herb Braid bread recipe) that this morning I used left over bread to make a fabulous egg sandwich!  It also makes killer grilled cheese!  You could even make the bread without all the spices (or use cinnamon and nutmeg) and then use it for some really great french toast.  So easy and very versatile!  It's a keeper :)

Mmmmm....rainy day lunch!

Rainy season has begun.  I can't say I am excited or looking forward to all that means...mud, mud, and more mud!  But I can say that I love cooking in rainy season!  Of course, it helps that I have set up a little indoor kitchen, no running water or sink (and obviously no dishwasher or microwave), but it is a little room where I put our gas stove and small fridge.  I also have a nice little table and shelf so I am pretty happy with my kitchen!  Rainy season puts me in the mood to cook (well at least it did today).  We LOVE soup in our house when it is a little chilly so today was the perfect day for soup and homemade bread!  I don't share many recipes on my blog but this one is too good to keep to myself.  Not to mention EASY!  I have to give credit though...the recipe came from my sister's blog.  I am not sure where she got the recipe but I am glad she shared! :)  It is one of those easy recipes that looks awesome when it is done and makes you feel like you really know how to cook :)  My husband was impressed too! We ate it with a simple creamy chicken (minus the real chicken, just flavor) noodle and corn soup that I whipped up. Top it all off with a little shredded cheese and you have the perfect rainy day lunch!   Delicious! 

 

 

 Garden Herb Braid

4 to 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons sugar

2 pkg quick rise yeast ( 1 pkg. = 2 1/4 teaspoons)

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

3/4 teaspoons each:

          thyme

          parsley flakes

          basil

          oregano

         dried rosemary, crushed

         rubbed sage

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup butter, cubed 

1 egg

In a large mixing bowl combine 1 1/2 cups flour, sugar, yeast, salt and herbs. In a microwave safe bowl combine milk, water and butter. Heat to 120-130 degrees. Add to dry ingredients, beat just until all dry ingredients are moistened. Add egg and beat until smooth. Stir in remaining flour to form a soft dough.

Knead on a floured surface until smooth and elastic, just a few minutes. Cover and let rest for about 10 minutes. Divide dough into thirds and shape into a 15" rope. Place ropes on a greased baking pan and braid. Pinch ends and tuck under braid. Cover and let rise until doubled, only about 20-30 minutes.

Bake at 375 degrees fro 25 minutes. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle a few left over herbs on top (optional). Remove to wire rack to cool. (yields 16 slices)

 

 ENJOY!

 

Blessed and humbled

We had a wonderful visit from the women from the church today.  There were nine of them and five of them brought their babies or young children.  What a delight!  We enjoyed some fanta (soda) and cakes (sort of like a bread) together.  It was a great time.  I was so incredibly blessed and humbled by their visit and especially their great generosity!  I know these women and I know how hard life is for them and their families.  I see them struggling and suffering and yet they have such generous hearts.  They came bearing many gifts for us (pictures below).  How sweet of them!  Things are quite different when you are pastoring a church in rural Africa!  You get paid very little in the sense of money but the people give what they have and they have such good hearts!  I was almost brought to tears as one mama shared from her heart that we are together, and just because our skin is different we can't let that separate us.  We are the same and they accept me as one of them.  God has knit our hearts together in a way that only He can.  I am blessed and humbled!

A live chicken in the corner of the kitchen awaiting her fate...

Igitoki (like plantains)!  This is the second huge bunch that we received in the last few days!  We are blessed beyond what we can handle literally! : ) We'll be sharing the wealth with some neighbors!

A nice big bag of tomatoes and fresh eggs!  We use many tomatoes in our cooking here and I love making eggs for breakfast for the hubby and I!  We are going to enjoy!

Three huge pineapples!  Delicious!  Can't wait to ripen these up a bit and dig in!

The little ones at the church who brighten my day!

 

I don't know if you can tell from her eyes, but this little one is quite a character!  The first Sunday that my husband preached at the church, she spent the whole service in her bare feet running around the front of the church.  She started a game of chase with anyone who would try to catch her and make her sit.  Imagine her surprise when right in the middle of his sermon, my husband scooped her up in his arms and went right on preaching!  He held her and preached for a good ten minutes and it fit in perfectly because he was talking about the love of a father for his child!  What a priceless moment! 

I am not sure if this little sweetie comes to the church or just lives nearby.  But on this particular Sunday, she occupied herself by standing outside the window where I was sitting and periodically stroking my arm!  We played this little game for quite awhile, each time with me turning my head to smile at her and her smiling back with a little giggle.  Simple but genuine connection.

 

Yes, this little guy is carrying a pot of fake flowers on his head!  This is the only "decoration" our little church has and it is borrowed from the table of one of the church members!  Today, he is given the responsibility of taking the flowers back home, but be sure they will appear again next Sunday!  

 

Yesterday after church I had a precious conversation with this darling little girl.  Of course I can't remember her name because when I asked her she rattled off what sounded more like a sentence than a name!  She insisted that she was three years old but proceeded to tell me that she goes to school and is in first grade!  So cute!

 

These two are sisters (Naomi and Sabina).  They hopped in the car and came home with us after church yesterday.  We had a fun afternoon of playing with tennis balls for hours!  Here you see them sporting their new jackets that we gave them (thanks to a team who left a bag of clothing with us to distribute!) and they were quite tickled as you can see.  Even in the heat of the day, they refused to take them off! 

Revelation through the tears...

So this is more of a personal post for me, not an update about the church or the ministry, but a sweet revelation that God gave to me today.  I want to share it because I have a feeling though you may be in quite a different situation (you are probably not a missionary wife, the wife of a Rwandan, of living in a different culture) I have a feeling that you may still relate.  Maybe my revelation can be your revelation today too!  So here it is...

I am not a Rwandan woman/wife and that is okay.  I can not be everything that a Rwandan wife would be, but I can be the best wife that I know how, as unto the Lord, and that is enough!

Simple revelation right?  So why was it so life-changing for me to realize?  I love my husband beyond what my words could ever express!  And I must make it clear that he has never once said or done anything that would make me think he is expecting me to be just like a "Rwandan wife."  Isn't it crazy how we so quickly place expectations upon ourselves that no one else has placed on us?!!!  I don't expect him to be an "American" so why would I think that he expects me to be "Rwandan?"  Especially since he never said that or even hinted to it!
I can so quickly become discouraged and it brings me to tears when I begin to think of all that I am "not" and all the ways that I can't be a normal Rwandan wife for my husband.  We are pastoring a church but I am not your usual pastor's wife by any means and I struggle just to speak to the other women!  Even if, and when, I am fluent in Kinyarwanda, I am still white and there are still those cultural barriers.  The truth is, I am not Rwandan and I never will be.  I can't change that any more than I can change the color of my skin!  But that is okay!  I realized today that if I keep on thinking that way and keep on seeing all the ways that I am not a typical Rwandan wife for my husband, I will always feel like a failure!  I can not change who I am!  And after all, I guess if he wanted a Rwandan wife he would not have married me! :)
So I am throwing those thoughts out the window.  I will no longer allow myself to think, "if I was Rwandan I would probably do this or that" "I should do this or that because that is what a good Rwandan wife would do..."  I am who I am and that is enough!
So here's to being me!  Here's to being the best wife that I can be!  Here's to loving my husband and respecting him the way that I know how!
I am not a Rwandan woman/wife and that is okay.  I can not be everything that a Rwandan wife would be, but I can be the best wife that I know how, as unto the Lord, and that is enough!

Ahhh...that was freeing!  You should give it a try yourself! :) 

My Dear Sweet Son...

You have no idea how much you are loved or the way you make Mommy smile every time I feel you move inside.  You have no idea how excited Daddy and I are to meet you and to finally see your sweet face!  We prayed for you even before you were conceived my dear one!  I will never forget the day when we found out that we were expecting you.  I could hardly wait to tell your Daddy when he came home.  I knew that he was going to be so happy to hear the news.
Daddy even went to the market and picked out a nice big live chicken to eat in celebration!  We had a special dinner together and we thanked God for blessing us with you!  You were loved and desired from the very beginning my dear son! 
Of course, at first, we did not know if you were going to be a boy or a girl but Daddy prayed and prayed for a son and I guess God heard your Daddy's prayers!  Daddy went with Mommy to the doctor the day that we were able to find out if you were a boy.  We were so excited.  The doctor showed us your "picture" and we could clearly see that indeed you were a little boy!  Daddy and Mommy were so happy and we kept smiling and laughing all day.  We kept looking at each other and saying "it's a boy!"  
Almost every day, Daddy talks to you inside Mommy's belly.  He loves to put his hand on my stomach and feel you moving inside.  He even sings to you and kisses you sometimes!  We are so excited to meet you! 
Now you are very active and you are moving around a lot.  Mommy loves to feel you "playing" inside.  You are quite a strong boy! 
Our precious son, we are eagerly awaiting the day when we finally get to hold you in our arms!  You are a special gift from God and we love you more than our words could ever express! 

Ice in Rwanda?!

 

That's right!  We had a huge storm today that actually gave us some hail!  Here is a picture on our front porch.  You can't imagine the sound this stuff makes on our tin roof...can't even hear yourself think!