Lisa Harris's Blog, page 30

Cooking from the heart of Africa

We've had many, many people pass through this summer as a part of mission teams or simply to see us and our ministry which has been great. One of the things most have been surprised about, is the fact that when it comes to cooking--and I've done a lot of it recently--everything has to be made from scratch.

And I mean everything!

Because many recipe books included ingredients that I can't get, I have a long list of meal ideas that I use along with a computer file filled with recipes that I can make here. And I'm always searching for more.

So what do we eat? Here are a few examples.

~Sausage pizza means making the dough, sauce, and even the sausage. (No, I don't make my own cheese)

~Soups are all made from scratch. We love butternut, carrot, and potato.
~Peanuts for snacking are bought raw and roasted.

~Chili and cornbread means no mix for the cornbread and a favorite chili that is said to have been served on the Union Pacific Railway.

~Any brownies, granola bars, or desert items are all made from scratch.

~We eat a lot of fruits and vegetables from the market including my favorite breakfast, a fruit smoothie with papaya, oranges, bananas, and passion fruit (my very favorite). Passion fruit also makes some fabulous deserts!


I think I get the most complaints from my kids for the lack of variety. I mean, there are only so many ways to serve chicken and rice. They also miss snack food (ie junk food.) Over all, though, it's just something you get used to. Personally, I think food from scratch typically tastes better and is better for you which I like.

The photo below is a "snack food" they enjoy, though I don't know what it's called other than a pea/bean they eat in the village.


There are some convenience items I try to have on hand from South Africa, but everyone knows that when they are gone, they are gone. Some we can find here in Moz, but they are often very expensive.

Tortillas
Peanut butter
Salad dressing
Pastas
Cheese/sliced cheese
Lunch meat

Our last group arrives tomorrow night, so I've been preparing today for their meals over the weekend that will include Brazilian beans and rice with yummy farina which is dried and grated manioc--like a potato--cooked in bacon, oil and onions. Yes, this is so good!

They will spend next week at our annual English Camp (where I don't have to do the cooking!). We will also show the Jesus film Saturday night and dedicate the well in Masavana on Sunday, so there are lots of exciting things ahead. I'll be sharing photos and updates throughout the week.

So what about you? Do you like cooking from scratch, (even if you don't have to)?

New water well almost ready in village!

For those of you who remember the well we attempted to put in Massavana two years ago, it ended up being a long and frustrating journey. But we are thrilled to report that we have finally been able to contract a new driller and have struck water!

We want to give a special thanks to those who donated to this new well that will be presented to the village next weekend after the foundations has time to dry. This is a huge praise!

Blessings,

Lisa

Don't try this at home

I recently was held up on my way home. And no, I don't mean a car jacking, or traffic jam, or an accident. It was...well for a lack of a better term...a coconut crossing. A young man had scaled a tree and was dropping coconuts onto the ground from the top of one of the trees onto the narrow dirt road in front of me.

I've always found it fascinating to watch them climb these trees, so here's a short video showing you how. But please don't try this at home!

Enjoy,

Lisa
(PHOTO: Selling coconuts on the side of the road)

On being candid

It's not always easy being candid. You know what I mean. Letting people in on both the good and the bad in our lives. If you're like me, you'd rather people think that everything is great. No problems. No sweat.

Well...not always. Because that's not real life.

Today I received an email from a friend that really touched me. She thanked me for being candid about some of life's struggles on my blog.

"...sharing some of those things has helped me realize that every one of us face challenges in our life on a daily basis. We as Christians though should never feel like we are alone in these challenges. God is the pilot and in control...we just have to turn all things over to Him."

I love what she had to say. Because while everyone of us face challenges in our lives, as Christians we also need to remember that we're not alone. No matter who we are, we all share so much in common. Ordinary people, wanting the best for our families, wanting to be loved, wanting stability and peace.

Paul said it this way in 2 Corinthians 13:11 "Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you." (NIV)

On another quick note, if you missed my Skype interview with friend and author Lynne Gentry on her new book Reinventing Leona, you can catch it here. Because of some technical difficulties that erased most of the comments for the contest running with it, we're extending the contest through July 14th.

Be a blessing today!

Lisa

Thank you so much to everyone who stopped by and left a c...

Thank you so much to everyone who stopped by and left a comment for my summer giveaway! Congrats to Patty Wysong who will be receiving copies of Blood Ransom, Blood Covenant and An Ocean Away!

If you didn't win, I'll be hosting one more giveaway later this month, so be sure and stop back soon!

Short reminder for today.

On Saturday, I was hanging out my laundry and ended up watching a dozen birds feeding on our papaya tree. Remember when Jesus told the people to "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?"

For me, it was a powerful of His love for us. Hang on to His promises today!

Happy Fourth of July,

Lisa

Skype interview with Lynne Gentry (and a surprise giveaway)

I recently sat down with friend and author, Lynne Gentry for a Skype chat about her debut novel, Reinventing Leona. This is my first time to do an interview like this and we had so much fun. Watch the video to find out what she is giving away! (You'll love it!)

You can find out more about Lynne and her book on her website.

Enjoy!



PS Don't forget to leave a comment on my last post for a chance to win copies of Blood Ransom, Blood Covenant, and An Ocean Away.

Lisa

Contest closes Wednesday, July 5th, midnight CST. Winner will be announced on or around July 6th. This contest is limited to the United States and is void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

Summer Giveaway Part Two!

Would someone please tell me what happened to June! Actually to the entire year for that matter. I can't believe how fast the year seems to be flying by.

Which means with June almost over, and I'm just in time to post my second promised summer giveaway. Who isn't looking for great books to read this summer? So in celebration of everything summer (okay, it is slightly chilly and winter where we live) but nevertheless, I'll choose one winner by a random draw to win one copy each of Christy Nominated Blood Ransom, Blood Covenant, and An Ocean Away.

So spread the word and leave a comment, telling me that you'd like to participate in this month's contest. Also, make sure to leave a way for me to get ahold of you. This contest closes at midnight PST July 2 and is limited to US addresses.

If you've had a chance to read any of these novels, drop me a note. I'd love to hear what you thought. Or if you have a moment leave a review on Amazon or other online site.

Thanks for stopping by and Happy Reading!

Lisa

Blood Covenant Book Trailer from Lisa Harris on Vimeo.

Contest is limited to the United States and is void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

How to build a house 101

I've had several ask about the house we have been building for one of our Christian women, so I wanted to share this video as her house is now finished!

Thank you so much for the help from our disciples, the Katy team, and funds from The ECHO Project that made all of this possible.



Be a blessing today!

Lisa

Never say never...

When we bought our house in South Africa, I gave Scott a list of things I would never do.

*I would never move until my children graduated from High School (if ever)

*I would never learn another language

*I would never home school my children

*I would certainly never send them away to boarding school.

Hmm...if you know anything about my life since that day several years ago, you might also know that God was probably smiling down at me and my plans. Because he soon made it very clear that my plans weren't His plans.

Through a very miraculous and clear word, God called us to Mozambique. What did this mean? It meant moving to not one, but two countries (Brazil on the way to Moz for language learning). It meant learning another language, and pulling my kids out of school in order to home school them.

Never say never? Right.

And now, the last of my "nevers" has just come about. I will never send my children off to boarding school.

With that said, I'm so exited to share that my baby (at fourteen) has just been admitted to Rift Valley Academy, a boarding school primarily for missionary kids, where he will start high school this fall. I can't say that I'm not a bit weepy over the prospect of him leaving, but I also know without a shadow of a doubt that God's hand is in this decision and in this transition for our family. Because of this, and for Gabe's sake, I couldn't be happier for this opportunity.

We visited the school last fall on the way to the States and knew at that time that Gabe was ready and that this is what would be best for him and his life.

Thanks so much for all of you who have been praying for his acceptance the past few months. And as for me, I'm already missing my boy, but also trying really hard to never say never. Especially when God's hand is involved.

Lisa

Photos of the day

Mozambique's Walmart

We spent yesterday at one of the government offices for our yearly renewal of our papers that allow us to stay in the country. On the way home (we were about an hour away) we found a new Chinese shop that has recently opened. I'm calling it my Mozambique Walmart as it sells everything and has some really good prices. It surprised me at how excited I got, but it's always nice to have new options of places to shop even though it isn't a town I visit often. Funny thing is, you can actually see the town from our roof, but it is across the bay so we either take a boat which is quicker, or drive around if we need a vehicle.

UPDATE ON THE VILLAGE HOUSE BEING REBUILT

Many of you probably know that one of our sweet Christian woman's house burned down a couple of weeks ago. She is a single mother of five and to build a new house would have been extremely difficult. Thanks to donations to The ECHO Project we were able to buy the materials to build her a new house. Several of our disciples have been working on this project over past two weeks along with some added help from our mission team from Texas. This also gave these young men some added income that will help them greatly as we gave them gifts for their hard work. I've posted new photos below.

Yesterday, they put in the cement floor, and now all that is left is the hanging of the door. We have a lot of exciting things that we are going to be sharing regarding The ECHO Project in the coming months where you can involve your youth groups, children classes, and small groups, so be sure and stay in touch!

Be a blessing today,

Lisa