Potatoes

Potatoes originated in Incan South America and have become the world's fourth largest crop (source: random Google search). And it’s no wonder! Potatoes are amazingly versatile, easy to grow, cheap, and filling. And potatoes also carry symbolism, be it in commonly-used idioms or in events attached to these root vegetables.

The Meat and Potatoes
To me, potatoes have become a symbol of people caring. The meat and potatoes of missions is service, and I’ve experienced that service extending from one volunteer to another so many times!

Teacher Abi sliced a potato into a container of water the minute I told her I was sick again, this time with a fever and body aches. “Teacher,” she said, “ponlos en tus axilas y en tu vientre para que tu cuerpo se sienta mejor” (“put these in your armpits and on your belly to make your body feel better”). It was kinda comedic as I laid in bed with a row of potato wedges on my stomach and in my armpits, and I don’t know how truly effective this Bolivian remedy was, but it felt amazing! That is, until 1:00 AM when the container of water turned over in my bed, making for a laughably moist night! :)

Zoro has made himself into the official soup-for-the-sick maker. When Sierra’s soup was tragically thrown away from the Harding refrigerator, he was almost immediate in his getting up to make more. I was a lucky beneficiary of this new batch, as he simultaneously learned of my mas-o-menos health, walking over a container in the rain. Potatoes, garlic, noodles, onions, and salty water have never tasted better!

Sierra took Tylenol for her fever so she could go around in all hours of the night to help others with their fevers. She’s slept much of the recent time in her hammock in the clinic next to sick kids, has her phone ringer always on, and is the most dependable nurse anyone could ask for! And she also is a chef (“I can make that from scratch!”) and source of game night hot chocolate.

Elizabeth, Lisi, and Treson provide me with more laughter than I can contain. (Thank you for your service.) I look for Elizabeth when I catch something because she gets it, and sometimes I look at her when I shouldn’t — either time, I laugh. Lisi breathes energy and life into anywhere she goes; you can’t be in the room with her and not be smiling at her vivacious retelling of or reacting to an event. And Treson’s take on situations and how he rephrases them keep me rolling. One could even consider him the most humor-dedicated among us after he created an entire personalized card game in the wee hours of the morning solely for our enjoyment. These people provide food for the soul.

Emilianne and Maddy decided that no little girls should go a moment longer without a tea party, and so that’s exactly what we had today! Las Lilas were delighted with incredible lemon cake and chocolate cupcakes from these two cocineras, as well as given the treat of putting together paper flower crowns (flowers lovingly pre-made). The time and attention to detail that Maddy and Emilianne put in reflects their dedication to giving their all to the kids in every situation.

Carlo is the best for taking initiative around Las Lilas. Our disgusting ditch wouldn’t drain? Not a problem after he disregarded the stench and went at it with a pickaxe and lined it with bricks! Out of propane? He’ll show up with a tank on his shoulder. Sick? One sprite from the store coming right up! Need wood for a fire to cook potatoes? He’s split multiple stacks for us already. And every week we can count on him with our wheelbarrow of food rations!

“Do not labor for the food which perishes,
but for the food which endures to everlasting life,
which the Son of Man will give you,
because God the Father has set His seal on Him.”
‭‭(John‬ ‭6:27‬)

Small Potatoes

“I could cry,” I thought to myself. “Or not.” Then I just laughed. After eating nothing all day Sunday, I was ready to boil the potato I cut for supper, only to find there was no propane in the stove. My girls offered me white rice, cooked over the fire, which almost induced immediate vomiting due to an incredibly powerful essence of smoke. “All I want is a potato!” Thankfully, Abi happened to bake potatoes for lunch the next day, so my hearts’ greatest immediate desire was fulfilled! (P.S. My food cravings are small potatoes in comparison to the rest of the goodness here!)

Thinking about potatoes, Bolivian food should have a moment for itself. We do eat our fair share of root veggies, but I’ve fallen in love with other traditional meals, which I’ll someday crave, maybe even more than a potato.

Milanesa is a traditionally meat-based dish where the cut is egg-battered and fried; at Familia Feliz, it’s soy-based and incredible. The process of making this sole source of veggie meat begins with cooking dried soybeans, blending them, draining off the liquid, mixing in spices and beet juice, and pressing it until firm and dry. Then, the meatball-sized carne de soya is refrigerated. When it’s time to cook, the balls are rolled flat, boiled in cabbage broth, egged, and bread-crumbed, then plopped in sizzling oil. Served over rice with salad, nothing beats milanesa!

Mocochinchi (Quechuan word for “dried peach”) is a classically Bolivian refresco. It’s made from peeled, dried peaches which are then soaked in water overnight. Then, these Carlo-deemed “cow eyes” are boiled with sugar and cinnamon and served cold. Our first personal experience with said drink was in Las Lilas one night our first week here (although we’d wondered what on earth the Santa Cruz street vendors had floating around in their pitchers). I drank it and loved it, even braving to eat the peach, as is custom. Some of us, like Zoro and Carlo, however, were entirely skeptical. And Sierra reminded us that peach pits have cyanide in them!

Sopa de maní is also incredibly Bolivian. Probably the least labor intensive, all you have to do is blend raw peanuts, salt, and water (squatting with the blender in a bedroom, since there are only two working outlets in this house), then cook it down for a couple hours. This is then served over a boiled potato and lettuce, and I never knew I could like peanuts so much!

“Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink
your wine with a merry heart; for God has
already accepted your works.”
‭‭(Ecclesiastes‬ ‭9:7‬)

Couch Potatoes

“I don’t really crave America,” Elizabeth said the other day, “but when I have a relatively American experience it’s like oh wow this is nice!” One thing we all agree on, however, without getting to experience it, is how much we miss a couch. Our replacement has become either laying on wooden picnic benches or hanging a hammock, whether it’s Maddy’s in the middle of Las Flores’ living room or Carlo’s in Los Gringos’ dining room or mine from the pillars of the outdoor kitchen here at Las Lilas.

I guess since there are no couches here there are no kids growing up into couch potatoes! Indeed, afternoons are spent doing chores, working on endless paper assignments for Conquistadores(Pathfinders), paper crafting, listening to Aventuras en Odisea, going on walks, baking or asking to go to el arroyo.

One thing kids are not good at is being aburrido; they want to be entertained and let you know when they’re not vibing and thriving. “¿Qué vamos a hacer?” is what I get asked eighteen times a day. Minimum. (Sixteen times from Mariana alone.) There is no such thing as turnaround time between events, either. Still in fancy hair and tea party dresses, my girls are asking to play in la cancha! I guess couch potatoing can wait for the States.

“And whatever you do, do it heartily,
as to the Lord and not to men.”
‭‭(Colossians‬ ‭3:23‬)

Mr. Potato Heads

This is not a knock at how anyone looks, but I can’t resist mentioning how much fun Familia Feliz is having with the concept of the SM guys doing “No Shave November.” After all having beards their entire time here, seeing first Zoro then Treson and finally Carlo clean-shaven rocked my girls’ world!

It’s the second day of the new reality of younger looking male faces, but Zoro’s new nickname “Señor Barba” (Mr. Beard) has stuck around in Las Lilas, and they still laugh about it whenever a volunteer’s name is brought up. “¡No te preocupes! Volverá a crecer en tres semanas,” (“Don’t you worry, it’ll grow back in three weeks”) he reassured them. Meanwhile, my phone is full of evidence of Soledad’s new hobby: videoing the guys’ faces sin barbas. Oh my.

“A merry heart does good like medicine,
but a broken spirit dries the bones.”
‭‭(Proverbs‬ ‭17:22‬)

Hot Potato

I will preface talking about the weather by saying that God is amazing. He took someone (yo) who had a pretty disdainful mindset of heat and brought her to the literal tropical rainforest for a year. And He blessed me with more heat tolerance than I thought I’d ever acquire! Regardless, sometimes I feel like a hot potato, baking in my skin, grateful for the little holes poked in me to let the sweat out so I don’t explode in the oven!

Following the hottest consecutive few days of my life (where I sweat every ounce of the HydroFlasks I downed), this week has been extraordinarily cold (low of 59 degrees!!) due to daily rain and wind. Las Lilas look at me in shock and disbelief when I appear in the mornings in a sweatshirt instead of a down parka and gloves like the rest of them. “Para mi, hace fríooooo,” they say, but now add my predictable response, “pero para usted ¡es la clima perfecta!”

“Who covers the heavens with clouds,
Who prepares rain for the earth,
Who makes grass to grow on the mountains.”
‭‭(Psalms‬ ‭147:8‬)

Waltz with Potatoes

An especially inspirational song I think summarizes the current energy here is one near and dear to many young Christians’ hearts:

If you like to talk to tomatoes,
If a squash can make you smile,
If you like to waltz with potatoes,
Up and down the produce aisle...
(Excuse me. Have we got a show for you!)

Veggie Tales! Veggie Tales!
Veggie Tales! Veggie Tales!
Veggie Tales! Veggie Tales!
Veggie Tales! Veggie Tales!

Broccoli, celery, gotta be Veggie Tales!
Lima beans, collard greens, peachy keen,
Veggie Tales!
Cauliflower, sweet and sour, half an hour,
Veggie Tales!

There's never ever ever ever ever been
a show like Veggie Tales.
There's never ever ever ever ever been
a show like Veggie Tales.
It's time for Veggie Taaaaaaaalllleeesss!

Love from all the potatoes,
Katie-Jane
🤍