Rice Bag Project

October 14, 2008

This was the culmination of our events for the day about 5 weeks ago. Below are some more pix showing what we did in order to get to this point! (disclaimer: Sometimes I cannot get my pix and text to be where I want them to be when I publish. I apologize if some of the text is hard to read!)

Before I show you, I will tell you a little more about the Rice Bag Project. We use Sonlight for our main curriculum in homeschooling. They gave us the opportunity this year to participate in a mission project: The Rice Bag Project. They would send us weekly e-mails over 8 weeks and a DVD and some other items in the mail. All these items would help us learn more about India and their need for Jesus. Sonlight partnered with a mission organization called Mission India. Our project was to collect coins in rice bags that would help women in India learn to read. While learning to read, they would learn about Christ and many become Christians. It also leads to their families becoming Christians and lots of other positive outcomes.

We have had a wonderful time learning about India. Honestly, I thought there were more Christians in India than there are. We've all heard about the persecution going on there lately. They are definitely a country in need of our prayers and support.

Oh, when we turn in our money (due today), Sonlight will match our gift! Isn't that awesome! Also, you can give if you want to. You didn't have to participate in the experience or anything. If you want to give a donation (it doesn't help us or anything... just something you can give to), go to this link: https://www.missionindia.org/sonlight/givenow?referral=SonlightReminder2&an=117200

I meant to post this sooner so you could participate if you wanted to, but that never happened. Sorry. But you still have today (Friday) if you want to send in a donation in order for it to be doubled. Of course, you can give to this organization anytime! =0) UPDATE: They've extended the deadline for online gifts: "Remember, online gifts made by 9 a.m. EST on Tuesday, November 25, 2008 will be doubled by Sonlight Curriculum."

Enjoy the pix below... but before you do... say a prayer for India that our brothers and sisters in Christ would be protected from the evil one. Pray that those who do not know Christ may come to an understanding of the free gift of grace from the one and only true God. Pray for God to be glorified in the nation of India. Pray whatever else the Holy Spirit leads you to pray...

Earlier in the day (5 weeks ago), I read to the kids about India. While I was reading, they were coloring pictures of different Indian things. Wesley & Emma enjoyed this time with us. After lunch, the little ones went down for nap, and I let Olivia & Derek skip their rest times to help me make the afternoon snack... from India!

Our first recipe was very simple. We made Lassi. We mixed equal amounts of yogurt (we used strawberry) with water. You can use plain and add sugar or honey. Then we poured them in paper cups and chilled them in the freezer so that it was like a slushy. While they were freezing, we made Roti. (Remember, if you need a close up of any of the pix, you can click on the pix.)

Roti "is a simple flatbread made almost daily in many Indian households." I think simple means few ingredients! ha! It wasn't really hard, but it was time consuming and messy and didn't turn out perfect in my opinion! However, the kids had a blast, learned a lot, and they liked them... so that is what counts... right? =0)

Olivia & Derek posing with the few ingredients (see below for the recipe).

Derek really enjoying the ooey gooey part of the mixing! Olivia enjoyed it, too!

Rolling out the balls so that they will be FLAT bread. I need to get another rolling pin so that this kind of stuff doesn't take so long!

I decided to use my iron skillet thinking it would make it more authentic. I think I was wrong. Also, you're supposed to butter both side before cooking. I think I used too much butter. See all the smoke? That is NOTHING compared to how much our ENTIRE house was filled with smoke from our little cooking experiment. Now I know why they cook outside in India!

(Silly kids posing for the camera.)

The final product... they are so brown because we used whole wheat flour, and I think they are butter-logged.

Thankfully, the weather was so nice outside that we enjoyed our snack outdoors when the little ones got up! This also gave the house a chance to air out with windows open! We put homemade pear preserves on ours from our pear trees. We didn't make the preserves though, our neighbor did! It was yummy!

All in all, the kids enjoyed the snack (more than I expected them to). They enjoyed their Lassi, too. I wasn't so wild about that, but it was okay.

Next time (if there is one) we won't make the Roti so thin. I think I'll use a different skillet and a little less butter! =0) It really was fun. They all learned a lot... about India and other things. I just love this aspect of homeschooling.

Blessings,

Melinda =0)

If you feel adventuresome, here is the recipe:

Ingredients:
3 cups whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup hot water
butter

Instructions:
Put all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix by hand until soft.
Knead the dough at least 5-10 times. Add flour if the mixture is too sticky.
Divide the dough into 12-14 balls, then use a rolling pin to roll each ball to the size of an 8 inch plate.
Put the stovetop burner on high heat and fry the roti in a pan. It will cook very quickly.
Wait 5 seconds then turn it, then put butter on the fried side. After 10 seconds turn it over again and put butter on the other side.
Repeat until roti is golden brown on both sides.
Serve warm alone or paired with steamed vegetables, plain yogurt dip, or lightly spreaded with jam.