International Food Festival

Wednesday, the girls and I sat in to listen to the Cathedral Choir rehearse while Aaron manned the table.  Their new director is a bundle of energy!  They are preparing some beautiful music for the Christmas Candlelight performances which are just around the corner.

As soon as choir was finished, we hit the kitchen to prepare for the international food festival.  

We had already hunted down frozen grated cassava, and now we were ready to cook foods to represent the Solomon Islands.

Sarah's amazing roommate helped us spread the cold, messy stuff across the banana leaves.  I sure am thankful for God's provision in a kind, fun, and compatible roommate!

Somebody had to babysit the dorm's oven, so the girls and I moved school into the kitchen, once again leaving Aaron to interact with students at Dallas International University's display.  Our adventures also included a brief stint in the hallway because of a tornado drill.

So while Sarah was in class and work study, we got to hang out with all of the students who were cooking their home country's food for the festival.

And smell the banana leaves as the cassava pudding cooked.  Those leaves do create a distinctive smell.  Some might say di-stink-tive.  Tuesday night, our chicken in the crockpot made everybody asked what smelled so good, but Wednesday night the questions were about what smelled so bad!

The food festival was once again a huge success.  Sarah and Benjamin did a great job of planning a fun, interactive display representing the Solomon Islands.  Blowing the conch shell was a favorite.

  Benjamin can blow it loud and long!

Our village banana cake (made with coconut oil from the Solomon Islands) was a big hit next to the cassava pudding.  

We also had some havu, one of our favorite nuts, that Aaron brought back from his recent trip to the Solomon Islands.

Sarah looked great in the skirt she made herself.

Throughout the evening, different students performed something that represented their home country, and the last one of the night was my two college students singing in Lavukaleve.

 They did a great job, and there was much cheering for these two when they finished.  I'm so proud of the many ways they are taking advantage of every opportunity offered to them at JBU.