It's been a strange, sweet, troubling season. My birthday came and went last month, We had roasted goat for Thanksgiving, and then launched into the Christmas season.
We quickly learned that for the most part, gift giving isn't a thing here. We asked our English class what their traditions are and they said that they eat meat on Christmas day. The wealthier class get new clothes.
I've actually had a bit of a struggle balancing the joy of sharing with fending off the annoyance of people demanding some benefit from us.
We prepared a simple gift bag for each of those in our longest running (and now over) English class. They are very poor, and didn't expect anything at all. In fact, I'm pretty confident that they had never received a gift for any occasion. They hooted and danced and made a yodeling sort of noise that I can't duplicate nor describe. One lady took the string from the bag and tied the small bill she found in her bag to her forehead. That was a moment of joy.
Then another young man we know a little demanded, "Give me Christmas!" (different event) He wasn't joking and he wasn't asking.
When we have given out candy at various celebrations, some of the rotten little rascals hide the sucker or treat and come lie convincingly, holding out their hand, and insisting that they didn't get one. It fries me because we've told them that we only brought enough for everyone to have one. So if we mistakenly give them another, someone may go without. After having that experience on several occasions, I was feeling a little jaded.
But then we went to another branch Christmas party where they acted out a live nativity, complete with a real newborn.
(Funny detail, they started with the part about Joseph thinking to put away Mary privily, so he took Mary outside and came back alone. Then the angel came and straightened him out, and he brought her back and then she received a newborn wrapped all in white. Joseph was appropriately solicitous and it was sweet and reverent.
As I watched the sweet scene, smiling over "Mary's" Santa hat, I was suddenly filled with awe. This is the universal scene. The joy in the birth of our Redeemer is the same here as it is in Utah or Bethlehem or Germany. They own this scene in the exact same way that I do. The way I'm used to it being depicted is no more correct or powerful than this simple event.
My eyes brimmed with tears and I was filled with joy and gratitude.
I'm so glad to be here with Jeff and all these brothers and sisters who are becoming friends. I'm grateful for Jesus Christ who paid the ultimate price to rescue me from sin.
We sang, "Angels we have heard on High," and everyone sang the GLOOOO-OOOOOO-OOOOOO-RIA's with joy and gusto.
Donuts, Fanta soda, and bananas were served and then we went outside to play in the garden compound. We blew soap bubbles, (which is always a huge hit here,) and ran three-legged races and other relays. The children were delighted and some adults joined in. Other games were going on for the teens and adults.
Pere Noel made the rounds, but he didn't know he was supposed to hohoho! Maybe he's waiting to be cheered and fattened up by Christmas Eve cookies.
Then we got another solicitation for a local donation and the magic ebbed. I want to be a missionary and spread the good news of Jesus Christ and not a cash cow.
This afternoon, Jeff suggested that we go out to the dirt road and the alley beside our complex and give away the extra suckers we have in our basket. At first I didn't want to. I didn't want one more greedy hand grabbing something from my hand before I get a chance to offer it.
But he urged me and so I went.
It was wonderful. The neighbors were so surprised and pleased and I believe every single one thanked us. A lollipop is a BIG deal to people who didn't expect any treat or celebration at all. They looked at our badges and said, "We love Jesus, too."
We met the deaf lady and learned that she also has a deaf daughter.
By the time we got back to our apartment, for the first time this year, it really feels like Christmas.
I suppose it's a weakness to notice the bad examples more readily than all the many, many sweet, loveable, wise, gentle, self-sacrificing people we deal with here.
So I wish you all a joyful Christmas from a place far away where the star of Bethlehem shines as brightly as it does wherever you may be. May God bless you all!
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