Food...spiritual and physical.

Another early morning, and again a cold one! I know it's winter here in SA, but I still can't believe how cold it is! There has been a frost every morning as the temperature has been down to single figures, it does warm up during the day but the temperature drops again once the sun goes down which is half past four/five pm and then it's cold again!
I hate to admit it, but I have a vest on! And a t-shirt, and a cardi, and a fleece......

Anyways...back to the blog....so myself, and Simon, an English volunteer from Kingsclere headed into Durban city centre to the BEC or Bible Education centre, and their we met Siphwe, a Zulu who is employed by the charity to help in the centre. The centre is in a walkway between shops, and sells bibles, CDs, bible based self help books, pens, jewellery for adults and children alike. They also run a free bible study course from here, in both English and Zulu.

I was very sceptical working here. As a British person, I feel that people don't really discuss religion, or particularly show an interest, but here in South Africa, most people are desperate to learn more, and also desperate enough to come into the shop as they feel being charity based you may have food or money for them....we were really busy, and sold a dozen bibles during the morning alone. Customers wanted recommendations on the best bibles to read, the quickest way of reading all 66 books, advice on the nearest churches, where they could go to get food and support...it was hard work, but uplifting. I even had to do a 'nursing bit' as a lady had tripped down a pot hole in the street, and had come into the centre for help, first time they had had a qualified nurse to offer to the customers!!

During our quick lunch break I was introduced to a SA speciality - 'bunny chow' - wow, awesome food!
It's basically meat curry served in half a loaf of bread! You order what meat you want, beef, chicken or lamb (Beans for the veggies) and you decide whether you want a 1/4, 1/2 or whole loaf of bread.
They then scoop out 2/3 of the middle of the bread, fill it with curry and lots of sauce, then put the middle of the bread back on top and serve - scrummy! So much nicer than rice.

Once we had finished at the BEC, Simon and I headed to the beach, we where meant to be meeting the other volunteers at a cocktail bar of 'high reputation'.....after hanging around for an hour, and eating all the complimentary bread, we thought we ought to order drinks - (a massive frozen pink thing for me called a mbeleco ???)as it looked like they weren't going to show.....we then drove home to Westville to find that they had been slaving away, literally over a hot stove, cooking the 'volunteers dinner' - great timing, we walked in and sat straight down!!

This was another SA meal - a zulu meal known as 'chicken and dumplings'. In a huge pot you literally chuck potatoes, a whole chicken and sweetened bread dough, cover it with curry sauce, and boil it for a couple of hours - scrummy.

The South Africans seem to like their stodge and sugar...at this rate I am going to come home huge as the food is just wonderful.......not a salad in sight!