Girl's Camp: Kisumu style

I wanted to share just a little more about Girls' Camp. The girls had a fun day. They got to know each other better as many of them live far away from each other. They all arrived later than expected and so had only a short time for volleyball before beginning lunch preparation.

First they learned chapati making. Elizabeth, the Young Women's counselor showed them how to mix the dough.
Then the girls formed them into balls and they rested for a bit. (the dough, not the girls.)
Then they rolled out the dough into disks.
They put a tablespoon of oil on the top, then rolled it up, stretched it out, and rolled it into a ball like a cinnamon roll.
The dough rested again, then was rolled out once more...
And cooked over a jeko-- a charcoal stove. It was cooked on one side, then flipped and oiled. Then cooked on the other side a bit more. It was tricky to turn the chapati so it didn't burn, and flip it, and then remove it. It was all done with fingers or a spoon. I think the ladies must have asbestos fingers.

They were taught cutting up vegetables, then came the chicken cooking. It started with two live chickens. Skip this part if the details are too graphic. Jemima was the brave one. She stood-- one foot on the wings, one on the feet (which were tied together.) She plucked feathers from the neck, then cut the neck through the spine so the head was held on by skin. They collected the draining blood (and I'm not sure... and preferred not to ask... where it's place was in the meal.)

Then they dunked the chicken in boiling water and plucked it.

They scraped off the beak and cleaned off the outer part of the tongue and the outer skin of the feet-- which they considered dirty. The rest was edible.

They showed how to remove and discard the gullet, then slit the wing bone muscle near the body so the chicken could be pulled apart stem to stern or top and bottom. They cleaned out the innards-- entrails, cut around the rectum, removed heart, liver, and something that was filled with grains of sand? that they whacked, cut, and pulled out the lining.
The girls wanted to eat the entrails, so they were shown how to clean them and wrap them around the foot of the chicken (presumably to keep them in one spot.) They cut the chicken into many pieces so that each person could get a little bit.
Then the girls watched as it was cleaned, put into a pot with only a little water and left to steam. Later a few vegetables and some seasoning were added. Other vegetables were cooked in another sofura, and finally one sofura was used for ugali-- a corn flour and water mix that forms a hard paste.

While the food was cooking, the girls made necklaces.

They strung gold beads onto fishing line, then strung the Young Woman's pendant onto the chain before putting the clasp on.
It really went quite quickly and looked lovely. They were so pleased with their necklaces. Jemima is modeling hers.

When the food was ready, the girls served the children and the priesthood leaders...

Then ate their own food. Notice the lack of utensils. (They borrowed the spoons they used for chapatis, and were horrified or astonished that I didn't have a big paddle for ugali making.)

After, a member of the Branch Presidency addressed them. Then they sat and listened to the Young Woman's broadcast. It was a little inconvenient that the electric people showed up at that time to see why our power was fluctuating so badly. They turned off the power a few times. The girls went to play ball for a bit, then returned to the broadcast.

About 6pm the day ended. The girls posed for a last "snap" and then went home.

Elizabeth, one of the leaders and chapati cook, left with pans neatly held in place with a lessa-- a piece of cloth used for apron, shawl, baby-carrier, etc. I had to get a "snap" of her, too.

These were the girl's comments on the day:

Lydia: I liked making the chain. It makes me happy and reminds me of the Young Women Values.

Jemima: I liked doing the chicken. I liked chopping and learning new things. I liked making the chapatis.

Vanessa: I thought the best part was making the salad. The chicken was interesting. I like the personal progress program because it helps us strengthen our testimonies.

Imelda: I liked serving people. They were telling me what they needed and I went to the kitchen to get it. It felt good to prepare the food.

Vivian: I liked cooking ugali and I liked playing football.

Julie: I learned that we should never give up. Pres Uchdorf said, no matter how long it takes, you should fight for something and never give up.

The girls all agreed the camp helped them get to know one another better and to have fun together. It was a great first Girls' Camp.