{"id":683,"date":"2012-12-30T18:35:45","date_gmt":"2012-12-30T15:35:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dknolte.com\/?p=683"},"modified":"2012-12-30T18:35:45","modified_gmt":"2012-12-30T15:35:45","slug":"dinner-with-the-gardeners","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dknolte.com\/?p=683","title":{"rendered":"Dinner with the Gardeners"},"content":{"rendered":"

L<\/strong>ast year we invited the two gardeners and their families to a Christmas dinner, but this year, Christmas was a bit hectic and we didn\u2019t get to offer the feast to them.\u00a0 So, we had Michael and Shawn stay late last Friday so the four of us could eat together.\u00a0 Here in Africa things are relatively cheap, but a few things are not.\u00a0 As an example, last month we purchased a turkey for Thanksgiving but didn\u2019t use it then, so we used it Friday.\u00a0 The turkey was very small, probably 6-7 lbs and cost about $80.\u00a0 So we don\u2019t buy turkeys very often.<\/p>\n

Below are pictures from last year.\u00a0 First is Micheal’s mother and step father and Shawn’s wife.\u00a0 Then Shawn and his little Daniel.\u00a0 And a picture taken outside after dinner.<\/p>\n

\"100_6576s\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"100_6615s\"<\/a>\"100_6597s\"<\/a>Needless to say, our Gardener, Michael was ecstatic as he very much enjoyed last year\u2019s meal.\u00a0 Especially the pumpkin pie.\u00a0 Terese points out that in Ethiopia, pumpkin is merely a large gourd that is cut up and cooked like any other vegetable, like zucchini and squash.\u00a0 To have the large vegetable cut into pieces with spices added and baked in a pie is a very unusual thing.\u00a0 They were a bit baffled about the cranberry sauce, but they did try it and liked it enough to eat one serving.\u00a0 So Friday night\u2019s dinner was a small turkey, fried vegetables with dressing, and cranberry sauce on the side.<\/p>\n

Now bear in mind, the Ethiopian Orthodox Church celebrates Christmas (and Easter) two weeks after the Christian Faith in the States, so their Christmas is on January 7th.\u00a0 Many Ethiopian Christians are very religious and take their Faith very seriously, and Shawn is one such person.\u00a0 These are the Christians who will stop and sign themselves as they walk in view of a church, even if it\u2019s 5\u00a0 blocks away.\u00a0 They fast everyday for 40 days before Christmas.\u00a0 When not in the Christmas season, they fast two days a week.\u00a0 Fasting is basically a vegan diet.\u00a0 No meat or anything that derives from meat.\u00a0 This include eggs, so although Michael indulged in the pumpkin pie, two pieces at first until Terese pushed the pie closer to him, Shawn on the other hand was unable to eat any.\u00a0 The only thing he ate was the vegetables and the dressing.\u00a0 He didn\u2019t know the dressing had bird juice in it, and I didn\u2019t say.<\/p>\n

So after the Ethiopian Christmas, we are planning to invite both young men and their families over again and serve several chickens with various pies and cookies.\u00a0 Because after their Christmas, they do not fast at all for 40 days, so they can eat anything we serve.\u00a0 Then it\u2019s back to the two days a week.<\/p>\n

Chickens are easy for us to get, although expensive.\u00a0 About 10-15 dollars a bird.\u00a0 We\u2019ll get at least 3 and let the families take the rest home.\u00a0 Michael likes to help Terese cook, even to the point he wants us to adopt him and take him with us when we leave for our next post.\u00a0 So when he felt guilty for Terese cooking this big meal alone, I made him come in and cut the turkey.\u00a0 He wasn\u2019t expecting that, but didn\u2019t complain.\u00a0 I left for a few minutes and came back, and found him trying to dismember the turkey the way we would chicken, so I showed him how we just basically fillet the dead bird.\"IMG_2038s\"<\/a>Then our meal with the two gentlemen.\"IMG_2040s\"<\/a> \"IMG_2042s\"<\/a>When we have the next feast with them and their families, I will post it.\u00a0 In the meantime, I hope all had a good Christmas and will enjoy a healthy and prosperous new year.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 D.<\/p>\n

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Last year we invited the two gardeners and their families to a Christmas dinner, but this year, Christmas was a …<\/p>\n

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