More to the Chicken Story......

OK, there is more to the chicken story.....Moses is a man we met while working at Step by Step Learning Center. It just so happens he was going to be passing through Babati on his way to bargain for his "bride price" with his "intended's" family. As tradition would have it, the groom has to come up with all the money. First he has to bargain for the bride: possibly a few cows, a blanket for grandma, a new pot or piece of fabric for Mama. If all goes well, then, at a later date, there is a "send off" from the bride's community/home which can be as costly as a wedding. The groom pays for all of this. And eventually there is the wedding where the groom is expected to feed everyone and pay for transportation for the bride's family to attend. Everyone at the wedding has a great time, but the bride and groom remain "straight faced" through the whole thing. When asked why they don't smile, we were told it is because the bride is being taken from her family and it is a very serious time.

Now back to Moses. Several of us were in fervent prayer that the "bargaining" would go well. Moses was willing to offer 5 cows and was delighted when the father took the offer of 2 cows, the khanga (cloth) for Mama, and the blanket for Grandma. Praising God, he buys 2 live chickens, ties their legs together, and travels with them on the bus to Babati. (The other will travel another 120 miles to friends in Arusha). They arrive at our house and it obvious they are here to spend the night. Ed and I double up on the fold down futon bunk bed we use as a sofa, and distribute Moses, Christina, and volunteer guests, Joe and Amanda throughout the house. Before we drift off to sleep, I calmly tell Ed, "Baby, I know how you like 'roughing it" in Africa, but there is no way on God's green earth I am butchering that chicken." He reassures me all will be fine........"baby".

After church, the following day, we untie the chicken's legs, take the picture shown in the previous blog, and take Moses, Christina, and the other live chicken to the bus stand.



I must say that I am thankful to Ed's mom and his granny for showing him how to process a chicken. I won't post the photos I took of Ed doing the "deed". But the product was a nice plump chicken for the pot and one proud "Texan".