March 16, 2013
Sister Mary and Sister Joyce met at the church on
Thursday to bring the food purchased for the
Relief Society Birthday Social.
They had asked me two months ago to make the
cake for the dinner and I had said I would.
They were glad I was back from Nairobi
to make it!! They wanted to come on Friday and
see how I made a cake and to learn how to do it.
I also suggested that someone tell about the organization of
Relief Society in 1842 and they thought that was a good idea.
On Friday they were here early to help make the cake.
While Mary and I were waiting for Joyce to come she
asked me to read her remarks for today.
She had prepared a good message taken from the
book Daughters in My Kingdom.
I gave her another suggestion and she added a little more to the talk.
When Joyce came we made the cake.
Measuring and pouring and stirring and the cake was
ready for the oven.
Most homes here do not have an oven and many use
a jiko to cook their meals.It is a small charcoal cooker.
Mary told us how to use a jiko to cook a cake.
Americans do not have a monopoly on cake making!!
While the cake was cooking Mary was finishing her
talk so I could type it on the computer and print it for her.
Looks very tasty.
Sister Joyce (compassionate Service Leader)
Mary (RS President)
Sister Moon
On Saturday morning they were at the Church early
(9 am) to begin the food preparation.
It took over an hour to chop the cabbage
for the fried salad!
After putting the stew on to cook
Mary began the chipati!!
This is the biggest and most time consuming!!
Flour, water, salt and oil and them mix to smooth.
She dumps the oil from the big pan
(it had been put there to cook the cabbage but there was
more than enough there so she dumped it into the chipati).
The oil is used to keep the dough soft.
After mixing it smooth it is rolled out on the table
and oil is spooned over to keep it moist.
It is cut into strips and rolled
(and she was careful to tuck in the ends)
and set aside to roll out again later.
Carefully tucking in the ends.
While Mary was checking on something else
Sister Bathsheba (from Nyabondo) takes over the rolling.
Now the little bundles are rolled round and flat.
Joyce has prepared the jiko for cooking the chipati.
The charcoal is lit and now it is hot enough to cook.
Sister Everlyn does the cooking.
There is a round pan that is like a very shallow wok
but similar to cast iron is placed over the coals and
this is where the chipati is placed to cook.
The Sister Susan takes a turn at rolling and twisting
the bundles of dough covered with oil.
While Everlyn cooks Susan rolls and rolls.
In another area Sister Rosemary lights the fire and gets
the pan of water prepared to cook the rice.
It takes a while to get the fire just right for cooking.
The rice is poured from the package into a bucket of
water to be washed. She swirls the rice around to rinse.
The rice is rubbed together much like rubbing clothes that
would be washed by hand then dipped into the water again
then lightly squeezed to remove the water and then
plopped into the other bucket.
The bucket of the rinsed rice is then dumped into the
big pot of boiling water.
Stirred a little and then let simmer to doneness.
This is the pot of stew that is served over the rice.
The meat is beef chunks and cooked with onions,
chopped tomatoes and water. A little salt and pepper
and then let it simmer for about 3 hours and
so delicious!! and tender!!
Mary tending to the stew tipped a pot over the stew pot
for a lid to help in the cooking process.
Tending the cooking.
So while the pots are cooking and the chipati are still
being cooked the real RS happens.
Working together then visiting together - sharing the day
and their lives and the election!!
Joyce and Rosemary have worked hard
and now relax together.
There are always children at a RS function!!
Watching and waiting
for the time she will be able to take over for her mother.
Time to serve and Joyce serves up the rice.
Sharing the food and a good message.
The men of the branch even enjoy the food!!
The food is delicious and refreshing.
Planning to eat to 11 and still on time at 1 pm.
George with President Okila's sons Larry and Barry.
Food is finished and now to relax and listen to to
the RS sisters program.
Sister Ruth conducted and preached.
And still....... Everlyne and Susan ..... the chipati are cooking
Sister Mary reading her talk about Relief Society and
then she talked a lot more and bore her testimony.
Three others also gave "spiritual thoughts".
Then the Sisters all gathered around the cake and
sang "Happy Birthday" and then served the cakes.
Then the dishes were washed with cold water on the patio.
Sister Priska and Sister Hellen did a great job.
The plates and silverware have been washed and put away and
the last pot is cleaned and the water dumped out.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, RELIEF SOCIETY!!
171 YEARS!!!!
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