23. Thanksgiving in Rwanda

Nov. 26 and 28, 2015

Strawberry tort becomes our Thanksgiving dessert!

We had two Thanksgivings. Combining the two, we had Thanksgiving with our "extended Rwandan family" since arriving here on Nov. 3rd.

On Thursday, Nov. 26, the proper Thanksgiving day, Isaac came home from school on the "early bus" because soccer practice was rained out. Naomi got home from school (dropped off by the late school bus) at 5:30pm. Ruth Ann's 4pm meeting went until 5:30, so she got home shortly after Naomi. So it was a busy evening, but we still managed to pull together mashed potatoes, gravy, a green salad, green beans almondine and Rwandan sweet potatoes (which are white) with a brown sugar sauce. Isaac was the omelet chef! We had dinner "just the 4 of us" with many of our favorite Thanksgiving foods, but we didn't try to make it a big production. I did get the closest thing I could find to a pie -- a strawberry tart from a great bakery named RZ Manna. We shared "dessert" with our Dutch friends at the house, Laura and Marlou.


"Pie all gone" -- Laura and Marlou join us for dessert at "Thanksgiving #1"

On Saturday, Nov. 28,

we coordinated with our house-mates to create a lovely meal. Chris and Sandra (from NL) and Emily, Anna and Steena (from SE) all pitched in! The Kaczor's contributed mashed potatoes, gravy and two types of apple dessert: a 'makeshift' apple pie and an apple crisp. Both desserts were accomplished without an oven! But instead of a crust for the bottom of the pie, Ruth Ann bought a "tart bottom" from a local bakery.

Sandra made "dodo" a delicious local vegetable that is prepared similar to creamed spinach. She also prepared a green bean and carrot mix which was wonderful. The Swedish team blew us all away, however, by preparing 122 Swedish meatballs, with accompanying gravy!


The feast is finished! L to R: John, Naomi with our new Rwandan friends: Fracois, Emily, Steena, (Isaac), Anna, Chris, Sandra. (Dutch friends Marlou and Laura were away.)