Joyeux Noël

This Christmas will definitely be a little different for me.  I will miss my family, especially my little boys. I mean it’s hard to beat waking up Christmas morning with two little boys jumping up and down at my bedside, saying, “Granny, Granny, get up! Santa came.” Skype is a poor substitute but it’s better than nothing.

But, I continue to believe that this is where I should be-for now. Each day brings its challenges but nothing like the challenges facing most Haitians every day.

In many ways, it doesn’t really seem like Christmas at all.  Most all the trappings of Christmas to which I have become accustomed are missing.  There is no frenetic Christmas shopping, no Christmas lights or decorations on the houses or stores (except for one house which is completely covered in lights), no Christmas greetings heard, no Christmas cards arriving in the mail (the absence of a postal service here might have something to do with that), no nativity scenes-not even in church, no festive Christmas apparel, no incessant Christmas music being piped in wherever you are, etc. As to the latter, as I write this letter, I am listening to the parish radio station (which operates semi-periodically) and it doesn’t sound like Christmas music to me. I guess that pretty much leaves one with just Christ’s Mass. Hmm. Maybe they’re on to something here.

Today, we’ve been working on the Christmas meal.  I use the term “we” loosely. I basically do that chopping, peeling, etc. and try to stay out of the way of the real chefs.

Tonight, at 10:30 PM we go to the Christmas Vigil Mass. My Creole is improving slowly but not enough to be looking forward to 3 hours of it in church.  Actually, I probably wouldn’t be looking forward to 3 hours even if it were in English.  The other 2 volunteers are in the choir though, which is pretty cool, so at least that part will be fun.

Tomorrow, we will visit the Kay Pov which is a homeless shelter which the sisters support. I’m not sure exactly what we’ll be doing besides bringing some food and singing some songs.  Don’t worry.  I’ll just mouth the words.  

We also plan to visit a young man in the hospital.  The sisters have been helping out Wilford since he was diagnosed with diabetes.  Unfortunately, it went uncontrolled for quite a while before he was diagnosed.

Then, it’s a turkey dinner with all the trimmings (well, most of them, anyway) and fresh baked apple pie.  It will be a good day.

Christmas blessings on all of you and yours.