I had momentary misgivings when Suwanee Lennon, an Instagram friend but otherwise a stranger, invited me to a small gathering at her friend’s house. I arrived to tables full of Thai food and welcoming people who convinced me eat spicy chicken feet! But what was far more memorable about that day were the stories I heard. I soon learned that these friends, or sisters as they called themselves, that had so generously welcomed me into their midst, were all raised together in a leprosy camp. I sat in awe of the gentleness, compassion, resilience, and most of all - the good humor - of these women. Today, Suwanee has graciously agreed to share not just her stories, but these qualities, with all of us.
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Highlights of This Episode Truthfully, I usually write bullet points for this section, but today I'm going to share a personal epiphany I experienced when Suwanee spoke. I noticed at one point that she continually said, "We had leprosy.... WE had leprosy." Suwanee has not had the disease of leprosy in her body one day of her life. Yet she identified so strongly with her aunt and uncle and ALL the "aunties and uncles" in the family. So she chose to say, both then and now, "WE had leprosy." To me, that shows that Suwanee's heart is compassionate straight down to its core. So many other people, and I fear I would be included, would distance themselves from a disease that disfigured. In fact, Suwanee grew up in a community gated from the rest of the world. Society feared lepers. Others wanted nothing to do with then. But not Suwanee. To this day, Suwanee proudly says, "WE had leprosy."
If I had to share bullet points, they would include:
Learning about Suwanee's 3 loving mothers Her uncle's courage and dignity What survivor's eat Why Suwanee was no longer safe in her community The impact of world cuisine's on Suwanee's cooking A trip back to Thailand that took Suwanee full circle
Recipes Associated With This Episode Spicy Ramen Noodles Recipe How To Find Suwanee Lennon Website: www.simplysuwanee.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/simplysuwanee/
Instagram: @simply.suwanee