The Hatch of the Ants

It is a fun and festive feeling the night the white ants come out!  It wasn't the biggest hatch we have seen but people are happily gathering all the same.  They really appreciate our lights where the ants gather.  They scoop them up by handfuls, sweep them up, or gather one by one as their wings fall off.  Our kids delayed their bed time and joined the festive ant collecting.  It was funny to hear them scream or see them squirm as the ants flew on their heads or down their shirts.  (Yes, I was one of them screaming and swatting.)  Luka, of course got right into it and then thought it would bring laughter if he ate one.  It did.  So he ate three live white ants.  Yuck!  (The video is below.)  He said it wasn't good but he got the reactions he wanted.  He is a funny boy!  By the end our guard and neighbors each had a half a bucket full of ants.  They will fry them and eat them the next day or dry them and grind them with peanut butter.  African treats!  You can't say anything til you try it yourself.  (And remember Americans eat their share of interesting things we love too - hot dogs anyone?)

On another note, it has been unseasonably cloudy and cool here.  Since the rains started the end of February, we have had more cool, cloudy, rainy days than all of the last year and a half when we had drought.  A huge change.  We are thankful.  It is blessing to see the gardens growing and the rains continuing to come.  It is funny though.  This week it was cold for us.  I had to wrap up for devotions, wore long sleeves all day - and socks, and we had to have a special break in school for hot chocolate (or coffee and African tea!).  When I looked at the temperature I just had to laugh - 69 degrees.  Many of my Ugandan friends were in winter coats or stocking caps if they had one.  Honestly, it is cold when you basically live outside, bath in cold water (I really don't like that part), it is muddy, and it is damp with no way to dry out.  I will just enjoy it while it lasts, because it will always go back to African heat.