I am probably the best banana chocolate chip muffin maker in Komga

Probably. I just made some really really yummy ones with my fantastic helpers Asekhona and Sikelelwa. I told them that when I go back to America I am going to walk around shouting “Yebo!” just because no one will understand me (Yebo=Yes in Afrikaans). And they said I shouldn’t do that because then people will think I’m crazy and then when I tell people about Open Arms the people will think that they are crazy here. Speaking of words that I know that I will be sad to stop using when I go back to America, I thought I would share some with you. I’m sure they are all spelled wrong because they are just coming from my brain. I shouldn’t have told you that because there’s no way you would know any different.

Kassi’s Open Arms Dictionary
(all words Xhosa unless noted)

Chini- kind of like ‘sheesh’
Hayi- No
Salapanse- Sit down
Lala poopa- Kind of like sweet dreams
Lala conmande- Something else that is nice to say to people who are going to sleep, I use it. I don’t remember what it means.
Umpocokho- African Salad
Poofy- Poop (crude? Maybe, but I live with 30 kids)
Lala poofy- Poopy dreams. Yeah, I know. Remember…30 kids.
Hamba- Go
Puma- Also go, I think one of them is nicer, I’m not sure which.
Maculu- Grandma
Tomculu- Grandpa
Nappies- Diapers
Kusasa- Morning
Ebusuku- Evening
Neenee- Small, a little
Yebo- Yes (Afrikaans)
Ewe- Yes
Lalapanse- Lay down
Molo- Hello
Bum/Bums- Bottom/rear/butt
Wena- You
Apa- Here/there
Amasi- Sour Milk
Enkosi- Thank you
Unjani- How are you?
Hoho- Monster, snake, spider, really anything that scares you
Var- True (Afrikaans)
Onvar- False (Afrikaans)
Tulla- Be quiet
Damu- bottle

Ageko umfanana Yesu- There is no one greater than Jesus

Things that I say/hear everyday that I think are funny…and that I probably won’t get to say/hear when I leave…

Conversation between me and anyone not wearing nappies who is still peeing the bed at night after 6 pm…
“Auntie Kassi please the water”
“Are you weeing the bed?”
“No”
“Ok, then yes the water”

“Ooooh someone is so stinky. Who needs a nappy change?”
Usually accompanying this sentence is another one where I ask one of the boys to find out which baby stinks. I do not want to stick my face down there to smell those nasties but the boys do not mind.

“Nomava! He says! He wants to sleep in the toilet!” –Sikilelwa (Nomava is a girl)

“I was see a sea lion! I was see it!” –Zimkhita, referring to a little watering hole on our driveway, where apparently she spotted a sea lion.

The kids keep eating the raspberries before they turn red, Phelisa was the culprit yesterday…
“What are you doing?”
“Nothing”
“Are you picking those berries again?”
“Yes”
“Are you supposed to be picking those berries?”
“Yes”
“No, no you are not”
“OK”
“Please go play somewhere away from the berries.”
“I’m picking the berries!”
“Do you want a timeout?”
“No, I want the berries”

While playing Candy Land, Zimkhita became very angry at the licorice spots that make you lose your turn, she kept landing on them, and determined not to land on the next one, shouted,
“I’m skipping you, you stinky bums!”

“What are you DOING?!”- Khanyisa

“Father Christmas is coming TOMORROW!”- Khanyisa, everyday since the beginning of last month

“Auntie Kwassi!” – Asanda

“Ina finned” – Asekho said this to everyone all the time for an entire week, we still don’t know what it means in any language

“Haaaaayi!” – Sanda

And what makes my heart smile every single day, no matter how crazy the kids are being is the prayer that all of them, from Asekhona all the way down to Sive bow their heads and close their eyes and fold their hands to sing before every meal…
“Tank you Jeeeeesus, tank you Jeeeeesus
Fo ou-wa food, fo ou-wa food
Many, many blessin’s, many many blessin’s
Aaaaamen, aaaaamen”


kb