Christmas in Uganda was quite the new experience for me. Aside from the fact that it was the first time in my 31 years EVER to be away from my parents I also had to adapt to a few other strange things. We shared our holidays with some great people. Meredith, from North Carolina, and Kostya, from Ukraine, are both living with us for a few weeks. Our house is small so this has been “cozy”. However, having them here this year was great. In the weeks leading up to Christmas, Meredith and I attempted to make stockings, cookies and find Christmas music online. We gave up on stockings but we did make some fabulous cookies that we shared with our African friends. We had about three Christmas songs combined between our three I-pods which was kind of lame. As Christmas drew closer we were very busy. Meredith and I put together a Christmas play for the kids of Moses and Betty’s church. (OK, I sat around while Meredith did all the work, but still…) I opened my big mouth and volunteered Meredith and I to teach some Christmas music to the choir at the church we go to. So on top of Christmas play practice we also met with the choir numerous times to teach them some songs. In addition to these two activities we also planned a neighborhood meal on Christmas Eve.
The festivities began Christmas Eve morning as we welcomed our African lady friends into the house at 8 a.m. to begin cooking food for 100 people. I’m not a very hospitable person by nature and having numerous people invading my space can be really challenging. However, things were going well most of the day. Meredith and I rolled and cooked over 100 chapattis. It was pretty mind-numbing but we finished strong. Later in the day I went with Moses, Kostya and Aiden to invite people door to door. I’m not really outgoing by nature either so it was a stretch for me to go personally and invite my curious neighbors…many of whom I’ve yelled at their kids or sprayed their burn piles with my hose. So I wasn’t expecting a warm welcome but was surprised and humbled by most of their responses. By two o’clock we opened the gates and bid the neighbors to come and eat. There were about 6 of us serving the food which was chaotic to say the least. Meredith and I snapped a few times as people who were first in line insisted on more food while 100 other people waited. But the spirit of Christmas won out and we served the people with joyful (mostly) hearts.
So many of our neighbors came and were finally able to satisfy their curiosity about our home. Children who throw rocks over our fence and torment our dog were finally able to come and sit with us while we ate to see that we are human just like them. Our next door neighbor who is a sweet Muslim lady put on her fanciest dress and came and ate with us too. Dan’s entire “boda-boda” gang took up residence in one corner of the compound along with our taxi conductor friends Sharrife and Ronald. (Ronald brought BOTH of his wives…). It was such a great afternoon that I enjoyed way more than I thought I would. It was humbling and vindicating at the same time. As we near the one year anniversary of moving here it was thrilling to see that the relationships we have been building are paying off. (Except maybe for the neighbors whose burn pile we’ve hosed down numerous times! But by God‘s grace we‘ll win them over too!)
Later that evening we all made our way to Arise and Shine Worship Center which is our “home church” away from home. Meredith and I introduced the Africans to a candle lighting ceremony and Christmas songs. We led the congregation in an acappella rendition of Silent Night after lighting the candles. I shied away from the microphone while trying to keep an eye on my four year old whose candle was perilously close to people’s hair, clothing and even the wooden walls of the church. Luckily no one burned anyone else and the church didn’t burn down on Christmas Eve. The congregation were delighted with the ceremony and we all worshipped together. Meredith and I laughed on the way to church about putting on mosquito repellant for the first time on Christmas Eve. When we got home we put the kids to bed and watched the holiday classic Casino Royale.
The next morning we all stumbled out bleary eyed to the front room to watch the kids open their gifts. They each had about three gifts to open and I didn’t hear one word of complaint from them about not having stockings or mounds of gifts. We rushed to get ready for church, by-passing the traditional Christmas breakfast. At church Meredith and I led the choir in Oh Come All Ye Faithful which was kind of painful to listen to. I’m not going to lie. Then we got the kids ready and preformed the Christmas play which was soooo cute and went over really well. Especially when the pregnant Mary pulled a black baby doll out of the bottom of her skirt and plopped him in the hay. After the service we went to Moses and Betty’s house for a Christmas feast. I was hoping for a good meal but I wasn’t expecting the mounds of food gracing the table when we arrived. We ate African style which we have termed “punishing the food”. Luckily I had run home and changed into some comfortable clothing more conducive to over-eating. Poor Meredith was stuck in her kitenge dress with a tight band across her stomach. She had a harder time partaking of the gluttony than I did. Moses is a food pusher and kept feeding us all day. We each drank three sodas ( a new record for me that nearly put me in a diabetic coma). Then we hooked up the projector and watched Kung Fu Panda and The Incredibles…again, holiday classics. By the third round of food in four hours we were ready to go home and relax. We invited Moses and Betty back to our house to watch Gladiator and have coffee.
I dreaded talking to my parents and sister all day fearing that I would cry and snot and make a scene. However, by the time I received the call from them I was at peace. God really worked on me this year leading up to the holidays. Without sounding too preachy I have to say that I finally felt free from the “commercialism” of Christmas. I didn’t have a present or stocking to open, I had no coffee cake or peanut butter balls this year. We didn’t have Christmas music or movies to watch. I didn’t send out family Christmas cards or stress about buying presents I couldn’t afford. The focus was truly on Christ and I repeatedly cried out to him to bring me peace as I was forced to forsake the “traditions” I was so used to. This wasn’t a holiday that I had to grit my teeth and “survive” but a holiday that reminded me why we celebrate at all. I was surrounded by new friends and people I love enough to consider family. They weren’t a replacement for all my dear ones back home but a happy addition to the memories of Christmas I will cherish.
Love you all so much! Miss you terribly! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the equator!
PS Our NGO was approved! We are official now! Stay tune for more info on Sojourn Ministries! Thanks for the prayers!
Subscribe to this comment's feed
Show/Hide comments
Show/Hide comment form
