Admittedly, Christmas was bittersweet for me this year. It was the first time in 28 years that I've been apart from my family and friends and all the American traditions that I adore. However, I was reminded more poignantly than ever of the significance of Christmas: that 2000 years ago a young, unmarried woman of incredible faith gave birth to a baby who would be called Emmanuel, "God with us," and because of Jesus we can know God and have infinite joy, hope and salvation. Amen and amen.
Christmas in Sudan was a joyful, memorable, exhausting whirlwind of excitement and activity. On Christmas Eve we passed out presents to all the kids; everyone got a stocking with candy and small trinkets, the younger girls were given a doll, the older girls received purses, the younger boys got trucks, the older boys were given backpacks. One present each. Each kid also received a new outfit that they wore on Christmas, and since pictures are surely more adequate than any words I can write, here are some of my favorites from the festivities.
Benson (left) and Samuel (right) carry presents into the dining hall followed by a crowd of anxious kids.
150 stockings and presents under, beside and around the tree
a few trucks and a face peeking in the window
no gender-neutral gifts here
Dafala + magician's wand(?) = true childish excitement
150 orphans + new toys = controlled chaos
Tabitha + doll = playing all night long
Maria + doll + My Little Pony = legit happiness
Baby Benjamin + drool + truck = special powers over grown women
Esther + doll - 2 front teeth = Best Christmas Smile award-winner
Later that night I went to the kid's dorms to take pictures of them playing with their new toys. Some of the bigger boys had already stowed their trucks in the rafters so the babies couldn't get to them. Clever.
On Christmas morning the kids presented a short skit; here are Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus at the Inn.
The shepherds and sheep parading up the aisle.
The little kids sat up front and watched with rapt attention as the Nativity characters came to the stage.
Highlight of the day: someone brought a black, plastic bag filled with a bulging object as an offering and put it on the stage. In the middle of the skit the bag started to move and squawk and out came a LIVE CHICKEN!
Here, have a better look. (This was definitely an "I have a feeling I'm not in Kansas anymore" moment.)
Some of the boys looking dapper in their Christmas attire.
Sweet Timothy in a three-piece suit! Santa didn't bring his two-front teeth this year but he does not care.
Pretty girls in their pillowcase dresses!
Cecilia, Anna Peace, Sarah, Noella, and Hannah (the unintentional rising star of this blog) in their colorful ensembles.
Wishing you a belated Merry Christmas and early Happy New Year!
4 comments:
They're adorable in their Christmas clothes! I think you should post your picture rockin the braids too! ha! Mostly to show off your sweet tan! Glad Christmas was great! We surely missed you though!
It looks like you had a very fulfilling Christmas! Miss you!
Oh I love all of your Christmas pictures and stories! What an awesome celebration :)
How wonderful, Mary. What a lot of smiles you captured. Wish we could have been at church to see the nativity scene acted out. Must confess, everyone at our house thought of you repeatedly while watching "It's a Wonderful Life." You know why. So sad there's nobody there to say that to you while we're gone!
Brent, Gwen, Nate & Tess
Post a Comment