BREAKING BREAD WITH FLATTER

We had the privilege, thanks to National Geographic/G Adventures, to experience dinner in a family setting on our first night here in Zimbabwe. We visited the home of Flatter, an amazingly strong, warm hearted woman. She proudly showed us her garden.... lots of kale, chilli peppers (to keep out the elephants) millet, pumpkin and other squash. Also lots of trees...avocado, banana, lemon, mango. She showed us how to grind corn, and explained that often women would do this for 3 hours a day, after a day of work as a maid, and before preparing the evening meal.

Blair, Janice and Kim trying their hand at the corn grinding....dinner will be served at breakfast.

As tradition dictates, the men went into the house first to check that the house was safe, and then the women followed. 

Beautifully set table, the pride was obvious as she shared the evening with us.

After she knelt to show respect,  and one by one, poured water on our hands to wash, we sat down to a beautiful meal. Starting with orange juice, fresh boiled peanuts and black eyed peas, so good, then chicken, beef, polenta, salad, kale in peanut butter, yum.....oh yeah, and worms. Thank goodness for brave men, Tom and Blair accepted the challenge and downed a few, they said they tasted like wood.

Flatter is an amazing storyteller, and shared much with us. She comes from a family of 10 children, and after losing many siblings to Aids, she has raised many of her nieces and nephews.

We were all admiring the quilt on her wall, and she explained that it told the life story of her great grandmother, who was kidnapped from her village as a teenager, and left for dead on the side of the the road. She was found by some people who took her in, nursed her, then adopted her into their village. At first, she was afraid to tell them where she was from, as she worried they may betray her. For a long time she told them she couldn't remember anything about her past. Years later, she searched for her family. She was never reunited with her parents, but did find other family members.

After sharing some small gifts from Canada, we thanked Flatter for giving us a glimpse into the local life here in Zimbabwe.