Thanksgiving started out like a norman Thursday for 3/5 of the Z family.  Ron, Michelle and Nathan got dressed in their “chapel day” clothes, and headed out the door, albiet a few minutes early so they can stop and get local donuts called “begniets” (pronounced BEN-yayz).  But Ben and I got to stay home as it’s a full day off for the Parent Run School (PRS).  And the preparations for the big evening feast began.    

 Actually preparations had begun the week before.  Turkey is not a game bird found in Africa – I’m not even sure imported ones are sold here, so I ordered a 10 kilo box of frozen chicken legs.  My first concern was … “where to keep 10k of frozen chicken?”  See, my freezer already was quite full. 

On the day I picked up the box of legs, we had visitors stop by from Central African Republic.  They were going back to CAR the weekend before Thanksgiving, so I quickly texted Covenant missionary colleague Aleta Danforth who lives and works in Gamboula, CAR.  Thrilled at the ability to text to another country within Africa, I was equally thrilled to get her response – they’d love to split the box with us!   

So I gave away the frozen dinner rolls, took the ice cream leftover from Nathan’s birthday out of the freezer and shared it with Mary and Ruthie Noren, thawed the legs enough to separate them and bagged them up and squeezed them into my freezer.  

The night before Thanksgiving I got started on major preparations by making a cheesecake, which Ron likes on special holidays.  Lacking Philadelphia Cream Cheese, we used 25 squares of Kiri cheese spread.  And lacking Honey Graham crackers, we used Glucose cookies (biscuits) for kids.  As in Europe, vanilla comes in sugar form.  And not finding any sour cream, we used plain yogurt for the topping.       

 Also the day before we cooked up a squash that was found growing wild out at the RFIS property.  Edna cooked it up, I mixed it in the blender with the usual spices I’d brought from Grand Rapids (as you can see by the Meijer brand cornstarch).  For evaporated milk we learned of a way to make it using powdered whole milk (Nido).       

First thing Thursday morning, after getting a load of laundry in the machine, I got out the blended pie filling and Mary Noren brought over a crust.  So thankful for the Norens as neighbors.  Mary was making an apple pie,  so she made me an extra crust!       

 What I’m really excited about in the whole pie making process is the great find while shopping on Wednesday.  Trying out a new store with my friend Lori, I found glass 9″ pie pans!  No big deal in the US, but it’s something I have never found in any African store before, and I’m not sure how I would have made these pies without them!      

While the oven was hot, we made up a batch of granola, Nathan’s #1 breakfast choice, we go through it quickly.      

When the first laundry load was hanging, and 2nd load in the machine, dough for rolls was rising, and granola baking, the doorbell rang.  It was Ben’s friend, here to play – and right behind him came the vet’s assistant who has been coming to check on our poor sick puppy every day this week.  She’s gotten a series of injections and is now on antibiotics.  We’re so thankful for a caring vet for our puppy.     

Ron, having just returned home from work early with the kids (school got out a couple hours early on this American holiday), called a real plummer.  Polycarp is a man who has done work in many homes in the missionary community and is a well respected professional.  By the time he arrived the 3rd load of laundry was hanging on the line, chicken was out of the oven and I was working on the gravy.  The 2 of us worked side by side in the kitchen until it was time to go to the home of Jeff & Carolyn Stoker, fellow Covenant missionaries, for our feast.  

Finally, Ron started shuttling people over to Stokers house.  It is within walking distance, but carrying all our feastly items makes walking not practical, especially since a few of the families have small children.   By the time I got picked up I had everything ready!  And we had a wonderful evening of food, fellowship, and even a time of singing Thanksgiving hymns accompanied by Mary Noren on the keyboard, the occasional child made it an interesting duet, and lots of joyful noise by the dog and children.  

So much to be thankful for, even on a busy and hectic day.