Fun Culture Lesson - Mozambique Jan 17, 2010

Hello!

It has been a good start to another good year! This past year was a year of restoration to me. I saw some of the promises and dreams God put into my heart come to reality. I can hardly believe that 2009 is over and we are already into 2010. Many blessings happened in 2009 and I am excited about the next steps I take into 2010. I have so many things to be thankful for. In January 2009 Samuel and I met for the first time. This last year was the year that I finally was able to start discipling our boys according to the vision that God had put into my heart and see them fly in their giftings and grow in their love for Jesus. 2009 was also the year that great healing came to my heart after having a difficult 2008. It was this last year that I feel I have really been able to start to fly into some dreams and promises that God had given me. Though some very difficult things occurred this past year I learned a lot through them and my heart is full of gratitude to God and so many of you who prayed with me through these difficult situations. Our God is faithful and He is the giver of Joy!!

Christmas

We had a great Christmas here in Dondo. On Christmas morning all of the boys, missionaries and many visitors got together and read the birth of Jesus and had communion together. As usual we had our normal lunch of chicken with rice, salad, fries, and pop. Afterwards the boys opened their gifts which is always so fun to watch and then we ate Jesus’ birthday cake that Samuel and I had made.

Culture Lesson For today: Field Mice Story Continued

In talking with my Mom a while back she mentioned how much people enjoyed the pictures and story that I sent out with children in the field in Tica chasing after field mice when the tractor was tilling the ground. I had mentioned that the children where chasing after the mice to catch them and eat them. After going to the field again I thought that it would be fun to share with you the rest of the story about the field mice. Please keep in mind that I am sure there are things about our culture which Mozambiquens would find strange….such as putting clothes on our dogs.

Now for the rest of the story on the mice…..

Before Christmas Samuel and I took a group of around 35 youth to the field in Tica to till the ground and plant corn. During our time there we worked hard and got really dirty. The sun was very intense. So along with the dirt we were sweaty and red from getting burnt (even after putting on 50 spf). We were all busily working away at tilling the ground and planting seed when all of a sudden we hear shouting arise out of the laughing and chattering that was taking place. It was one of the older boys. He was yelling “mouse, mouse!” in Sena as a group of them scattered after a brown field mouse. After killing it with their hoe they found another one, and then another one. It happened that they had apparently come across the hole of a family of 5 mice. So after seeing this (for the first time for Samuel) we asked what they were going to do with them in which they happily replied cook them and eat them. I had never had the opportunity to see how they cook mouse here until this day. What they do is take the freshly killed mouse and put it on a bed of hot charcoal to singe the hair. After this is finished they rub the hair off and take the insides of the mouse out so they can put it back on the fire to cook a bit more before eating it. They said that they actually don’t have to go through all of that and could eat it without taking the insides out or hair off, but it wasn’t as good apparently. It was a fun experience for Samuel and I. So now you know how they cook and eat “rat” here. Remember this is not to knock them down, but to have fun sharing with you a piece of life here.

Things are going very well here. This past month we got 4 more long term missionaries who will be working here on the base and a couple who will be here for 5 months to help out. God is good and He is doing good things.

The boys are getting ready to start school again after being on their summer break. We have 6 of our older boys who will be starting at a vocational school as they continue in their high school education. These 6 boys will be moving off of the base to live closer to the school. We have been in the process of preparing them for this transition. I’m excited for them and feel almost like a mom who is seeing her child go off to college (but it’s a bit different).

God’s blessings upon you and abundant love to cover you today!!

Ashlee