Girls just want to have fun!

This past weekend was our monthly women's meeting.  We had a grand time  We are preparing to sing a song in Sacrament meeting. One sister, who sings especially loud, has her own version of the song.  We will continue to practice!  Also this week, the Wollenziens, our humanitarian couple arrived for about ten days.  Donna and I have found a few common weaknesses or should I say interests this week.  More on that below.  Then there are just the constant, uniquely African ways that women have fun in life here.  The grand adventure continues.  Here goes a glimpse into life in Quelimane this week.

I read about a group in Zimbabwe making no-bake cookies for an activity,
since few women have an oven.  So, even though they look like doggie do-do (according to my daughter),
we tried it out and the women loved them. 

I had asked a sister to show the women how to crochet.  She made the sample on the table (yellow),
but the instruction part was sketchy.  Women who knew how jumped right in and  others
tried to caste on and make a circle with little success.  But they enjoyed talking together.

This is my all-time FAVORITE picture of our women's meeting.  Aren't these women beautiful!  Note that one
women has her hair in big rollers.  Women wear these rollers everywhere, on bikes, in stores, to meetings.  Being
a person with thin hair I have never seen such big rollers.

Yes, another women who loves to buy capulana's  She has bought more than I
have and my quilting friends will find that in and of itself amazing.  We cut this
one into two panels to use when we have to give a fireside sometime.  She also loves tablecloths and
bread, so we would see a store and literally jump out of the car to run in the store while
the men tried to find a place to park one day.  Yes, it was a slow missionary day, but
everyone reads our name tags and I did get my fresh, hot bread faster because I am so tall
and could call out my order over the tiny Africans who were butting in line in front of me.

Today was a huge national holiday called Peace Day.  Women all over were
dressed in native costumes downtown and drums were played
everywhere.  There is simply nothing these women cannot carry gracefully on their hands.
  I am so jealous of their perfect posture.

Driving through a village today we saw this girl on the right.  Her hair has to
be one of my favorite hair styles so far.  Most women change their hair about
every two weeks.  The braids come out or whatever they weave in comes
undone, or they tire of the straight wig.  No women keeps the same hair style
all of the time.  I love seeing what will come next.

This is a three generation picture.  Tinoca, on the right, was baptized last weekend.
Next to her is her avo or grandma.  In the yellow shirt is her aunt who raised her.
The other woman (who, of course, ran to be in the picture) is a cousin.  These three older
women have one thing is common; they are chain smokers.  The lady in orange has the worst
teeth I have ever seen, or what is left of them.  Tinoca lives with her grandma now while she
goes to High School.  She is what we affectionately refer to as a "machamba mama".  They
are tough old birds who work and walk around with cigarette butts in their mouths.  More women than
men smoke here and they are mostly of the older generation.