A Bugger of a Memory.

As a child, the discovery of a caterpillar brings such lighthearted joy! As he tickles the back of your hand, he also tickles the innermost being. Thousands of giggles can be spent on watching this creature use his hind legs to scrunch up his body, as his front legs stretch him back out. As the springtime sun beats down on your little face, you ponder the way this little critter will soon be flapping his beautiful wings in the summer sun. Caterpillars were always such a great childhood memory for me. However, April 2013 will be the date that forever changes the way I think of caterpillars.

I have been attending New Heart for almost three years now. This is the church many call, “The African Church.” However, I prefer to call them “Family.” Pastor Donald and his wife Mama Julienne are from the Congo, and as many Congolese refugees come to Boise, they are teaching people ways they can help these refugees as they adjust to America. I decided to attend the culture orientation night with my best friend, Kelly. Mama let us in on a little secret about the night: an opportunity to eat some genuine African food. Now, that was nothing new to me. I spent a month in Uganda, and have been to some killer meals with the people at New Heart where I have enjoyed some awesome food. Then Mama takes it a step further. She informs us that she will be bringing caterpillars. The only other bugs I ate was a moth when I was two, and an ant when I was in the fifth grade (What? For some reason that was the cool thing to do).

I wasn't nervous. I knew these little critters would not become my favorite snack, but I would be able to get one down without any serious issues. I also knew it would not be the last bug I ate. I want to be a missionary in Uganda. A few different Ugandans have informed me they want to make me crickets the next time I go. If I actually want to do this, then I must be willing to eat this little bug now. Kelly on the other hand was not as calm. She has a queasy stomach, and she is a little more picky than I am. She informed me on our way to this meeting that she almost did not come, because she was too nervous about these caterpillars.

We arrived, and right away Kelly noticed two pots at the front of the church. Our fate was sealed. We were eating caterpillars that night. The time finally came, and we marched on forward. No more trying to hide. We grabbed one each, and then we grabbed an African doughnut (a personal favorite of mine). As we found our way back to our seats, Kelly tried to back out. Everyone else ate in ignorance to the little critter they ate... don't they say, “ignorance is bliss”? However, we already knew what was going down our throats. Mama gave us the chance to ponder it for a few days! I held mine in my hand. Kelly pointed out the eyes, the legs, and every little detail of the shriveled up creature. She tried to say she couldn't do it. She stared at me with nervous eyes, as I popped the entire thing into my mouth like I have been doing it for years! Her face went from nervous to horrified in a split of a second. I found it tasting a little fishy, but not horrible. I could easily eat one again in the same manner. Finally, Kelly got the little guy in her mouth, and slowly began to chew.

“IT JUST SQUIRTED IN MY MOUTH!!!” As you bite down into these little guys, they do burst a little, and it freaked Kelly out! “I don't know if I can swallow this.”

“Dude. Kelly. You ate a dog cookie for a free coffee with less complaining than this! Once you down that, eat the doughnut. Those are seriously fantastic.” Laughing at one of our best memories, she got the little guy down.

After the meeting, Kelly pulls her pointer finger up into the air. She then starts motioning the way a caterpillar crawls across a surface. She pulls the tip of her finger in, and as though it were walking, she stretches it back out. She then states, “My stomach is doing this.” I burst out in laughter as I imagine a caterpillar crawling inside our stomachs.

We decided to reward ourselves with a coffee from our favorite Dutch Bros. We pull up to the window to find our friend Zack working. As usual, he asks with great enthusiasm, “Whats up guys?!” As we proudly proclaim that we ate caterpillars, his face drops from a huge smile down to pure shock. The enthusiasm in his voice turned to worry, as he proclaims, “Why would you DO THAT?!?” Only for my love of Africa, my friend!

As I think of this event, I see so many things I learned. One: I was made for Africa. My African sister Christine confirmed this. She stated, “You were meant to be an African, sis!” Indeed I am. God made me with the intentions of me working in Uganda. It took me a long time to figure it out, but things like this always prove to me that I should be there. If I can just down a caterpillar without trouble, I think I can handle any weird thing that comes my way. Two: I have a pretty awesome best friend! She will manage to swallow a caterpillar because of some crazy event I drag her to. She probably already knows these caterpillars will not be the craziest thing I get her to do! Three: The world is a beautifully diverse place. I am so thankful that God has given me an appreciation for culture. Life would be so boring without these cultural explorations I am apart of all the time. I praise Him for those things, and I praise Him for caterpillars!