Praying for chickens?

This week we went on a field trip to a chicken processing plant (I was glad they were done for the day). WR is partnering with Moz Farms who give all the inputs to WR volunteers to raise the chickens and then they take them all and pay them per chicken. While we were there we met the Muslim guy that slits their necks and says a prayer over each one. Now there's a unique job! This is a requirement for the Muslims so they can say it is “Hallal” (like kosher). We asked him what he prays, and he said he would pray whatever we wanted! I can’t say I’d have much to pray over a chicken about to be killed.

Later we visited with WR volunteers, and the highlight was seeing Reginaldo, one of our “kids” from Chokwe. He’s been building chicken houses in this community. He is getting a lot of pressure from his dad to have his fiancee move in and postpone the wedding until later. I couldn’t understand that until someone explained that young people help support their parents until they get married. Talk about a twisted system that works against marriage. I encouraged him to do things God’s way and he said others are saying the same. I’m sure it’s hard for him to buck the system plus his own family. Then there are the huge expectations of making it a real feast when you do get married and going broke to do so. You can pray for him.

It's been a busy week with lots of meetings and guests. Now Steve is off to Zambia where he is helping host a team from the U.S. and they are having board meetings. They will all come here the end of the week and go to a village.

The excitement over fare hikes has calmed down. Apparently the government is subsidizing the price of gas for the chapa drivers. Too bad they didn't lower it for all of us!