Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Earthwise Vision Explained


This is a wonderful video that explains what Earthwise is working to do in Uganda.  This is the company that Andrew is working for.  I sure enjoyed it!

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

He's Gone Back

Andrew is back in Uganda!  For those of you who don't know, he has taken a job with Earth Wise Ferries Ltd. as the Managing Director for their East African operations. He was home for Dad's funeral and a whirlwind visit.  Now he has gone back.  He really has a heart for Africa and this project specifically. We learned a lot talking with him about it during this visit. 

Earth Wise has launched their first ferry on Lake Victoria.  Here is a picture of the ferry when the first lady visited.  Can you see Andrew?



Click on this picture to view full sized.

The first lady of Uganda, Janet Kataaha Museveni visited Earth Wise's first ferry the Amani.  Amani has different meanings depending on what language you use, but the source of inspiration for this name comes from two langauges.  In Swahili, Amani means “peace”, and in Hebrew Amani means “my faith”; either way, she is well named for her purpose on Lake Victoria.

Congratulations to the team!

  Do you see a man who excels in his work?
      He will stand before kings;
      He will not stand before unknown men.

Proverbs 22:29  

 

 

Monday, August 8, 2011

Thank you Andrew!


Andrew brought us the most delicious things from Turkey.  He had a long stop over in Istanbul and found goodies for us. 

We just finished the last Turkish Delight.  There were two different kinds.  One like the picture below was coated in corn starch.  There were three different flavors and colors.  
Yellow - Lemon  
Green - Mint  
Red - Rose
There were also nut Turkish Delight.  They weren't different colors but were very good.

 The candy was featured in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, by C.S Lewis. The White Witch tempted a character, Edmund, with Turkish Delight.  I have to admitt that we were all tempted by it . . . . . . . . but never did see the White Witch!

Here is the history of this candy:
Before the 18th century, honey and grape molasses were the only sweetening agents available to Turkish confectioners. With the introduction of sugar in the late 18th century, Turkey awakened to a new era of sweet making. Sugar brought with it the beginning of endless creative possibilities to Turkish confectioners. It was during this time that Turkish delight, one of the oldest known confections in the world, was created in the great kitchens of the Ottoman court.
File:Turkish Delight.JPG

A whimsical tale tells of the creation of turkish delight:
In an attempt to appease his many wives, a famous Sultan ordered his confectioner to create a unique sweet. Eager to please his Sultan, the confectioner blended a concoction of sugar syrup, various flavourings, nuts and dried fruits then bound them together with mastic (gum Arabic). After several attempts, a most delectable sweet emerged from the royal kitchens. The Sultan was so delighted with these delicious little gems that he proclaimed the sweet maker the court's chief confectioner!
And this is the story of how Turkish delight was created. Hereafter, a plate of Turkish delight was served at daily feasts in the Ottoman court.
Turkish delight was unveiled to the west in the 19th century. During his travels to Istanbul, an unknown British traveler became very fond of the Turkish delicacies, purchased cases of "rahat lokoum" and he shipped them to Britain under the name Turkish delight.
It is believed that Picasso enjoyed Turkish delight daily to improve his concentration while Napoleon and Winston Churchill relished pistachio filled Turkish delights.
Andrew also brought several kinds of Baklava.  Oh my - - - - it rivals chocolate!

Thank-you  thank-you Andrew for thinking of us all the way in Istanbul!  We still are licking our lips. 


Andrew 6 years old!

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Dad


October 26, 1925  -  July 24, 2011