January 10, 2014

My first question is “Do you believe in angels?”
Today, I finally got around to thinking about dinner and the stew meat that I had purchased at La Colonia which was thawing on the counter. Stephen had not slept much because he was up late working on finances, and I decided that if I was going to attempt a stew in Nicaragua that I at least needed to have onions (cebolla). While Stephen napped on the couch, I grabbed some cordobas (money) and my keys and headed to the closest fruit and vegetable stand, a few blocks away. On my way I passed the house of Orlando and Gertrude (pronounced Hairtrudia). All of my previous interactions with Gertrude have led me to believe that she is a feisty woman, full of Latino blood and with a good heart.
In my lame Spanish I told her that I was going to buy some cebolla so I could make dinner. Eventually, it was clear to me that she was going to come with me to help me get the best price, so walking side by side and not saying anything we went to find onions. It was clear when we got there that large, hulky Mario was butter in the hands of this little woman who told him that his onions were really not very fresh. We walked away with 6 onions and 3 heads of garlic for $1.
As we walked home, she asked me what I was going to make. I could not explain it- carnes, papas, sopa… and she asked if she could come and see what I was doing. What else could I say but “yes”. With Stephen snoring in the sala, we headed into the kitchen. I showed her the recipe that she did not follow, and 20 minutes later after cutting and cooking she turned to me and said (in Spanish and mime) my part is done now it just needs to cook. As she walked out the door, she made it clear to me that Stephen does not need to know that she was there, and that she is always happy to come and help out.
As I sit here, I have a tantalizing smell like beef burgundy wafting through the kitchen, and I am thinking that God has given me another Nicaraguan angel to take care of me. Gracios Dios!