Mother's Day 2019 - Honoring Kundanbala (My sister, Kuki)

2019 Mother's Day thoughts.

This year on my blog I want to honor my sister Kundan on this Mother's Day. She is also known as Kuki. Kuki is the 2nd born in our family. Growing up in India while she was a just a preteen, she took on the role of mom-like elder sister. Both our parents were working outside home and later on away in another country, across the seas, in Nairobi, Kenya, East Africa. Our care taker was elderly so Kuki stood in the gap. At this age, I am now amazed at such a young age HOW she cared for us; only the Lord knows from whom she got the courage and strength to handle that responsibility. As she depended a lot on prayers, even as she loved playing hopscotch with her friends in the streets; her eyes and ears were always on us young two mischievous siblings, or she had  to remember to check on cooking Khichdi or some food. She would equally divide among us three siblings each one's portion. That was so sweet of  her. She kept in good relation with the neighbors,elders and kids alike so if we ever needed anyone, her one sos shout was enough to gather folks to come and help us. We are grateful for good neighbors.

My most beautiful childhood memory of her is when she would gather us two younger siblings (Rajoo our brother and me) near her, for nightly prayers, before going to sleep, cover her head, open her Bible, read it and close her eyes and pray for us 3 to be safe. Her list of protection included protection from, Satan, enemies, poisonous insects and animals, thieves, fear, robbers, ghosts, flesh eating demons, vampires, witches, nightmares, bad thoughts!! wow! we memorized the list so well (hahaha) that I still pray that so unknowingly! She took us to church nearby. She had a good network of good friends. She is a very social person.

Once when she saw a snake like figure moving around and casting a shadow, her scream gathered all neighbors in the night in our house, thank God, it turned out to be a peacock toy made from a thin foil.

Coming to Nairobi in the 1980 she had to learn Swahili and that was a challenge but she did it well. We both loved to sing for the Lord and participate in church activities. She then got married and had two children. Sadly her lovely boy passed away in the prime of his life in a tragic road accident. Kuki has been thru so much in her life, since her childhood yet she keeps going on and there is always a smile on her face. She takes little offense even to insults that just amazes me! God has given her enough grace to handle that. She has juggled much and with prayers and faith in Christ she continues to shine.

She followed in our mom's footsteps and became a nurse as well. Being born in that era as girls, we were two girls, the system treated us like second class citizens, looked down on us, especially her as the older one, but both of us continued trusting God, despite bullies and insults to shine as the Lord allowed us to study and do hard work, being committed to our work in His grace. This year she got an aware for being a great nurse. I am so thankful to God for! Kundan is in nursing profession since 38 years and at the same hospital for all those years!

Here is the word for word speech from her Head of Nursing, and the blessings of her manager, colleagues and staff.

Nurses week 2019 at M P Shah Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya, East Africa. Date: 8^th May, 2019

"Senior elderly nurses:

Today we are going to honor one of us. Who is it? Can you see among yourselves? Are you the one?

The senior council set and chose one of us and there was no rigging. It was free and fair. No sister was hurt. We all as senior council we all settled on a key, being Kundanbala Sioni, (Kuki).

She is being received by the elders. We love her. A few words about Kundan as we celebrate her. We need more than 400  pages to talk about Kundan. She is a great nurse. A nurse has to be so many things. She is a facilitator, a student, she is always learning, a mediator, an organizer, a communicator, a keeper of peace, sort of like a mom. But above all she has the love, caring for people. That’s what Kundan does. Compassionate nurse, compassionate with her patients, she is honest, and caring in nature; detail oriented, emotionally stable, has great judgment, physical endurance, extra ordinary communications skills, honest with herself and her colleagues, always  smiling, and helps achieve organizational patients satisfaction matrix. She does all these things and she loves her job. We appreciate your determination, sister Sioni, you have shown us much in this institution and most of us who have worked under/with sister Sioni can attest to this.

Thank you, for your perseverance, support, and love. Sister Sioni, is a fierce lady prayerful, instrumental in spiritual nourishment. She likes singing as a hobby and I miss her singing in Christmas Cantata. I charge members. Always  comes to the hospital. She likes to  lead in prayers like this this morning I was told to pray but she volunteered and prayed. And every new year like the night before (New Year’s Eve)the new year comes, this is the 1^st nurse to make intercom phone calls to wish the other  departments Happy New Year greetings. Everyone loves working with Sioni. She never takes offense even if you tease her  in what she…like her accent is different from ours, so she normally ask for… when she loses something. Some of us would say, “Sioni, ...ni nini? Then she would  say, “Sikia, mimi kwisha choka.” Yet, she is a great cook and generous. When she works night shifts, after setting the patients, she always ensures we had proper meal. Anyone in doubt? (A big no!!!!! from everyone agreeing to it) And she brings ingredients. She wouldn’t ask you to bring, she brings and she  cooks too. If the world had more people like you, sister Sioni, it would  be a better place to make a difference. Goodness and mercy shall follow you. Happy Nurses week! We have a gift for her as she  turned 60 this year." - Merran Chunga, Head of Nursing

(Well done, Kuki, on this Mother’s day I honor you as you were the prayer-teaching elder sister (mother like) in  the childhood that Raju and I witnessed growing up. You tried to balance being a parenting elder and being a child even as a preteen! Wow!  You shine like  the star.

The world has flashy accolades but the real life is  so simple and not so focused, your life is much like that, so simple yet so powerful. Thanking God for giving you as my sister and for being you! Thank God, you have Christ as your Lord! 

Thank you and God continue to bless you, may the world have elder sisters like Kuki.

Happy 2019th Mother's Day to you all,

In view of His mercy,

Kalpana Christian  ©

Lessons from My Backyard Garden

Two days ago I enjoyed looking at the bumper crop of wild dandelions (!) And I read about it today! LOL and wondered as I did since 16 years why do folks in America get rid of lovely flowers from their boring green lawns! 😁 of course I am still learning to differentiate. Lol.

But seriously I learn about the beauty of the controlled boring green lawns and, now about wild beauty with a different perspective.

1. GOD is mercifully and abundantly blessing even the wicked, at times more than even the 'good' needed plants like my cauliflower and broccoli that delay.
Also my zucchini just show luscious green edible leaves & flowers but no zucchini. (Delay) I took away leaves and cooked so not sure if I harmed it. :)

Acknowledge God's timing, while thanking God for giving 'delayed' sweet berries that also needed hedge of protection over it.

2. I faithfully water and try to remove weeds as and when I can but even then I have to remember if I am doing what I should and sorry for what I don't, yet God bleeses it is His mercy & even when He divinely witholds crop, or delays I still be confident looking at the wild beauty & say if God generously beautifies the "unwanted" weeds so graciously how much more would He be faithful to sustain my well tended plants & me?

3. Even if He chooses to let it die, I trust His wisdom...and His plan, His will. We believe in the God who resurrected and came out of the grave alive and well. He restores....He regenerates...

4. When plants do good, trust and thank Him, when plants delay in fruits, trust and thank Him, when plants die, trust and thank Him; instead of the joy of having my own garden veges and fruits, when God leads me to a temporarily closing Aldi in the 'hood, and the perishable items such as veges and fruits are on really cool sale, trust and thank Him and give glory to Him for leading you there. Thank Him for wisdom to learn from others what fertilizers to use, what nutrients the land may be lacking, while thanking God for even provision of that, still remember joyfully that God reserves the right to not let it grow or flourish out of a better, AND best plan and purpose! So trust in His divine care!

5. No one will be able to accuse God of being partial to bless only His children as He has been generous to all above and beyond!

Look at the pictures from my backyard and rejoice in learning lessons, that the Lord is teaching me, at the old swing!

Psalm 73 don't lose our foothold, our confidence, when looking at the prosperity of the disobedient folks..

Psalm37: fret not thyself because of the prosperity of the "weeds"....

Even when fruits delay, rejoice and thank Him. Thank God for all bumper well tended flower crop that God causes to grow!

All about Him and Him alone!
Renewed, refocusing on Christ alone!
God's truly,
Kalpana Christian (KC) Copyrights reserved

Thursday before Good Friday, Jesus asked them to sit, stay, keep watch and pray with Him

Jesus, this very night asked to sit near Him, stay near Him, keep watch with Him, and pray with Him just even for an one hour! But none could!

Even today Jesus is praying (Rom8:34) are we sitting near Him, staying near Him, watching and praying with Him?

Matthew 26:36:38 "..and he (Jesus) said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zabedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me."

40. Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter.

41. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

43. When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy.

45. Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting?

Whole Wheat spicy Farsi Puri (Indian snack)

• Whole wheat Spicy Farsi puri. 
• (128 servings each serving is 20 calories)
• Ingredients:
• 2 cups whole wheat flour (Roti/chapati atta is ok too)
• 30 g (1/4 cup), Besan/Gram Flour
• 0.05 cup, sesame seeds, whole, dried
• 1 tablespoon or as per taste black pepper, (freshly ground)
• Salt as per taste
• 1 crushed green hot pepper (chili) jalapeno (or as per your taste)
• 1/2 cup, Chopped cilantro
• 2 Tsp (8 grams), Whole Cumin Seeds
• 2 teaspoon, Ajwain (Carom) Seeds
• 4 tbsp (8g), 100% Pure Corn Starch
• 1 cup (8 fl oz), Water - Municipal
•  Oil - Vegetable, for deep frying (Initially I heated 3 cups but used only about 10 tablespoons which is 3/4 cup. This is after the puris were drained on a kitchen paper towel) 
• Method: 
• Mix the wheat flour and gram flour, sesame seeds, cumin seeds, carom seeds, pepper, salt, crushed jalapeno and chopped cilantro and add about two to four tablespoons of oil and mix well with your hand. Do NOT add corn starch in this mixture. 
• Knead well with adding water slowly so that it comes out to be good firm dough. Do not add any more water. We want the dough to be hard and firm for the puris to be crispy. More water make it soft for puris to be not crispy. Cover the dough and keep it aside for 15-20 minutes.
• Divide into 8 balls and roll out each to resemble like a chapati or tortilla. Spread a little oil and sprinkle corn starch. Roll into a cylinder shape and cut into 16 even parts by cutting into half and 1/4 etc..Cover each of these small portions under a clean cloth. After you have made all 128 parts. Roll out each using a rolling pin just once or twice. 
• Heat the 3 cups of oil in a frying pan on a medium high heat. Reduce the heat and deep fry the puris in batches of 10 or so until golden brown on medium heat. (Make sure the oil is heated well before you start frying by trying to throw in a tiny portion of the dough to see if it comes up.) Let oil drain as you remove puri batches with a perforated spoon/laddle and place them on the paper towels to remove excess oil. Let it cool. Store in an air tight container. This snack stays longer than a month. Enjoy with tea or coffee or on its own or with yogurt etc.. 

• Nutrition Facts
  Servings 128.0
  Amount Per Serving
  calories 20
  % Daily Value *
  Total Fat 1 g	2 %
  Saturated Fat 0 g	1 %
  Monounsaturated Fat 0 g
  Polyunsaturated Fat 1 g
  Trans Fat 0 g
  Cholesterol 0 mg	0 %
  Sodium 3 mg	0 %
  Potassium 2 mg	0 %
  Total Carbohydrate 0 g	0 %
  Dietary Fiber 0 g	0 %
  Sugars 0 g
  Protein 0 g	1 %
  Vitamin A	0 %
  Vitamin C	1 %
  Calcium	0 %
  Iron	0 %
  * The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA.

Sesame sticks-1/whole wheat thins

Sesame Sticks-1 /Whole wheat thins

• 
  
• Ingredients: 
• 2 cup, Whole Wheat Flour
• 0.50 cup, Quick Rolled Oats
• 2 teaspoon, Sugar
• 0.50 cup, Seeds, sesame seeds, whole, dried
• 0.50 tbsp, Spices, garlic powder
• 4 tbsp, Unsalted Butter
• 1 tsp, Clabber Girl
• 1 dash, Salt
• 2 tsp, Chili Paste
• 1 cup (8 fl oz), Water - Municipal
• Method: 
• Mix all the ingredients except water. Slowly add water and knead into a firm dough. Keep it covered in the fridge for 20-30 minutes. Roll out flat with a rolling pin and cut into the desired pieces. Bake in the oven at 350F until golden brown. Let it cool. Store in an airtight container. 
• (21 calories,servings:90)

• Nutrition Facts
  Servings 90.0
  Amount Per Serving
  calories 21
  % Daily Value *
  Total Fat 1 g	1 %
  Saturated Fat 0 g	2 %
  Monounsaturated Fat 0 g
  Polyunsaturated Fat 0 g
  Trans Fat 0 g
  Cholesterol 1 mg	0 %
  Sodium 6 mg	0 %
  Potassium 4 mg	0 %
  Total Carbohydrate 2 g	1 %
  Dietary Fiber 0 g	2 %
  Sugars 0 g
  Protein 1 g	1 %
  Vitamin A	0 %
  Vitamin C	0 %
  Calcium	1 %
  Iron	1 %
  * The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA.

Sesame sticks - 2

Sesame sticks- 2

Ingredients:

• 200 gram, wheat flour
• 1.50 fluid ounce, Semolina Flour
• 10 tbsp(s), Water - Municipal
• 2 fluid ounce, Toasted Sesame Seeds
• 0.25 tsp(s), Spices, turmeric, ground
• 1 tsp, Salt
• 1 teaspoon, Spices, garlic powder
• 0.50 cup, Quick Oat Meal
• 4 tablespoon, Oil - Sesame
• Method:
• Mix all ingredients except water. Slowly add water and knead into a firm dough. Keep it covered in a fridge for 20-30 minutes. Remove and roll out with a rolling pin. (Use additional flour for dusting.) Cut into thin stripes and sizes and twist as per your liking. Bake in the oven at 350F till golden brown. Let it cool and store in an air tight container. (40 calories per serving, 80servings.)  

• Nutrition Facts
  Servings 80.0
  Amount Per Serving
  calories 40
  % Daily Value *
  Total Fat 1 g	2 %
  Saturated Fat 0 g	1 %
  Monounsaturated Fat 0 g
  Polyunsaturated Fat 0 g
  Trans Fat 0 g
  Cholesterol 0 mg	0 %
  Sodium 34 mg	1 %
  Potassium 60 mg	2 %
  Total Carbohydrate 8 g	3 %
  Dietary Fiber 1 g	3 %
  Sugars 0 g
  Protein 1 g	3 %
  Vitamin A	0 %
  Vitamin C	0 %
  Calcium	1 %
  Iron	2 %
  * The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA.