An African Christmas: Anything but White!

I’m dreaming of a white Christmas…
truly. It was difficult to get into the “Christmas Spirit” when
it is 90 degrees outside and green as green can be. Yet my amazing
team blessed me beyond what I can describe. An African Christmas was
an experience to behold, a difficult step, and a treasured memory
that I will never forget.

We decided to have Secret Santa’s
for a week before Christmas and left little notes of encouragement
and goodies around for them each day. It was so wonderful to find a
sweet note, bible verse, or chocolate bar hidden on my bed or around
the house. As I was missing my family and being in Dallas for
Christmas, these little daily reminders of love lifted my Spirits and
brought a little bit of home to me. Plus, it was wonderful to get to
watch Nadia’s reactions to the little treats that I would hide for
her, and know that I was able to bring that little piece of home to
her as well. (I was her Secret Santa, if you hadn’t already
guessed)

As Christmas got closer we listened to
Christmas music, put up flashing lights which played hilariously
horrid Christmas music, and KC made a Christmas tree out of card
board, little wrappers, tinsel, and to top it off, she put a picture
of our team in place of the star. It was the perfect African
Christmas tree!!

We celebrated our family Christmas on
Christmas Eve Day, since we were going to be quite busy at the
Church/orphanage on Christmas Day. It truly was a wonderful day full
of love, blessings, and surprises. It was even a cloudy, drizzly, and
cool (high 70’s) in the morning, and that is about as close to
winter as you can possibly get here!! Tara had made stockings
(actually just socks) and put little candies and goodies in there.
Alison sprayed artificial snow all over us, and we unveiled our
Secret Santa’s (Tara was mine, and a WONDERFUL one at that!!). It
was so simple, yet so joyous. However, the part that truly meant the
most was a special surprise from Tara. She had secretly contacted
our parents and gotten them to e-mail notes to us for a Christmas day
surprise. From the moment she gave them to us, there wasn’t a dry
eye in the room. I can’t express how much it meant to have letters
of love from home. It made the distance just that much shorter. I
don’t know if I can ever truly express to Tara what a gift and blessing that
was, the best Christmas gift I have ever received! The rest of the
day was full of food, food, and more food! We hung out, played
games, and had some of the neighborhood kids and girls from New Hope
Orphanage over to play, tell stories, and talk about what Christ is
doing in our lives. It was simply a wonderful Christmas.

The next day we headed to the Church
and celebrated Christmas with them through song, dance, dramas (on
our part), speaking of the overwhelming gift of Christ coming to
Earth for us, and of course more food. It was different, not at all
what I imagined, yet wonderful at the same time. In the midst of
all our spiritual struggles, emotional ups and downs, and sickness,
Christmas was a light for me. I was reminded in little ways what
Christmas is truly about. It is a day to come together in love and
celebrate our Christ, to praise and thank Him for His unending love
for us; a love so deep and pure that He gave Himself for us as the
sacrificial lamb. I feel that I forget the true meaning of Christmas
when I’m in America. I get so wrapped up in the consumerism, the
lights and the show. This Christmas, I was reminded who Jesus is,
not who I try to make Him into or who I want or expect Him to be.
Simply who He is.