Ruby Harder on Burkina Faso Tour

Check out http://www.burkinamenno.blogspot.com/ and see a picture of Ruby Harder and husband Edgar on a learning tour to Burkina Faso. Ruby is the President of Saskatchewan Women in Mission.

A connection to Burkina Faso for Mennonite Women Canada is that we help support Anna Garber Kampoare through the Pennies and Prayer Inheritance Fund. Anne works as a linguist in Burkina.

EFFICIENT YEAST BAKING

One kind of dough results in fritters and 2 varieties of buns!
Baking bread and buns was something my mother did. Saturday was baking day and the evening meal often consisted of fresh baked bread or buns, cooked eggs, rice cooked with milk, served with cinnamon and sugar.

If there was no bread for the noon meal and the bread dough was rising, my mother in law would take a piece of the rising dough, flatten it, and cut it into small squares. These she deep fried as fritters to complement the lunch soup.

When I mix a double batch of dinner buns I use a small portion of the dough to make Chelsea buns (sticky cinnamon buns). I roll out a piece of the bun dough to approximately 9 x 12 inches, spread soft butter on it, add brown sugar, and sprinkle with cinnamon. I roll it up, squeeze the edges together and cut into 1 to 2 inch wide rolls.

These are placed in a greased baking pan that has a little soft butter/margarine and brown sugar in it. Let rise till double in bulk. Bake like the buns then turn upside down on a rack so the syrup from the bottom of the pan will run over the hot buns. My mother in law would pour cream over the buns just before they went into the oven. This would make then really gooey and special.

Dinner Buns
1 pkg. yeast softened in 1/2 cup of water
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup warm water
1 tsp salt
2 cups warm milk
1 egg
1/4 cup vegetable oil
6 cups flour
Beat together the egg, warm water, vegetable oil, sugar, salt, milk
Add softened yeast to egg mixture. Gradually add flour to make a soft dough. Let rise until double in size, punch down, let rise again and form the buns. Place on pans and let rise again. Bake at 400 degrees for approximately 15 minutes.


ELVA EPP

Love Yourself This February!

By: Donita Wiebe-Neufeld

It’s a cruel irony that the annual deluge of chocolate hearts comes hard on the lazy February heels of broken resolutions. All those good intentions are smothered in rich chocolaty layers of guilt and next year’s promises.

This year, however, I’m eating pure, guilt-free chocolate. I kept last year’s promise. I got into shape and in October 2010, did a triathlon with two friends. It might be fun to gloat a bit, but I can’t do that. It is not as daunting or impressive as it might sound. All 3 of us are busy 40 something moms with careers and an interesting collection of flat feet, bunions, extra pounds, and assorted other challenges. We don’t look like the athletes you might picture beside the word ‘triathlon’. Our goal was a “civilized triathlon”. We wanted to go the distance without hurting ourselves or competing. In that spirit, we set up our own day, place, and distances and trained according to our separate schedules. When the day came, we swam 750 m, biked 20 km, and ran 5 km. We all finished with smiles on our faces.

Reflecting on what it took to get in shape, I remember difficulties that could have been stoppers for me. Sore feet, a bad ankle, back pain, and laziness were real, but to my surprise, my biggest obstacle was simple guilt. Time set aside for swims, runs, and biking felt self-indulgent. I worried I was stealing time from family, my work as a pastor, and even from cleaning the house. The fee for swimming twice a week added up, and I second-guessed the worth of my goal. I wondered if my priorities were skewed, if I was selfish.

Some things have happened, however, that have eliminated my guilt complex. The first was 6 months into training. I was swimming twice a week, running once, and biking whenever my destination was close enough. I started to feel good. My hip, achy since I got thrown from a horse in 1997, stopped hurting. My back and knees felt better than they had for years. I was sleeping well and I had lots of energy. The second thing occurred recently, when snow threatened to bury Edmonton. Our neighbours needed help, and I enjoyed the physical work. Even on days when I shoveled for 3 hours, I had no sore muscles.

All that shoveling and feeling good was an epiphany for me. I was there for my neighbours because I had spent time on myself. The same principle applies as I look forward to the next 40 plus years of life. When I take care of myself, I am prepared to take care of others. I’m happier and more effective in my work. In fact, I’m starting to see fitness as an unselfish long term investment in my family, my church, and my community.

This Valentine’s day, I’m going to love myself a little and go for a swim. The chocolate always tastes better minus the guilt.

Take our Moments and our Days: An Anabaptist Prayer Book: Volume 2 - Advent-Pentecost by Arthur Paul Boers, et al., Herald Press, 2010.

This second volume covers the high seasons of the Christian year (Advent through Pentecost). Its distinctive Anabaptist flavour is evident in the predominance of Jesus' voice, space for communal reflection on Scripture, and the choices of Bible readings - it offers a way of prayer that lets the voice of Jesus pervade the whole day.

The prayer services are designed for use by small groups or families, although they are suitable for individuals as well.

Published in collaboration with the Institute of Mennonite Studies at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary in Elkhart, Indiana.

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