Due to the frequent requests, I am excited to announce that I have written another children’s book! This is a lighthearted account of my relationship with my many reptile companions. I hope this tale brings you as much joy as these little creatures do to me. Mazotoa. Enjoy:

Little Lizard Friends

By Nicholas Sutherland

I see the bright green bodies with red splotches on their backs,

as they run across my walls, always looking for some snacks,

which usually consist of flies, mosquitoes, and assorted bugs.

And for that, I feel like I should give them all little hugs.

Because no one likes to be bothered with buzzing by their head.

And some mosquitoes can make you sick, at least, so I’ve read.

And yes, I know, spiders also eat bugs, but of them I’m wary,

because some of them can get quite large, and thus quite scary.

Whereas these little green reptiles are not frightening at all!

In fact, it’s rather nice having them run across the wall.

And it’s nice to share my home with a creature that’s not rude,

unlike the ants, rats, and tenrecs that like to eat my food.

A tenrec

Now it’s for these reasons, and many more not mentioned here,

that if you have a bug problem or just want some company near,

take my advice and check out one of the hottest new trends.

To solve all (or some) of your problems, go out and find some Little Lizard Friends.

An Essential Part of a Malagasy Diet: Ranon’ Ampango

The Malagasy people are the world’s highest per-capita consumers of rice, which means that you can find rice in nearly everything that you eat! There is rice in the breads, porridges, and even in the water.

Ranon’ Ampango, which literally translates to “burnt rice water,” is one of the most distinctive & consistently practiced mealtime cultural pieces across the island. Anywhere you go you can expect to see glasses filled with this delicious, brown-hued liquid.

Making ranon’ ampango is fairly straightforward. You just need to do as the name suggests! Cook a little more rice than is needed for the meal. Once cooked, remove most of the rice from the pot, leaving a layer about ½ an inch thick. Heat the remaining rice until it is burned & then pour in water to fill the pot. The longer the water is allowed to boil, the darker & stronger it will become. The result is a tea-like beverage that is served hot & typically enjoyed at the end of the meal.

According to the kind woman pictured here, the best ranon’ ampango comes from cooking local red rice in a large, well-used pot over a traditional charcoal stove.

Enjoy! Mazotoa!

How to Grow Friendships & Rice

It’s amazing what happens when you combine sun, rain, sweat, a few seeds, and a whole lot of mud. With these key elements (and a little luck) you can expect to see amber waves of vary (rice) for as far as the eye can see in approximately 150 days. Coincidentally, the five aforementioned components are also all it takes to grow lasting relationships with a new community. And the best part is that you don’t even have to wait for half of a year to appreciate the results!

I came to this realization when my life here at Fihaonana (the farming & animal husbandry school) changed suddenly and drastically. Early this January, after nearly four months of prayerfully waiting for new donors to sponsor the school year, the farm opened its doors to 36 young men and women. At last the Fihaonana class of 2016 had arrived to work, learn, and practice topics and techniques ranging from raising piglets to intricate vegetable plotting to English/music/cooking (with me as their teacher).

Beneath my surface level excitement for the big day, one emotion (unexpectedly) dominated my inner being: sheer terror. I suddenly felt like a child, frozen with fear by the prospect of the first day at an intimidating and unfamiliar school. Questions flooded my mind, both rational and unwarranted. What are they going to think of me? Should I act like a teacher or a student around them? Why haven’t I listened to more Malagasy pop music to maintain a “hip/cool” status? How am I going to make friends?

This last question buzzed around my head like one of the flies in the pigsties, and remained unanswered until I was waist-deep in mud, laughing alongside 36 students.

I never would have thought that I would find elation in digging up overgrown rice fields for days at a time, much less that something as simple as shoveling alongside another human being could foster so much companionship. As it turns out, one of the most effective catalysts for building meaningful relationships is the simple act of getting your hands dirty. Literally.

The best part about growing friendships and rice is that both are done side-by-side. When you turn the field, you shovel alongside the person next to you. When you stomp down the grass, you use each other’s shoulders for balance. When you plant/transplant, you walk backwards in a synchronized line to keep the rows even and the seeds undisturbed. And when you form lasting relationships, you accompany each other as equals. Side-by-side.