happy thanksgiving

We had an amazing Thanksgiving yesterday, though it wasn't shy of a few homesick tears on my behalf. We miss our family. Other missionaries say that the 3-4 month mark is difficult, and they are right especially when it is around the holidays. It was an amazing day nevertheless! We had so much to be thankful for. Daniel and I along with our housemates and best friends, Jonathan and Kayla, hosted 23 people around our table yesterday....some American friends, some Malawians, a couple from Holland and a guy from Zimbabwe. We didn't have turkey but chicken and all the other good stuff that we can find here that goes along with Thanksgiving dinner. We definitely were able to achieve that after Thanksgiving fully content feeling with all the food that we had present. We were so happy to be surrounded by our new friends...and able to give thanks to God together.

Another missionary raises chickens on his property...nice organic chicken. (Everything is organic here in Malawi.) And so he killed 4 yesterday for our dinner. I was glad to not have to do the killing this time around. The four of us did do the plucking, chopping and gutting. ICK. I had never done the gutting before...and I will save you the details but it was pretty gross. I feel like a better woman for it though. It was quite interesting to complete the full circle of the cooking....watching the chicken be killed, plucking the feathers, chopping and gutting the chicken, taking it home and seasoning it and roasting it...I felt pretty good about it all. It was pretty good too.

Hunger Season

Click on our Malawi site on the right to read my latest blog. I ask you to remember the people of Malawi as we head into the Thanksgiving season. Happy Thanksgiving from Malawi!

Food on the Brain

So...today (not that its the only day this has happened to me...but it for sure is happening today)...I am CRAVING a Chick-fil-a sandwich...or chicken strip salad with ranch dressing...oh the ranch dressing...yum...oh the chick-fil-a sauce...double yum!! Someone...anyone, please do me a favor, drive to your nearest Chick-fil-a and eat ANYTHING FOR ME. Because I am a missionary on a far-away, African field...I believe that it is your Christian service and duty to follow through with this request on my behalf! :) I'm also craving grapes...so if you can't do Chick-fil-a...grapes will do as well. ha ha.

On a more serious note but still on the related topic of food, we have planned our Thanksgiving meal for next week. (can't believe that its next week.) It won't be including turkey...but chicken will do. Most importantly we will be having Thanksgiving at our house with some of our new American friends, our new Malawian friends and even two new friends from Holland and their little girl! It is promised to be a Thanksgiving we won't forget for sure! Stay tuned for a recap next week including pictures (pending internet connection speed.)

My new favorite site...when I have internet connection

Hi everyone...
There is just so much going on here in Malawi...ahh, we are loving the life here. It is super hot these days and we are just waiting and praying for the rainy season to start to give us a reprieve from the daytime heat. We've been a bit more homesick these last weeks, I think because we wish we could be home to meet our new nephew but also because we know that the holidays are coming up...and we miss all the family gatherings, etc. Anyway, we know that we are exactly where we need to be...here in Malawi! Our Thanksgiving celebration may be without turkey....and our Christmas may be without scarves and mittens, Christmas trees and decorations...but we have made a ton of new friends and "family" here that we just are going to make the most of this season...with our Malawian friends and here in a country and a culture that has taught us so much about love and hospitality.

I just have to share one quick website that I am totally obsessed with this past week...thanks to Christy! :) You all just have to check it out...especially the recipes. We (Kayla and I...we alternate cooking weeks here in Malawi) make our meals from scratch each day...ahhh, its so much fun, no seriously it is. I mean, we are in Africa...there isn't much of an alternative. We visit the market weekly and pick out the freshest veggies and fruit...organic all the way here. We have a few cookbooks that we brought with us, but this site is now one of my favorites to go to...that is whenever I can find internet connect for a few minutes. Add it to your RSS feed...its a must. The Pioneer Woman