Branch Christmas Parties

The Kauma Branch party actually began a few days ahead of time. Elder Prete again ferried branch leadership around buying rice, maize flour, etc and 2 live goats. The goats lived their last days in the yard at the chapel and met their demise on the morning of the party. Most of the butchering is done by chopping the carcass into little pieces with a big panga knife. The same is done with chickens. Not much attention is usually paid to severing at the joints or such.

When you picture a ward/branch party, I'm sure you see in your mind a gym full of people, tables, chairs, food, maybe decorations and lots of talking and laughing. Well, here things happen outside, as you can see. There's still plenty of food and talking and laughing though. Everyone looks for shade to sit in but it's scarce at noon. I suppose that's why the garage/Primary Room was the favorite place for the kids to eat. (See the vacuum cleaner post!)

Kristine just turned 4 and Bro & Sis Nyalugwe's little girl will be a year old in March.

They did eventually remove the head from the goat, even before it got to the pot.

Bro. Nyalugwe is cleaning the innards preparing them to take to the sisters to cook. This task is best done to the beat of whatever is on the radio. Most everyone has a cell phone that has radio.

Not so long ago this is where the Kauma elders lived. This day there was a mountain of food prepared in the courtyard - 100kg of rice, a huge tub of nsema, chickens, goats and vegetables of several sorts.

The sisters of the food committee. The sister front and center was just baptized a couple of weeks ago. Her sister, in the blue shirt and orange chitenje, is one of the longest time members (about 5 years) and has brought dozens of people to the church.

The very excited Joseph and Mary of the Primary part of the program.

And that's not all of it!

Take a look at the next picture. Yup it's the same little girl with the same little one on her back only the next picture is from last year's Christmas party. Sister Daniel's kids this Christmas.

Sister Daniel's kids last Christmas

All the kids lined up to get their food. I don't know how they could even breathe they were packed so tight! It's just like the traffic, if you give an inch somebody will be in it before you can blink.

Lilongwe Branch Christmas party. One of the sisters has all the kids lined up to wash their hands. She pours a cup of water in their hands, they rub-scrub and voila. We are in the middle of building onto their chapel so that's why the pile of rubble. Hopefully this week they will get the windows in so they can knock out the original walls.

Most people eat with their hands here and they can really pack it away. It just amazes me what even the little ones can eat.

Now the elders? That's another story! I KNOW they can eat. We see it all the time. This is Elder Mantchichi and Elder Speakman our zone leaders.

The brethren waiting patiently. Brother Bwanali the elders quorum president and Brother Mnyayi the branch mission leader are the ones facing in white shirts and ties. Both parties were great and everyone had a good time.


JOY TO THE WORLD!!!