Geseënde Kersfees (Merry Christmas)!
Christmas is coming!
The holiday season is one of my favorite times of the year. But, as I drink my chai-nog and make
chocolate covered cherries I wonder what Christmas will be like in South
Africa. During December, the university
where I will be working closes down for several weeks, but the clinic stays
open to see patients. It will be summer
there with temperatures in the mid 80’s and also the wet season with an average
of 2 inches of rain a week. I am used to
evergreen boughs, pinecones, and holly symbolizing the Christmas season; what
will be the decorations of choice in Mafikeng?
Tune in next year for the answers!
Hopefully you read the challenge put forth in my last
prayer letter to bring in the final 15% of my monthly support by the end of the
year. If we achieve that goal I should
be on my way to South Africa by May or June!
I’ve reached out to everyone I know over the past year and to reach this
goal we now need to reach out to people YOU know. Please talk to your friends, pastors,
neighbors, and relatives to help bring in the final 15%. All gifts are tax deductable.
And don’t forget about your thank you gift! When you commit to at least $30/month, or
yearly support of $360, I’ll make you a few custom paracord bracelets or a dog
collar or leash in the colors of your choice.
For $50/month or more I’ll make a matching set of a collar and leash or
a belt. These make awesome Christmas
presents! Examples can be seen at www.etsy.com/shop/GoSpeakLiveBoldly. Just send me an
email with your pledge or donate online at www.cvmusa.org/quam.
If you want to add a bit of South Africa to your own
Christmas celebration you might enjoy baking a Malva pudding for your Christmas Eve dessert. Malva pudding is actually a spongy cake with
a custard sauce and is a favorite in many South African homes.
Cake
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon
apricot jam (or preserves, chopped very finely)
5 ounces
all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon
baking soda
1/2 teaspoon
salt
1 tablespoon
butter (a generous tablespoon)
1 teaspoon
vinegar
1/3 cup milk
Sauce
3/4 cup fresh
cream
3 1/2 ounces
butter
5 ounces sugar
1/3 cup hot
water
1 teaspoon
vanilla essence
Preheat oven to
350 degrees. Beat or whip the sugar and eggs, preferably in a food processor,
until thick and lemon colored. Then, add the apricot jelly (or jam) and mix
thoroughly.
Sieve together
the flour, soda and salt. Melt the butter (do not boil!) and add the vinegar.
Add this mixture, as well as the milk, to the egg mixture in the processor,
alternately with the flour. Beat well.
Pour into an
oven-proof dish, and bake for 45 to 50 minutes. In a pot, melt together the
ingredients for the sauce. When the cake is halfway baked, take it out of oven.
Make holes in cake and pour the sauce over the pudding. Return cake to oven.
Sound
good? South Africa has quite a few
delicious desserts and some very unique cuisines. I’ll share more recipes as I
discover them!
Finally,
please continue to pray for individuals and churches able and willing to
support me both financially and with regular prayer.
