Last month Arrive Ministries St. Cloud held a Stories and Sambusas event at Westwood Church. The idea for this event came from two separate conversations our St. Cloud Area Director, Sam had about one of her favorite things – delicious food!
Sambusas are a special fried dumpling-type cuisine served at Somali festivities. Recently a Somali friend was telling Sam how her homemade Sambusas are so much better than any that you can purchase in St. Cloud stores.
Another conversation with a staff person from Westwood Church about the importance of sharing food to bring people together, sparked an idea!
[pullquote style=”left” quote=”light”]…as time went on conversations became more natural as we shared tidbits of our lives with each other.[/pullquote]Let’s gather around food and conversation, while learning how to make delicious, homemade Sambusas – and this Stories and Sambusas event was born!
“It was fun for the Westwood women to come to this class, and be in the seat of the learner,” said Sam.
Sam’s friend Faduma, her sister Leila, and their friend, Yasmine all call St. Cloud home. Even with a refugee-background, these Somali women have all lived in St. Cloud longer than many of the American women who attended the event.
“We were rolling out the dough for the Sambusas, and as time went on conversations became more natural as we shared tidbits of our lives with each other,” said Sam.
[pullquote style=”left” quote=”light”]Our three Sambusa teachers made a true sacrifice to spend time with us.[/pullquote]The class lasted over three hours, and it was a surprise to the students that their teachers were fasting until sundown.
“Our three Sambusa teachers made a true sacrifice to spend time with us. They even fasted past the hour in which they could break fast,” said Sam.
Many of the ladies from the church had such a great time at Stories and Sambusas with their Somali teachers that some of them are planning to participate in other Arrive Ministries St. Cloud programs, such as sewing and ESL.
