Sunday, December 25, 2011

Feliz Natal!

Which translates to Merry Christmas! With the sun shining brightly and the warm breeze blowing it feels more like an early June afternoon then Christmas. Today Alyssa and I tried to bake some Christmas cookies. We don’t have a normal oven so we tried a few different methods including cooking/double boiling some on the gas stove, baking others in the solar oven and baked the last batch with hot coals. The solar oven batch turned out pretty well. Tonight we will have the first meat we’ve eaten since we left the States. The boys cleaned a chicken and now she’s marinating and getting all delicious for our Christmas dinner tonight! When I think about everyone at home making cookies, singing Christmas carols, getting ready for Christmas eve services and Christmas day feasts, It’s hard not to be homesick. It really doesn’t feel much like Christmas around here. However, I strongly agree with Pete’s (from the YES team) blog post for this week. Like Pete I have found myself reflecting on that fact that maybe this should serve as a warning that I’ve made Christmas far too much about the magical feeling rather than the Father’s love for us, the fact that he came and died and rose again so that we might never be separated from his great love! The fact remains however, on this Christmas eve, I am missing my family and friends dearly. 
Tomorrow we will have Christmas service at church. Derek (one of the Yes team guys) has been working with some people in the church to put on a Christmas pageant which I’m excited to see. I’m also looking forward to wearing the traditional African outfits (skirt/shirt) that Alyssa and I had made at the village tailor. Hopefully there will be pictures to come! Monday evening a group of church leaders from Gambia will arrive for a conference. It should be a great opportunity to grow and worship with other believers. All-in-all things are going well and I feel God teaching me more and more about the people of Catel, my team, and myself. Thanks for your continued prayers and support!

1 comment:

  1. thanks for the update. i've been praying for you and for this to be a transformative experience for you and those you serve. i love you and miss you- and i wish you both a merry christmas and a happy new year. can't wait to see the pics of the outfits and th pagaent!! karin

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