Since our arrival, I have tried hard to include our friend Evie in our family as much as I felt appropriate. One of the simple ways I've wanted her to know we think fondly of her is to share our meals. When we make lunch, we make some for Evie (and Trust too). Whenever we dish up for dinner we ask Evie if she'd like some. Some nights she declines, but most of the time she is keen to try our "American food" and it is fun to hear her comments on our simple cooking the next morning (it was NICE...that is my favorite response from her!).Well, Evie came to me on a day after I'd been to the grocery store and asked if she could cook some Xhosa food for me. How exciting! How kind! I asked what she would make for us and she tried to describe it to me, then she proceeded to her little apartment and began her work. I scurried around and gathered the ingredients she needed and rushed them over, knowing full well that she would use her own ingredients at great expense on her humble salary. She gratefully accepted my potatoes, my tomatoes and my onion, smiled at me and said, "this is going to be NICE".
A few hours later the delicious smell of Evie's cooking wafted through the house. We were starving and licking our chops for a go at the lovely smelling dish she brought to our table. SAMP. This is Samp. It is a stew of sorts with the main ingredient being corn. The corn is purchased in large plastic bags, and it looks like our American Indian maize corn. Large kernels of dried corn, rinsed and soaked and rinsed again, and stewed with beans, some vegetables and if you are wealthy some meat as well. It is a simple dish, made with great pride and enjoyed with enthusiasm among many of the African people.
As the kids and I sat enjoying this meal I pondered on Evie's act of friendship. She mentioned as I ate that she had wanted to cook for us before, but she was afraid we "wouldn't like..." so she didn't. How brave of her to step over her fear and offer herself through her cooking. What a kind gesture of Friendship. How very NICE.
2 comments:
That is nice! ♥ (mmmmmmm...)
-Bonnie
You know, reading this I actually got teary. You get to be a missionary in so many ways while you are there Kate. I am so happy for you to have Evie and for Evie to have you. I hope she will teach you a little of her NICE cooking soyou can share with the rest of us too. Love you and miss you!
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