To some, it may seem strange that a mostly stay-at-home mom would need a house helper. Well, no, I probably don't need to employ her, but as Westerners living in Tanzania, the community would see us as "selfish" and "stingy" if we didn't employ someone in our home.By employing one or more house helpers (some expats have a staff of 2 or more, especially if they have large homes or work full-time), we are helping women feed and clothe their families, get better medical care, and save for retirement. So, while I am capable of caring for a home on my own (and rather enjoy it), I am very happy to be investing in the lives of a wonderful Tanzanian family.
And it must be said that Mama Ruthi makes amazing bread, granola, tortillas, yogurt, and much more. She's a great cook. And we all adore her.
A few weeks ago, we had the opportunity to visit Mama Ruthi and her family in their home. We enjoyed meeting her children and husband, and she served us one of her delicious meals. After lunch, I got the camera out to take some pictures, and her boys had a ball taking lots of pictures of their own. (Digital cameras are the best!)
Here are a few pictures from our visit:
Mama Ruthi showing Josiah how to grill fresh maize.
Mama Ruthi served us ndizi (plantains), cabbage, and coconut rice. We enjoyed this meal so much that we now have her cook this for us once a week. :)
Baba Ruthi (Mama Ruthi's husband) eating his meal. Baba Ruthi works for a mining company and is away from home often. We were happy that he was at home this particular weekend, so we were able to meet him.
Mama Ruthi's niece. It is common for Tanzanians to take in their relatives' children, especially if they live in a town with better schools or job opportunities (like Dodoma).
Ruthi (Mama Ruthi's eldest child) playing with Anna.
David
Peter
The boys had fun posing on our Land Cruiser.
They also enjoyed taking pictures of themselves with our camera.
Me and the kids with the whole family.Visiting can be a lot of fun!
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