Thank God for good neighbors when "Gas ya kare!"

I walked in the kitchen to do some popcorn for the children, and found the pressure cooker that Zach had just set with meat in it not getting warm.  I looked at the dimming flame beneath and thought, "Gas ya kare...Gas is finished."  No popcorn today, kids, just water for you!  

There are many small differences between living in the US and Nigeria that make life in general quite different.  One of them is that we have to remember to always have our spare gas tank full so we can cook when we need to.

Thankfully our neighbors lent us this kerosene cooker:

We were able to finish cooking our meat (which came out nice and tender...yeah!). 

We went out to get bread, though, to eat for dinner, and one of our other neighbors was driving in.  I saw some bananas on his passenger seat and, being the pregnant hungry woman that I am asked, "Can I eat one of your bananas?"  He gave us a whole bunch!   Yeah for generous neighbors!
Hanging on that bunch of bananas was this banana:

It reminded me of a Christian married couple...united and clothed in Christ.  It is also a good reminder of a phrase "Nous sommes ensemble" that I learned in Cameroon (We are together).  This was demonstrated by our neighbors as they generously offered us their resources to keep those small differences of life in Nigeria and the US...small!

So, here I am in the office, with a full stomach, and thankfulness for kind neighbors when the gas "ya kare."