“Ida. You know when you are married, and you put this ring on your finger, and you put this cover on the bread? Do you have it?” Ngombeki had come over to my side from Pat's as I was folding laundry that was actually dry (Praise the Lord) with a puzzled look on his face.
Hmmm. Not really trackin’ with ya Ngombeki. “It’s something you put on bread? A cover for the bread or it’s something you eat?”
“Ehh!” he says with a smile.
“No, I’m asking. You need something to cover the bread with or you need something to put on the bread to eat with it?”
“Ah….” he said as he thought of another way to ask me for whatever it was he needed…
George heard our attempt at discussion and came from Pat’s side over to my side carrying a metal 9x13 pan of what looked like banana cake. “His sister is getting married and you put it on the top” George said.
“Oh, you have a cake. You need what you put on top of the cake. You need a container?”
“No, you put like this…” and George smeared his hand around above the cake.
“Ah, you need ICING for the cake. Your sister is getting married and you need icing for the cake.”
“Ehhhhhhh” they both said in affirmative unison with smiles on their faces.
“Uh, huhhhhhh!” I said in agreement. “I don’t have icing that is already made, but I do have this” pulling out a box of confectioner’s sugar. “I have these directions also” pulling out the Joy of Cooking and finding the quick white icing recipe. “But I have never made it from these directions. I am not sure how it is going to turn out. This Karen, I have heard that she is the best at making this icing. You should go and ask her about this icing, and if she is not there or cannot help then I can try these directions.”
“OH-kay” Ngombeki says in agreement. He’s satisfied with that plan and heads off with his cake and box of sugar to find Karen.
I love these interactions. I love these times when it’s up to us non English and non Lubwisi speakers to try to figure out what the other is trying to say. Usually it’s me and Asita. She knows more English than I know of Lubwisi but we still have quite a time of it…usually with lots of laughing and hand motions. A comedy of errors for sure. But the satisfaction from piecing things together and figuring out the puzzle, and the crumpling in laughter that ensues is priceless!
1 comment:
Heidi,
You made me cry. I've really been missing Bundibugyo lately and when I read "This Karen, I have heard that she is the best at making this icing." I started to smile and then cry. I really miss the awkwardness of what should be simple situations and being forced to be dependent on God for even the little things. I'm praying that you will all be encouraged in those areas of life.
I also met your sister, she is in my small group at Church.
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