The Pratt Family Shares Their Heritage, Heart and Home
If a picture is truly worth a thousand words, then what you see across here already beautifully illustrates the idea of this story. The Pratt family is intriguing, endearing and dedicated to one another. Cedric and Adama Pratt have been married 12 years and have three sons, Christian, 8, Kaden, 5, and Ian, 1. Cedric is a doctor of ophthalmology in Little Rock specializing in medical and surgical treatment of the retina and vitreous. Their present day story began many years ago in Sierra Leone, West Africa, where their families seemed worlds apart.
Adama explains how they came from two separate tribes. “My family was from a more traditional culture, a lot more primitive. We were traditionally not as educated and were sassy, feisty. Cedric’s family was from the more westernized culture who were originally slaves from England. They were very private.” Adama’s native tongue is Temne. Cedric’s family’s language is Creole or Broken English. Both of their cultures stress the importance of family and different generations looking out for each other.
Cedric’s mother, Elizabeth Pratt shares, “I was raised in Freetown, Sierra Leone, West Africa and came to the United States in 1973, a year after I graduated from secondary school. My life growing up was strict and traditional with a mix of British and African cultures. I attended Anglican primary school and Methodist secondary school. One of the main things I share with my kids and grandkids is education. I was raised that learning is better than silver and gold. I also instill in them to respect their elders, to be kind, and for the older to care for the younger.”
“I let them know that to achieve anything in life, you have to work very hard. I also teach them to not be wasteful, especially with food. My grandmother used to say ‘willful waste makes woeful want.’ There are children in Sierra Leone who live in depressed conditions with no decent clothes or shoes to wear, food to eat or toys to play with. I let my grandchildren know how blessed they are and to be thankful every day,” Elizabeth states. Now living just outside of Houston, Texas, she visits often. She loves spending time with her grandkids doing puzzles and has a special song she sings to the Pratt boys before they go to sleep.
“Good night to you Christian, Kaden, and Ian and sweet be your sleep.
May angels around you thy silent watch keep.
Good night, good night, good night!”
Adama’s mother, Yabome Kamara, still lives in West Africa but visits when possible. She also shares the importance of hard work and resilience with her grandchildren. She says, “Never give up and always strive for the best. Grow up having the traditions of respecting and taking care of parents and grandparents.” She loves going to the zoo and telling them stories from home.
Adama says of her mother, “She enjoys seeing us parent our kids and pass on some of the things we learned from them. It brings her joy to experience the blessing of grandkids. She loves redeeming the kids from discipline in our home by telling us to charge their misbehavior to her account. And that is something grandparents say back home. I tell her that my kids would be spoiled if I don’t make some withdrawals!”
Adama was born and raised in Sierra Leone while Cedric was born in the United States. There were times he lived in Sierra Leone, but primarily grew up in the U.S. Adama came to the States to attend college. She says, “My father always encouraged me to further my education.” They met while they were both in college at Abilene Christian University in Texas.
It was not love at first sight though. Adama explains, “My brother and I were speaking in our own language one time in the student union and Cedric just came up and joined the conversation. I didn’t know him and thought he was being nosy. It ended up that he and my brother had played soccer together.”
Cedric muses, “I thought she was stuck up at first.” After some time passed Cedric learned of war going on in Adama’s home country and asked her how her family was doing and if they were safe. The two began talking, eventually started dating, and then married.
After obtaining their degrees at Abilene, Cedric attended medical school at the University of North Texas and completed his residency in Ohio. The young family then made Arkansas their home.
The Pratts share their heritage with their young sons by speaking their native tongues at home and cooking African food. They also have their own personal traditions. Adama says, “Cedric has read the Bible to Christian every night ever since he was in my tummy. We go to the library a lot. I love the learning aspects of life. It’s rewarding to see the boys growing and the tools God has given them to be men.”
Cedric affirms, “We want them to grow up with a heart for service and to always look for someone to help. Be mindful of who’s around you. I want our sons to grow up knowing we are very blessed. Family is very important to us. Family is the cornerstone of our community and the cornerstone of our country.”
Cookin’ with Grandma
SCOTCH EGGS
Traditional African Recipe from Elizabeth Pratt
A Scotch egg consists of a hard-boiled egg wrapped in sausage meat, coated in bread crumbs and baked or deep-fried.
- A Scotch egg consists of a hard-boiled egg wrapped in sausage meat, coated in bread crumbs and baked or deep-fried.
- 6 large eggs
- 2-16oz Jimmy Dean Sausages (Regular and Hot) I like my food hot and spicy and my children and grandchildren do not.
- 2 cups of breadcrumbs
- Vegetable oil (for frying)
- Preparation and Directions
• Place 4 eggs in a small saucepan; add cold water to cover. Bring to a boil; remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 3 minutes. Carefully drain, then fill pan with ice water to cool eggs. Gently crack shells and carefully peel under cold running water. Place eggs in a bowl of cold water; cover and chill until cold. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.
• Place breadcrumbs in a wide shallow bowl and the unwrapped sausages in another wide shallow bowl. Divide sausage into 4 equal portions. Pat 1 portion of sausage into a thin patty over the length of your palm. Lay one soft-boiled egg on top of sausage and wrap sausage around egg, sealing to completely enclose. Repeat with remaining sausage and eggs.
• Whisk remaining two eggs in a medium bowl to blend. Working gently with one sausage-wrapped egg at a time, coat in blended egg. Roll in breadcrumbs to coat. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated, uncovered.
• Attach a deep-fry thermometer to side of a large heavy pot. Pour in oil to a depth of 2” and heat over medium heat to 375°. Fry eggs, turning occasionally and maintaining oil temperature of 350°, until sausage is cooked through and breading is golden brown and crisp, 5–6 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer eggs to paper towels to drain.
• Cut eggs into 2 to 4 pieces and serve warm or cold.