Christmas Programs

We are still in “advent” but the Christmas programs are well under way.

On Wednesday, Pete and I sang at our kids Christmas program and watched in amazement as our girls danced, sang and did sign language and performed their skits in French. OH so proud.

After Pledge School, we zoomed over to St Joseph’s school (where I teach on Tuesdays). After an hour of performances something struck me. Both Pledge and St Joseph’s had a Santa Claus, but the focus was on Christ. I remember being so sad (and at times angry) when at the kids’ school in America, we spent one week of December  learning about  Hanukkah, one week on Kwanza, and one week on Santa Claus and zero on Christ.  It feels so discouraging to me how Christians are often not able to openly express their faith. I think this will be one of the things I will struggle with when I get back to the US.

We also had the Christmas party with my HIV group. I brought music and we had fun dancing and singing. I just love those men and women.

Thursday, I went up to the Treasure Center and they combined their Christmas Program with the dedication of the new building. The building will provide additional classrooms, and specialty classes such as art, music and dance. The Archbishop celebrated Mass and then blessed all the buildings. The kids did such a great job being quiet and sang very well.

At the end of the day, Hope came by and I gave her Christmas present from Jeanie’s Baby Program.  She was so unbelievably appreciative.  Strollers are a rarity here and might not be practical.

Friday we went to the annual Christmas party at the Seminary. I always enjoy the evening with the seminarians singing and performing short skits and a HUGE spread of food.

Saturday I took the girls (in our new Christmas dresses) to a Calvary Baptist church where our friends were hosting a Christmas Program put on by the 35 children at their orphanage. Tears of joy flowed freely from my eyes as I heard the beautiful hymns and saw what God has done for these children through the Orphanage Ministry.

Finally, on Sunday we hosted our own Christmas party.  The day started with no water or electricity, but after praying fervently through Mass, both were restored when we got home.  We had about 60 people come throughout the day and there was much food, laughter, singing and storytelling.  We have made such a great group of friends through so many avenues.

And we still have Christmas Eve and Christmas to go!!!!!!!

-Joy

Monday, Monday

Just thought I’d let you know how my Monday morning is going.

No water—so we carried in water from outside to do dishes I left piled high in high hopes of having water this am.

Girls bickered over silly things during breakfast and complain about school. I sweep and straighten up.

Oops, two flat tires-no worries, Nestor is on the job and gets the girls off to school.

I then had prayer time with Pete and Josh on the porch. Exciting morning reading Leviticus. So glad that we are not bound by the old law.

Then Nestor arrived with a male goat. We were “misinformed” about Ruthie’s pregnancy status as we have had her since August with no sign of twins inside.  So we have now gone to plan B, which is to impregnate her with a local goat.

Ant invasion in kitchen, so we put poison in ant hills outside the kitchen window.

Nestor drives to find a water supply. He brings home about 35 gallons of water which we use to fill the water filter, flush the toilets, and enough water left over for me to take a bucket bath (heating two pots with hot water, cuz I am a wimp). Then we send Nestor back out to get more which hopefully will last the rest of the day. Of course we have been assured that water will be restored soon.

Walked down to the printers and was thrilled to discover the Song book I have been working on is complete.  I made 100 copies of Christian and educational songs to distribute to the three schools where I work. Great sense of accomplishment.

Send Nestor off to have the car worked on.  AGAIN.

Try and use internet, but alas it is not really working. Call IT man who says “I am coming”.

Read aloud with Josh. I love homeschooling him.  And he loves that he can stay in bed most of the day.

Scratch the itches all over my legs. Saturday my friend Suzie cut my hair (six inches) and we neglected to notice that I had my chair on an ant pile.  So now I have a gorgeous haircut, but ant bites all over my ankles.

Have my own quiet time.

Prepare for a marriage talk that Pete and I will give tonight.

Prepare for a meeting with teacher’s at 2pm to discuss teaching strategies.

Well, lunch time - gotta go.

-Joy

Meeting Joy

Six months ago, I was asked to come up with some names for a baby girl for the granddaughter of one of the women from the HIV group. I gave a few of my favorites from the bible and she thanked me profusely.

Several weeks later, she told me that the mom wanted to name the baby Joy. I felt a big lump in my throat. I remembered the night my sister called and announced that Lindsey Joy had been born. Then and now I felt so honored and humbled. She said her daughter had heard about me from her mom and wanted to use the beautiful name. Not to be vain, but Joy is a very beautiful name.  For many years, it felt like a curse to me—something I had to live up to. Now I love the name, as a reminder that one can be peaceful even on days when we are not happy.

So I got to meet baby Joy yesterday and she is so beautiful and has the sweetest disposition. I am not including a picture of her breast feeding (as women here are free to expose more than American women). I don’t believes there are many more tender moments than that of nursing your baby 

Meanwhile, I have been experiencing more joy here. I have found walking very soul restoring and I look forward to doing dishes at night just to have some peaceful quiet time.

I took Josh out for a mother/son lunch.  There is now a place that serves pizza on Fridays.  The place was packed with white faces-long term missionaries, a cricket team from the UK, new group of Peace corps, and two young short term missionaries, just to name a few. I almost didn’t like being in such a homogeneous environment.

My joy at lunch came not from the fabulous pizza, but from getting to spend time with my dear first born. We are very different. He likes computer programs, I think Java means coffee. He creates governments in his free time; I wonder what the name of our Vice President is.  He is comfortable doing his hour long radio show alone, while I struggle with my five minutes slot. He is a night owl; I go to bed before him most nights. But I am so proud of him and love to see the Godly young man that he is becoming.

He let me hold his hand when we walked down the street, and I remember how we used to go out for Chinese food when he was less than two and how I was already so enthralled with him. 

I love catching glimpses of joy in the ordinary things of life. Joy isn’t about having what you always wanted.  It is about being grateful for what you do have.  And as I see joy in life, I find that I am finding out more about who I (Joy) am.

-Joy