Isaac's 3rd Birthday

What a day! All I can do is smile as I recall everything we did yesterday for Isaac's birthday! Our day started with a nice breakfast of eggs from our very own hens on the compound! We stuck a candle in Isaac's eggs and sung "Happy Birthday" to him. He sang along. :)
He spent the rest of the morning doing his usual, but the real fun began when he woke up from his nap. We had been invited to a double wedding in a small Mabaan village just a half mile away (Mabaan is one of the main tribes here.) I had gone around 1 p.m. while Eli stayed behind during the boys' nap and when they woke up around 3:30, he brought them.
The village had been celebrating with singing, dancing, eating, and drinking lots of homemade alcohol for the past couple of days and we had heard them from home. It was so amazing to be right there listening to their songs, watching the women dance, and learn about Mabaan weddings. Rebecca is a Mabaan woman who received a good education up north and speaks English. She translated for me most of the time. She took me to meet the brides who were both very young and covered in beads and local jewelry. They've been locked up in their hut for 6 months until their wedding day! They're only allowed out at night. I must admit that they looked a little depressed and ready for the whole thing to be over. :)
After eating a good meal of kisra (sour flat bread) with chicken soup and having some hot tea with the brides, I went back to watch the dancing. A group of the ladies came over to me and kept saying they wanted to be my friend, telling me their names, and putting their hands on my chest which seems to be a very special greeting for close friends. That made my day.
When Eli and the boys arrived, everyone was excited to meet them. People are always most curious about the boys because if they have seen white people before, they've usually never seen white children. Evan and Isaac are very good about being poked and petted and will usually be polite and shake hands. Isaac has ventured to say a few Arabic greetings but does so very shyly.
Just as a big crowd of women brought the brides (hoisted on their shoulders and covered from head to toe in cloth) and the men brought the grooms (both barely 20 years old!) a huge dust storm blew in. We had seen the wall of rain coming and boy did it hit! Within seconds, all of us ducked into whatever huts we could find. Meanwhile the singing and dancing went on outside, as if it wasn't even raining!
After about 20 minutes of torrential downpour, we were beckoned to Esther's tukul (hut). Esther is one of the ladies who cooks for us. She served us a wonderful meal of rice and pig stew. For the wedding, the village had butchered 10 pigs! It was delicious. Evan had 4 helpings!
Once the rain subsided and it was starting to get dark, we said our congratulations and goodbyes and walked home, slipping and sliding in the mud all the way home. Isaac thought it was the coolest thing ever and of course put his boots on as soon as we got home so he and Evan could enjoy the puddles in the day's last light.
I hurriedly baked a cake and made hot drinks: tea and coffee. Meseret made pop corn and brought some special Ethiopian bread she'd made earlier that is Isaac's favorite. I blew up a few balloons and put up the birthday banner and called everyone.
Meseret had bought traditional Ethiopian outfits for all the boys: her son Benjamin, Isaac, Evan and even 8 month old Thomas! So we took their picture, lit the candles and sang Happy Birthday. Our Sudanese brothers thought it was quite the celebration. After enjoying lots of cake (dessert is rare here) Isaac opened his gifts. He got a box of instant mashed potatoes from the Crowders and a new set of puzzles from us. He was ecstatic!
As we were tucking the boys into bed, Eli prayed and thanked the Lord for these 3 years we've been blessed to have Isaac. God alone knows how many more years Isaac has, but we trust He has an amazing plan for His life. It was such a special day for all of us.
Today the four of us were driving down to the river to try out our new boat/raft, and as I looked out at the Sudanese landscape I told Eli there was no place I'd rather be. We praise the Lord that He's given us such a joy and contentment to be here.