A house of friends...

Monday through Saturday, our home is full of people. Some are guests and some are our hired help – Jacqueline, Esther, Sunday and Pale (pronounced Pah-ley). At first it seemed odd to Rick and me that we would have people here to cook food, clean the house, care for the grounds, and guard the gate – things that we could do for ourselves or do without. We’ve quickly learned that having these wonderful people here not only provides a steady income for their families, but also gives us an opportunity to grow in relationship. The majority of the Ma’di language and culture we’ve learned thus far is thanks to afternoons under the tree with Sunday, cooking in the kitchen with Jacqueline, and washing clothes alongside Esther. We see less of Pale and hear more of him, as he’s our night guard who also begins cleaning the grounds around 6:00 am while it's still dark, and most importantly, cool outside. His favorite radio placement seems to be under our window.

I’m really enjoying our new friends and laughing alongside them, when in reality I think they’re mostly laughing because of how funny we sound when speaking Ma'di. Earlier this week, Rick and I walked Jacqueline home and were served coca-cola in her tukal – a real treat! Hospitality is very important in the African culture and I’m continuously humbled by people’s generosity toward us. Yesterday Esther, Jacqueline, Rick and myself went to Esther’s garden to gather sweet potatoes and greens for our meal today. We took a dirt path that quickly dissolved as we cut across several fields of groundnuts (peanuts), sorghum, maize, and other crops before reaching her plot. For an outsider, it's difficult to see where one garden begins and the other ends. We learned to dig where the cracks in the dirt are largest, using sticks and our hands to carve out the potatoes. Rick was successful in finding one, and the ladies helped fill the rest of the bag. I’m sure we’ll continue to share stories about these people, as they make a huge difference in our daily lives. They bring us much joy and laughter and are one of the best things about living in Adjumani.

Click here for pictures of our Thanksgiving celebration and our digging adventures in Esther's field.