Did I tell ever you, I looove mangoes? Then let me say that again... listen well.
"I heaaaaaaaart mangoes!"
Alrigh-dee. You really didn't have to listen to me, although you might want to see some mango shots from my home sweet home.
Can you see this picture above? That's our border wall with one of the mango trees leaning towards the wall. So that particular corner has been a source of fun, contention, prank among neighbourhood kids who love to throw stones at the this tree in hopes that one of the spotted yellow mangoes will fall on their side, outside the house. But you'll never know whether your shot will be successful or not, in the first place.
A few months ago, my mom asked the gardener to pick up all the stones the house, some of which are leftovers from house construction materials. Those stones are now in front of our gate.... really, we don't know what to do with them. :) I guess a few of them will find their way back, until we properly dispose of the stones.
One day, I was back from work quite early and I met two kids standing, looking at this tree for yellow mangoes. Harmless.
As long as they are able to get what they want, they can continue. After all there are 6 other mango trees inside the walled house. So I rang the bell waiting for the door to be opened so that I could enter.
But then one of the kids walked up to me with super confidence and said, "Madam, I threw a stone and my mango has fallen inside. Let me go inside and get it," as if he had every right to claim that one mango. My mind was like, "Hahahaha! What a comic scene! He really thinks he has a right to the mango!" But I smiled and allowed him to go inside the house grounds with me and wasn't at all bothered that he picked from the ground more than he had worked for. After all, this is just one time, I don't think he will be back again.
We lived in our previous house for some 20 plus years and it always brings some good memories when I think of those days. We had incredible neighbours and great relationships with most of them, some of which are still flourishing, although we the kids have grown up and have busy lives of our own, and have all moved out of that old neighbourhood. Today, when there is an occasion, we try to honour the invitations and celebrate together. There is nothing good as observing the faithfulness of God in a family friend's life.
We didn't have a mango tree in our previous house compound. There were 2 mango trees, if you ask me, malnourished and heavily in demand by some notorious kids, including yours truly. Where were the trees? Standing at the borderline of where 4 houses intersected, so it seemed like nobody really claimed ownership of them. But the boundary lines were clear, we knew who the rightful owners were.
Although they were malnourished trees, they were a source of a competition and chidish squabbles as to who would get the ripe mangoes first. And woe betide you if you didn't live in one of the four houses and you wanted to claim the fruit of any of these 2 mango trees. Hahaha! :) In our teens, we somehow lost interest in climbing those trees in search for fruit. You know teenagers have constantly changing interests, right? "Yeaaah...," that's sounds like a teenager's disinterested response. :)
Anyway, there is something I learnt from the book of Ruth and from my not-so-90-day Bible reading challenge about God. God has a
soft spot for widows and orphans, the needy and vulnerable. And he wants us to remember them as well. I wonder whether the universal Church is living up to this calling today? Had not
Boaz allowed Ruth to glean from his farm, I wonder what other hardships Ruth and Naomi would have had to face? And that
love story? It would never have happened. But thank God for wise men.
And for me, although lil Mr. I-have-right-to-the-mango-that-has-fallen-inside-your-compound appeared audacious and mildly rude, I knew that he clearly didn't have money to buy a single mango at the market. And besides, we have several trees and often times give the mangoes to friends and family. We can't eat them all.
But I'm glad the lil' boy dared asked and
he got even more. The TNIV calls it "shameless audacity." Thinking about it now, I wish somebody had videotaped that interaction between me and lil' Mr. Audacity. He was incredibly confident that he'd get want he wanted.
Next time, I'll post pictures of ripe, yellow mangoes. Stay tuned!
God bless ya,
Mango lady. :)
Another end has come; new things are in store. There is time for everything. His faithfulness and love is beyond full comprehension. No thanksgiving can ever be enough but I'll THANK Him anyway. I ♥ my Papa.
As a kid, I was a skinny, underweight girl who had to be coaxed, scolded and beaten to eat her food. I simply didn’t like to eat. Not until I went to the boarding house in secondary school. The food often consisted of two ladles of rice or less, to my dismay. There was no food to waste like I did back at home those days. I remember the first vacation, I came home and savored the homemade groundnut soup and like Oliver Twist, asked for more. It’s said that you sometimes don’t value some things until you’re deprived of it for sometime. It was then that I began to appreciate and value meals. And today I do enjoy my meals, although my friends still think I’m a bit picky about what I eat. Ahem... let’s just say, I’ve improved?
Ain't Cooing baby so cute?
Call it comical, hilarious, cynical, what have you. But there is a unique side to being able to take 'intolerables' as light stuff. I know, such things won't be tolerated in European or North American countries for the most part. But I live in a different world! : ) 
The sad thing is that trotro and taxi drivers are unlikely to read this. The drivers mates? Nada. They are on the road right now. But I’m sure some of you own taxis and trotros. Could you ensure that your vehicle is road-worthy, people-friendly and clothes-friendly? Maybe you’d find that the frequent wear and tear and constant visits to the mechanic is the fruit of bumpy, pot-holed rides.
