Christmas
Pt. One
What can I give Him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;
Yet what I can I give Him: give my heart.
(In the Bleak Midwinter, Christina Rossetti)
You might be long over Christmas and already whizzing into January and beyond, but I am savoring all that this December had to offer. The fullness of the month, contrary to what you might suppose, helped me to slow down and focus on the once-a-year blessings.
Christmas festivities made the early December days extra special. Naomi deserves all the credit for bringing the Christmas cheer to Bolivia. She was determined to have a tree not only in our apartment but one for the kids as well. However, living in Bolivia posed a bit of a problem. We have limited resources and no pines. We knew we would have to get creative: our materials compiled some rotting wood and a tree branch that had broken in a storm. Naomi somehow brought her dream to life, and her three trees brought coziness and cheer to everyone.
Because the kids are on summer vacations, Naomi and I organized a pancake breakfast and Christmas craft day. Pancakes are not a norm here, and the kids were wary of syrup. “Is it sweet? Is it good? This is NORMAL??”
The crafts included painting salt dough ornaments, coloring pages and cutting snowflakes. Sounds simple enough, but if you’ve worked with kids, you know that at the end of the day, we were exhausted.
The following week, the kids had a Christmas performance for their sponsors. Our practice sessions brought some of my favorite December 2023 memories. We would often meet outside at night (when it’s coolest) to sing and would end the night dancing and laughing. These moments were full of silliness and a sense of belonging that I hope the children can feel their whole lives through.
This month also brought graduations! Four of the kids here graduated high school, and even though I’ve only known them a few months, I was in tears, insanely proud of their accomplishments. Naomi and I hosted a little celebration for them in our apartment. I made a mini Mexican feast (a constant request since I arrived), and horchata has become a new favorite.
After our Christmas craft day, one of the eleven-year-olds wanted to hang snowflakes from the ceiling of the dining room, which is a gathering place for activities as well as meals. So, we spent a few hours together one day cutting even more snowflakes (I am sure I cut over 100 snowflakes this year), and then we used Naomi’s height to hang them. The girlie was proud of her work, and we brought in many tios and kids to show off her artistry. Spending this time and making this girl feel her importance has been something I’ve been praying for since arriving. She is the oldest sibling in her family and takes care of the little girls. She is mature beyond her years due to all she has had to endure. Watching her be her child self was a deep joy.
Finally, Naomi and I have made a few friends here and hosted a mini Christmas party. We mixed Bolivian and American traditions and had a blast. One of our friends said, “I’ve seen people decorating cookies in movies, and I’ve always dreamed of decorating Christmas cookies, but I never thought I would be able to.” We played Secret Santa (Amigos Secretos), sang karaoke and danced the night away. One of the tios the following day said he could hear us from across the home. “You know how to throw a party!”
This Christmas season was unlike any I have experienced yet: 90-100 degree days, not much dressing up or going out, but it was full of love and, as always, my cup is overflowing with things to give thanks for.
