I hope you are finding yourself well as this Christmas season approaches. Perhaps you are making cut-out cookies in shapes of stars and bells and reindeer and dipping everything possible in chocolate! I am actually craving a bit of that right now. Here at Christmas time here and there you might see a decorated tree in a business or store, or a string of lights in a random tree, but decoration is quite limited here. I will try to document Christmas better than I did last year, so you all can see the traditional foods, and events of the holiday.
Traditionally on the 24th, people tend to make a bunch of food, and invite friends over and stay up until 3 or 4 am. Always with lots of firecrackers set off all night. It's a mess, and a lot of fun! I've had several invitations this year, and I feel quite honored. I thought that maybe they were out of pity for the poor foreigner who had no where to go. But recently a friend corrected me, and told me not to take those invitations lightly. If they invited me, it's because they really would like me to pass the 24th with them. That was a nice realization. My tendency at this time of year is to feel slightly lonely being so far away from family and my normal traditions. But this year I have intentions of spending it to the max with the special people in my life, knowing that I probably will not have another Christmas in Honduras.
So a couple of weeks ago I was taking care of a patient at the hospital. The family lives up near the lake and they have a coconut farm there. They gave me 3 of them! Pealed and mature. Teachers receive apples from their students, secretaries receive pens,....I receive coconuts!! How great is that??? I had to look it up on the internet on the best way to crack open the coconut. I think I mastered it! :)
Other exciting events: This past Saturday I got to have the honor of being a bridesmaid in my good friend's wedding! She is a friend from church and also a compañera from the hospital. It was a lovely, small, simple wedding. I'm amazed at the differences. Mostly in the "feel" of the wedding. For the typical American, it might seem chaotic and unorganized, but as I went through the steps of the decorating, the rehearsals, the getting ready and dressed up...I actually appreciated the relaxedness of it. Several things: my dress was not done until Friday evening. We didn't have a rehearsal the night before because people "couldn't make it" for whatever reason. One of the groomsmen didn't arrive until 15 minutes after the wedding was supposed to start....but you know what? There was hardly any stress about it. Well, obviously because it's cultural, people expect all of this to happen. To me, I just sat back in awe. It was inconvenient for me to have to come back to the sewer's house 3 times, always in a taxi since I have no car, to get the dress. But other than that, no one was getting mad at anyone, and I saw little stress in the family. It was nice. I enjoyed myself quite a lot.
We also had our annual Christmas party with the nurses that live on campus and the nursing students. It was lots of fun as always, with pizza and other yummy foods, movie, Christmas card making, and of course the decorating of the tree! I think it's a nice time that the students can relax, let down their hair, and have a good time! I am glad as that I was asked to help once again this year. This is a tradition that a retired doctor (84 years old that still makes rounds at the hospital, incredible!!) started years ago with his wife, who has since passed away about 6 years ago. I think more than anything, he continues the tradition in honor of his wife. I only feel bad because I know that none of us are able to put out the feast they used to make together, and that in some part, the doctor feels sad as well as joy at this event, remembering his wife. But I know the girls really enjoy the tradition, and I do too.
Anyways, I hope and pray that your Christmas will be blessed and lovely. In Bibile Study we have been focusing on the verse Luke 2:14 when the angels appeared to the shepherds saying: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." What does that mean? Peace to men on whom his favor rests? What significance does that have? Favor, being those who have accepted Christ? What significance does Peace have? Back in those days under Roman rule, I'm sure peace meant a lot to those being oppressed. But peace is SO important on a personal individual level too. Christmas time can be such a beautiful time of sharing and caring, and warm fuzzy feelings. But I know for many, Christmas is a very lonely miserable time of the year. Perhaps in the year a loved one has passed away and this is the first year that he/she is not there. Perhaps the year has just been a bad one in many different ways, and one feels unrestful, and lacks anything close to peace on a soul level. Perhaps one has health problems that limits them from fully enjoying the holidays and festive times spent out. I think that peace on earth is the best thing one can hope for. So that is my prayer for you. If you do not feel that peace, I hope you can find out why, and confront it, so that you may have it. And you could pray for me as well, that I may find and feel Christ's peace during this time. I think we all have something that keeps us from feeling completely at peace with life, and as many of us profess, the only way to true peace is through the prince of peace, Jesus Christ.
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE! Thanks as always for your prayers and support. As I am missing home, I also am counting my blessings, and thanking God for each of you!
A hug sent from Honduras, Malerie
