Ministry Blog
Hope for the Children of Southern Sudan
Elephant Land - Blog 3
December 17, 2009
ELEPHANT LAND BLOG 3
Today’s blog is about weather and food. First, the weather: when we came here, we were under the impression that there were two rainy seasons and two dry seasons. However, at the end of June, there was frequent rain, maybe every 3-5 days, sometimes just a shower, sometimes most of the day or night. That pattern has continued up until now. The rains have become a bit heavier, and now, if it rains all day or night, that day, or the next two days, are very nice, cloudy and cool. Of course you have to deal with mud, which we prefer to dust! I bought a pair of rubber boots (here they’re called ‘gum boots’), so when it’s pretty muddy, I wear them. But if we are traveling to a village, I take along my shoes, because it may not have rained so much there, or the mud may be mostly dried.
For the last few weeks, the rain pattern has been about the same. The only difference is that when it is hot, it doesn’t quite reach that oppressive, humid heat. Now the heat may only be for a few hours. At night it cools down to where, on the rainy nights, we don’t even need our fan in order to sleep! Also in recent weeks, it has usually been partly to very windy for a good part of the day. As I write this morning, a cool breeze has drifted through the screen door, making it very pleasant. We are aware that where you live now, it is probably cool or even cold. Not in Elephant Land!
This south-central part of the country is known as ‘the bread basket’ for the whole nation. Because of the rain and moderating temperatures, green things grow very well, all the time. When folks plant a garden, they don’t even need fertilizer! I mentioned in one of our newsletters the agriculture/nutrition workshop we held, and that the instructor told the people they don’t need fertilizer here. The rains last long enough, at any rate, to do at least two planting cycles.
One of the great results of this is the variety of foods available in the market. Besides the tropical fruit like papaya, pineapple and bananas, we also can find Irish potatoes, green peppers, carrots, greens and tomatoes! I always go to the market with Sandra, my house helper. She can speak Juba Arabic, and helps me communicate with the market people—usually ladies. One day, when I had no time, she went alone, and she said all the ladies asked, “Where is Mama?” It feels good to be missed! Some of the team members visited the market here last year. The difference from then, is that there is much more available now inside, as well as all around the perimeter of the market. It covers about four square blocks! I prefer the one inside, for cleanliness’ sake. The outside ones catch all the traffic dust or mud. However, inside, the ladies all have tarpaulins in various states of repair, and draped at varying heights. My hat will scrape along them at the lower levels, and every few weeks, I have to wash it with blue (lye) soap.
Inside the market, people arrange their goods more or less in areas: one area for beans and rice, another for fruit and vegetables, a separate one for greens, one for corn and cassava to be ground, and one for oil. The delightful find for me was that, about once a week, you can buy palm oil. We ate a lot of it in Liberia, and we still enjoy the taste. This oil, though, is not a local product (remember the difference in climates). It comes from Congo. I actually saw palm nuts for sale at one of the stops between Kampala and here. But they were a different shape than the ones in Liberia.
You buy meat outside, in open-air booths, including fresh beef or goat every day. We try to get there early (around 9 a.m.) to get the beef that is fresher (no goat), and has had less time for the flies’ activities. (I know some are getting a bit nauseous right now.) These butchers/cowboys are northern people, which I mentioned in Blog #2). I had a hilarious incident happen a couple of months ago. Remember, I don’t know if the other tribes here are Christian or Muslim (though 80% of the local tribes are Christian). Anyway, I was haggling a bit with this tall, slender guy over the price of the meat. I was wearing my tee shirt that has ‘JESUS’ on it. I finally said to him, “Well, you know, Jesus said to treat other people the way we want to be treated.” And without batting an eye, he replied, “Matthew 22:37!” We all had a good laugh. The kicker is, I came home and looked up the reference, and the guy was, as the Brits say, “SPOT ON!”
You also can buy chickens two ways: live, about 30 pounds (price, not weight) for a big one, or cleaned and frozen (at an Indian hardware store—go figure) for two, very small ones at 36 pounds. It’s all a wash, they’re both tough. Both beef and chicken are cooked for ONE HOUR in my pressure cooker (also remember the cleanliness issue). After that, we may cook them for another 20 minutes, depending on what we’re cooking. I have taught Sandra how to make: beef stew, marinated beef, fried chicken and chicken and dumplings. We also can buy canned meat, chicken, beef or fish, in the stores.
Another food adventure: Mr. David Balah at CTC had asked me to teach the Ugandan chef how to make cornbread. The only problem: you can’t buy cornmeal, here or in Kampala. The people here grind their corn or cassava into very fine flour and cook it into a sort of dough called ‘poe-show’ (in Liberia, it’s called ‘fu-fu’). So, Sandra and I bought a small amount of corn, and took it to one of the grinding mills. The guys made us come back late in the day, because they had to change their blades or something. So, we did. We told them we wanted it ground rough, like chicken feed. We used it to make fried green tomatoes, and it was a bit chewy. The next experiment, we mixed it with wheat flour and made cornbread! Still it’s a bit chewy, so we need to fiddle with the mix a bit. Also, I’m going to add some sugar to it (I forgot that ingredient).
The only cookbook I brought is my small one from Liberia. So for lots of these recipes, I have to do them from memory. One thing I’ve made lately is mock peach/apple pie. You cook peeled, sliced papaya—less ripe is like apples, more ripe is like peaches; spice it up and make a pie—and nobody can tell the difference. For Thanksgiving I took one to Samaritan’s Purse, and it was a big hit. There also is no Crisco here, so I have to use margarine. I found a brand we don’t like to eat as much on toast, but was stiffer like Crisco. It makes the best pie crust. Thanks to my daughter’s gift, we have a good cake pan in which to cook pies.
Well, that’s a ‘slice’ (punny, huh?) of our weather and food. They tell us that dry season will be here towards Christmas, and last through March. I’m not looking forward to the dust, but it won’t last for long. Regardless of the weather, though (since I never know exactly what it will be), I always apply Blue Lizard to my skin. God bless, and see you next time
Phyllis Hankins
