Christmas blessings!

Christmas 2013 has been spent in the village of Nabisooto!  I did have the option of spending the week with a friend in Kampala  but after discussing plans with Allen, we decided to do Christmas here.  The discussion was quite funny as her decision was contingent on mine and mine on hers! 

Anyway… we had made plans to have Christmas dinner at my house.  Pastor Jackson was the only staff other than Allen and myself that were on campus so he was invited as well.  I got up this morning and started cooking.  The menu for dinner is chicken, rice, salad, pineapple, biscuits, and chocolate cake!  Now not an elaborate meal but rather time consuming and a bit of a challenge when you have no oven!  The biscuits I had made before on the gas stove top but the chocolate cake was going to be an experiment.  And I do have to say… it turned out rather good!  Three layers with icing between each layer.  Dark chocolate cake with chocolate icing with crushed peppermint sticks on top thanks to a treat in my Christmas package from the Brantley family!  Candy canes are very expensive here… like close to $10 a box, so it was a nice treat to get some old fashioned peppermint sticks!

The  Brantley's also sent a paper nativity set which became the table décor along with some sunflowers from my garden.  

After cooking and decorating… Allen and I went on a gift giving mission.  The Cole Family sent their sponsored child and family some new clothes for Christmas so I had packed each a box and we went to deliver them!  

These girls were so excited for their new clothes… we truly had a fashion show with their new outfits.  Even Jaja got in on it and tried on her new dress!! 

I have to say this has been a very simple, village Christmas!  My tree had no wrapped presents under it… just a simple manger scene… my Christmas card holder is empty with the exception of some hand drawn pictures from two precious kiddos… but my heart is full!  I am blessed beyond belief and the blessings are not in the material things (even though the gift of a new watch and Christmas treats were a huge blessing)… but in the true Spirit of Christmas!  Jesus came as a simple baby wrapped in rags.  He was not born in a palace with all the fancy baby gifts but a simple stable in a small village.  His admirers were stinky shepherds.  This is why Christmas is so special… because of the baby in the manger.  He is truly EMMANUEL … God with us!  God in the flesh! 

(And by the way… if you sent a Christmas card/package… have no fear, it is on the way… it just takes some extra time.  It will be the gift that keeps giving this year!) J