On Thursday, I was invited to a picnic with the teachers of the Mission Higher Secondary School. We travelled out of the village and into the mountain area to a rest house. It was a potluck lunch, so everyone brought a dish - all vegetarian! - to share.
As we arrived at the rest house, we began to set up for our lunch and the men went to buy a chicken in town, so they could cook it on the fire for lunch. Soon they returned with the chicken, legs bound and placed it on the side of the patio so that they could prepare it later. We talked and chatted and as we did I noticed the chicken (whom I thought was already dead) untied his rope and was walking around getting his bearings, wandering around, with the rope dangling from one foot. Suddenly, the men also noticed and the race began! The chicken ran, the men ran after! Back and forth! Back and forth! Until finally it flew through the fence rails and down into the valley. The young men hopped the fence and went looking for the chicken in the fields of one of the farmers. They searched and searched, back and forth between the wheat and the mustard plants. The lady of the farm emerged with her children and yelled at the male teachers for walking through her fields… they searched and searched, but never found the chicken. He is enjoying a new chance at life.
It did make for good lunch entertainment.
