Wednesday we returned to the first group that I had been to last week – the wonderful women’s group. Since we had been there and showed them how to dig a bed in the “double-digging” style, they had completed 8-10 more. Wow! That day we showed them how to create a compost and introduced them to something called ‘portable gardens’. Again it was a joy to be with them.
Thursday we learned how to cook Kenyan style. Yes, all the way from slaughtering the chicken to putting it on the table (we watched, didn’t actually do it). I admit it was a little difficult eating the chicken we had seen arrive earlier that day strapped to the back of Simon’s bicycle. But I feel that as a meat eater I am glad to have had the experience. However, I would be happy to never have to see that again.
We also learned how to cook chapati and sukuma wiki. Perhaps the thing that is most amazing is that it was all done over a little charcoal stove – none of this four burner stove business. The whole process (to cook the three dishes) took about 2 1/2 hours. I look forward to trying out what I learned when I get home (starting with buying the chicken from the supermarket, of course).
In the afternoon we visited another widows group. It was wonderful. They greeted us with song and dance. But it was also heartbreaking to hear the stories of their hardships to support themselves and their families in the absence of their spouse.
A very busy last week at Common Ground ahead.
– Lauren Nagler