The FOOD!!

A week before leaving for Africa I spent time with my team, hoping to solidify relationships and get to know people better. Which is what happened.

I also went because i was told that we would be starting a diet during the course of that week that would help us to assimilate to the African food when we arrived.

We didnt't end up getting around to that. So I had no idea what to expect.

As a result, I had visions of eating raw goat meat and brains and snakes and things of that nature:)

I was pleasantly surprised when i was offered rice and beans and milk for my first meal.

In fact, the weirdest thing i ate(and it was gross) was chicken feet. That's right.

Chicken FEET.

I didn't know you could eat those!

It appeared that they had simply been boiled in water. Talons and all were still present as i ate.

I say ATE, though NIBBLED is probably closer to the truth. The skin was the consistency of slimy rubber and of course, as there was no meat on them, cartilage was the only thing to be found under the slimy rubber.

Needless to say I did my best to eat whatever I could and simply tried not to gag.

But what struck me the most about my eating in Africa was not what I ate.

I was HOW I ate. How well I ate is what i mean to say.

I can't actually remember being very hungry at all when living with this family in South Africa. I remember being frequently stuffed in fact.

I remember one night in particular. My mother laid a massive plate in front of me of beans and rice,which I never tired of eating by the way.

Then the kids came in to join me.

And them?

They had small bowls, probably a third of what I had on my plate.

A third.

Our coordinator in South Africa told us that one of the things we would feel the most would be shame. He was right.

I was so ashamed. When have I EVER been that generous??

Never.

Their generosity in the face of such poverty humbled me like nothing ever has. Like nothing probably ever will again.

...I was so ashamed....

I didn't want to eat it. I wanted to give it back to them cause heaven knows that they need it more than I did.

And then I realized something.

They wanted to bless me. They were so thankful for me being there to see them and work with them that they wanted to do something for me in return.

And this was the only way they could do that. This was the only way they felt that they could repay me for flying over to meet them.

Was it easier to eat? Not really. But after the shame and and the humbling came the most intense gratitude I think I've ever felt.

There's something about a gift given from nothing......