Friday June 24 2011- Anniversary

Today is the 74th Wedding Anniversary of Jacob and Fannie Heisey! Congratulations Mom and Dad! Thank you for the lifelong example of Love & Respect that you have lived out before your children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Being your Realtor for several years, it was my privilege to see you at work in a business setting. I wsa often amazed to see mom come to the table and sign the papers, because "whatever Jake says is ok, is ok. Where do I sign?" If more wives gave their husbands that kind of respect, I wonder what marriages we would see healed? Just a thought! Today we got chased by a storm again. It is amazing to see them come up so quickly. One minute there are a few clouds, then the storm pours over the ridge like a waterfall of black tire smoke, and with it comes the wind which picks up all knids of trash and grit and flings it in every direction. The everpresent little black plastic bags fly like birds, dipping and swirling over walls and above the trees. You better run for cover or you will get wet! Julie was out on the roof deck, skyping with a friend when she saw the black cloud pouring over the ridge. Not yet knowing the speed with whch they come, she told her friend that in 15 minutes or so she might have to go, if the storm came. Barely were the words out of her mouth when the wind picked up and she had to scramble to get inside and shut all the windows. Even so, the grit and dust beat her, and making its way inside coated everything with that fine red powder. Meanwhile, Ray was shutting and latching the shutters that serve as weather protection on many of the buildings here. We will learn!! When there is a little strengthening of the clouds, you go IMMEDIATELY and shut all the windows and get inside... or else you hunker down and protect your eyes and face from the ferocity of that initial windstorm. Now you see why they wear those layers of cloth. They come in very handy if you are caught outside in a storm! Be blessed and count your blessings today. I know you have many! Mim in Mali

Hello's, Goodbye's and a Departure Feast

                                    Hello's, Goodbye's and a Departure Feast

Time flies! We have been in Mali for more than 6 weeks already. So much we have learned, so much we see that we need to learn !  And how little we seem to have gotten “done” (with apologies to those of you you are wondering when we are going to write again. :))

            I am sure that Christian Spindler feels that flight of time also.  It has been one whole year since he came to Bamako, and now it is time to return to his home in Austria. There are preparations being made for a gift that he will provide as a farewell to the boys and staff here at Healing 2 the Nations base.  A sheep was purchased, fed some good food for a day or two and then slaughtered for a feast. These times are bitter sweet.  There will be a celebration and time of giving thanks and words of value to the one who is leaving, and also giving thanks and words of encouragement for the future to the ones who are staying.  Christian was a blessing with his wisdom and perceptions, much beyond his years, and he will be missed.

            When an animal is butchered we say you should figure that you lose about 40% of the 'live weight'  to the 'hanging weight' of useable meat cuts -- in Pennsylvania.  Not so here!  Virtually every part of the animal is eaten, except the squeal,  although I did see one of the boys take the entrails, out away from the building, and empty the stomach contents onto the ground. (Ray & I thought that that would have made good compost to enrich the garden soil.:)) During the day, I saw several small pots of fatty looking inner parts being cooked by one or another of the older ones,  and then eaten. The head was set aside for tomorrow, I am told, to be roasted over a fire before being consumed. (not by me!) Our cooks were given the bulk of the meat, and the bones, to prepare a feast for the whole Healing 2 the Nations family. That was served for dinner this evening, 2 pots of meat and "gravy", one spicier than the other..

It was hard for me to sit at the table and eat meat when the street boys are wandering in and I know they will be eating only prepared rice.  Tonight I saw a new thing.  When we finished  what we wanted and left the table, the bones, from which we had eaten the meat but not all the fat and gristly parts, were left laying on the table. Several street boys, for whom meat is a rarity, swooped on them and proceeded to chew them more thoroughly.  I could not stay to see if they were shared equally between them.  How could I say “share” when we had eaten our fill and they were hungry.  That is a lesson and quandry that I am still working on. How do I live with integrity in this place where there is a multitude of needs, more than I can ever provide for.  For that matter, how do we all?? A point to ponder!

            Traditionally, the best cuts from the animal are sliced off and prepared for the giver, I am told.  (Also the liver, by special request of Christian.)   Rokia, who is Paul's fiancee and a wonderful cook, deep fried the liver, made kabobs roasted over a charcoal fire, prepared some other pieces of  barbequed meat, and then presented them to Christian on a platter of fried potatoes, decorated with tomatoes, onions and slices of hard boiled egg. A lovely presentation and delicious!  I know it was delicious, because Christian generously asked if he could bring it up to our apartment to share with him. He also knows from experience that there would be more than enough for one! Rokia had made a farewell dinner for him earlier: a lovely vegetable salad and a beautifully presented platter of fried fish.

            Just a few days before Christian left, Eva Durst arrived! She is a lovely young lady who is planning to give several months of her time and love to us here at Healing 2 the Nations before completing her nursing schooling.  Also from Austria, she was here for 6 months in the early part of 2010 and we are certainly glad that she has decided to return, tho I know she is not happy that her suitcase did not arrive with her.  Hawa (that's Claudia's Malian name) has returned as well, flying into Bamako on Air France on Tuesday evening—and is also without 1 piece of luggage!  Such is life.

We count our blessings: We have suitcases, and more than one!

Be blessed and count YOUR many blessings today.

Mim,

for the Heiseys in Mali