Christmas in Africa

Well first I must
say that being away for the holidays is not my favorite. My family
Christmas is saturated in traditions… which makes it easy and hard
all at the same time. It makes it easy to miss it because you know
that it will be there next year just the way that you left it. But
at the same time it makes it really hard because you know EXACTLY
what you are missing when you are not there… and when you love
those things that you are missing it makes it tough. I received many
phone calls from my mom and dad keeping me in the loop which helped
me to not be too sad about being away.

Our team celebrated
Christmas on Christmas Eve because we knew we were going to be busy
at the church all day on Christmas. We were all really happy to have
a rainy/overcast sort of day because it has been so hot here and just
not very Christmasy. John had found a little plastic Christmas tree
when he was in the Kampala recently so we had our gifts for each
other all placed under it in the morning. We mostly exchanged candy
and notes and junk we found at the local “walmart” (our little
grocery store that carries food and other miscellaneous things). We
had a special breakfast and just hung out at the house most of the
day. Although we did take a little bike ride and made it to the
Kenya border trying to find a shop via some African mans directions
(Africans do not give directions with the same clarity that is
expected at home)… so needless to say we never found that shop but
the ride was nice.

My favorite part of
the day (besides the veggie/pineapple kabobs that we had for lunch…)
was when a couple of the girls and boys from the orphanage came over
to hang out. It was really fun to visit, share some of our cookies
and candy, read and draw with them. I got a new sketchbook and
colored pencils from my team and it was great to break them in that
afternoon with Gorret. They are just very special to me so it was
nice to have them apart of our celebration.

On actual Christmas we were at the
church all day for a Kids Christmas Party. We were asked to bring
some of our Christmas traditions, songs and skits to share with the
kids. My team used the “Boyer Family Christmas Program” complete
with scripture readings done just like Grandma and Grandpa and songs
sung with the same silliness as is usually displayed by us cousins.
It was really fun for me to get to still be apart of that tradition
even though the venue looked a little bit different than it usually
does! I will just say this… Africans like to dance. The kids had
a lot of fun that day and it was special to get to be apart of it
with them.

So Christmas in Africa was a different
sort of Christmas for sure but it was good. Being away from family
and friends during the holidays really makes you think about how much
you love everyone and miss them… but I am thankful to be surrounded
with a team that I love and with many new dear and special African
friends.