Sudanese engagement party

This is one of my favorite foods here in Khartoum.  Za'tar-Mozzerella pizza thing.  It's called a "fateera."

Last night I had the privilege of attending an engagement party for Sumaia's niece.  And what a party it was!  The decorations were beautiful, the food was great, and the company was wonderful.

Sumaia's older sister and the proud mother of the bride.  Unfortunately, my iPhone camera did not do her justice.  All of the ladies looked beautiful in their traditional Sudanese robes.

The young men of the family. :)

Sumaia's extended family welcomed me as one of their own.  They even took me to the dance floor.

The happy new couple.  

I went home at midnight.  That's the latest I have stayed up in quite a while.  Good times!

Thank you, Sumaia and family, for your hospitality.  You are amazing people.  God bless the newlyweds!

Men are from ???

Sarah is the nice Ethiopian girl who takes care of my place here.  I walked into the space where she keeps all of her cleaning supplies and found this book.  I recognized the cover, but I only knew the words "Men are from. . ." and "Women are from. . ."  I had to look up the other two words - Mars and Venus.  I never thought I'd see that book in Arabic.

My Thanksgiving dinner - grilled chicken and delicious yellow rice.

I'm sure many of you remember Sumaia.  She and I worked together from 2004 to 2006, but I never thought I would have the pleasure of meeting her again in her home country of Sudan.  This week I spent some time not only with Sumaia, but quite a few members of her extended family as well.  They are wonderful people!  We visited a horse track where some of her nieces and nephews are learning to ride horses.

Friday morning I went to Sumaia's family home and enjoyed a little program put on by more of her nieces and nephews.

They made fun of my Arabic because I use formal Arabic when I talk.  Most people use the dialect of their country of origin.  It would be as if I were to speak Shakespearean English back in the States.....sort of.

What fun was had by all.  The man on the left is Adil, Sumaia's brother, and those are his children.

Preparing for our spoon-in-mouth-carrying-lime race.

On your mark. . .

Get set!

Go!

Umm, Sumaia, why are you still holding your spoon? :)

Not coming in first.

You and me, buddy.  Let's do it again.  Ready......go!

Yipee!

Enjoying some delicious food.  The bowl of red stuff on the right is called Milaah Sharmoot.  Years ago Sumaia told me about a traditional Sudanese dish called "Sharmoot."  I was shocked because the only definition I knew for "Sharmoot" is a male prostitute.  Milaah means "Stew."  So does that mean I ate "Prostitute Stew?"

Chatting with Sumaia's father.  He still speaks pretty good English.  He obtained a degree at what was then known as Fresno State College, back in the late 1960s.  Small world.  I told him about my family connection to Fresno.  Granny/Mom, did you know a Sudanese student back then?

Yesterday was Day 3 of the LDS (Mormon) church's Light The World program.  

https://www.mormon.org/christmas/in-25-ways-over-25-days/jesus-helped-others-to-see

One of the options to serve was to "Read a book to an elderly person with impaired vision."  I had fun reading to Sumaia's 90-year-old father while he corrected my Arabic now and then.  I read from his autobiography.

Today is Day 4 of the Church's Light the World program. 

https://www.mormon.org/christmas/in-25-ways-over-25-days/jesus-worshipped-his-father

One of the suggested ways to participate is to "Visit a temple or other religious site," so I chose to visit St. Matthew's Cathedral here in Khartoum.  They had some lovely organ music playing inside.

 ". . . to the ends of the earth."  Indeed.