Cashews!

Cashew season is coming to an end now. The season started with our children's friends coming to our house asking if our kids could go to the cashew orchards with them. We were so innocent and without thinking said yes. Jada was the first to go.  She walked out of the house and her friend took one look at her and told her to go back in the house and change. Jada needed to have on dark clothes, sunscreen and she needed to bring a water bottle, a bucket and a lensu (cloth to put on her head to carry her bucket of cashews). This was a learning experience for all of us. Her friend was gracious with us and taught us that dark clothing is best because collecting cashews is a very dirty job. We sent her off having no idea when she would return, but when she did, boy oh boy was she filthy! Her legs and feet were black, and I don't mean just a little dark, I mean black! Her clothing was stained black, her body was black and her shoes were black.  She was hot, tired, and in desperate need of a shower. All of our kids have returned from collecting cashews looking the exact same, dirty. The reward for this dirty work is sweet. Cashews grow off a fruit that is quite similar to an apple and delectable.  The kids have enjoyed sucking the juice out of the fruit and we have even made juice from the fruit.  

Cashews are the main source of income for this poor country. The good thing about cashew season is there are all kinds of foods available in the village, clothes, jewelry, and everyone is happy.  The unfortunate thing is everyone spends all their money as fast as they earn it and they are left with nothing at the end of the season.  In a few months people will be back to begging for money for rice.  Another unfortunate part of cashew season is the amount of drinking alcohol that goes on.  The cashew fruit turns into wine overnight and it is widely made, sold and consumed.  

I have enjoyed working alongside some women in the village to help them collect cashews and Michael has even helped to take the nut off the fruit.  It has been a good way for us to practice our language and to form relationships.  

One thing I have learned is that cashew season may be a lot of fun because of all the fun things going on in the village, but it is a lot of hard work.  Collecting cashews is back breaking work, as you stand bent over for hours walking through the orchard picking cashews off the ground.  I have a new appreciation for the people here, and for the price of cashews in the states.  They are every bit worth the amount they cost.