Bananas + An Oven = Empowerment

At the end of April, Dana Davidson and I, Allison Tjaden, invested in an “oven” which is heated by charcoal. Previously, we only had a small one-burner gas “stove” and a “jiko,” a local cooking device that also uses charcoal. Our oven has opened new doors: many more cuisine options for us, and a new ministry to the community. Here’s one story of our new “oven ministry.” One Sunday afternoon, I invited Susan and Jael, two young ladies from our community, to our home to learn how to bake banana bread. I simply guided them through the steps and they did it themselves. While the bread was baking, they looked through my recipe book. Their eyes lit up as they saw the many different things they could make and I could see the wheels turning in their heads as ideas were forming. At first they thought I bought the ingredients in the U.S., but when I told them I purchased them in town, they became even more excited. They realized this was something they had the resources to do. When the bread was done, we ate it together and drank chai, of course. (Chai is a must in this culture.) I thank God for the time we had together. It was so much fun just to be together, learn from each other, and be able to get to know them better. They asked me to invite them again if I am ever making something else. I’m thinking about making this a monthly event with the two of them. Each month we can try a new recipe and at the same time build our friendship!