A very different experience. Let me walk you though my Christmas week.
Dec 21. Christmas Play at MCF.
My friend Andrew co-directed a Christmas production at a local church. We had 2 pews worth of people to cheer him and the Liberian actors/singers/dancers on. It was a joyful mix of improv and musical including a black nativity and white baby Jesus!
Dec 23. Delivering Christmas to Childcare Foundation and Frances Gaskin's Orphanage homes. You have probably already seen the video. Here are a few pics as well. We had a great time watching the kids smiles as we provided them with new clothes, slippers (flip-flops) and Christmas bundles. This is the reason we are here.
Corpu in her new Christmas dress. She often wants nothing to do with me, bursts into tears as soon as she sees me coming. Sometimes you can break through if you offer a peace offering of food, this time the new dress worked and she did not want to let me go. Precious!
The whole gang at Childcare Foundation.Dec 23 (in the evening). Movie night at the Chapman's.
The entire ORR gang joined our friends the Chapman's for an evening of frozen fun. They turned the AC up in their TV room and we watched "Christmas Vacation" and munched on homemade cookies. It was so cold I was bundled in a sweatshirt and under a blanket!
Dec 24. Christmas Eve Service.
Dec 25. Christmas Day.
After a fun Christmas morning with my ORR family at home we joined some other friends for a Christmas brunch and pool party at Christy's apartment in town. Swimming on Christmas? It was wonderful and truly felt like a vacation. That night we had a great dinner at one of the nicest restaurants in Monrovia, Mamba Point.
Christy, John, me, Cramer, Andrew and Jen at Mamba Point.Dec 27. Dorris' Wedding.
We were invited to attend a proper Liberian church wedding. It was quite the experience. When we arrived at the church at noon (the time it was supposed to start) the church was still locked and no one was around! That is when we realized we are not in Kansas anymore, this Liberian wedding thing is way different from what we are used to. 5 hours later, I can honestly say I had never sweated so much in my life and my wrist was sore from fanning myself. Still, it was a great Liberian experience and I felt honored to be a part of it. For the full rundown, check out Cramer's blog entry about it at Avenue of the Cramericas. There is a link to pictures too.
Dec 28. Edifice Dedication at PCC.
We were invited as special guests to the dedication of the new church building at the church where our 3 most precious Liberian employees attend. Mary, Winnie and Piko were there, dressed to the hilt for a celebration. We danced, sang, clapped, prayed and sweated as we dedicated the new building. It was another fun, Liberian experience punctuated with great friends and great food!
4 comments:
Looks like you had a full Christmas week! I especially love your nativity - beautiful, just beautiful.
Happy New Year.
I see you have a friend at CCF...give Koiboi a great big hug for me! And tell the kiddos I said hello.
Debbie,
The picture of you and Corpu is beautiful. Even before I logged on and saw the picture, I was thinking about you as the image of a guardian angel. Now angels are not typically in my daily dialogue, but I began to look up scriptures about angels. Still, nothing really jumped out. So in faith, that you will be encouraged at best or get a laugh at worst, I write! I see you as an angel (not with goofy wings), just you simple yet compelling with soft light in your eyes. You are carrying a child and whispering in her ear, "God has sent me. Don't be afraid of me. God has sent me. Your tears are warm child and God understands". Debbie, I don't know what all that means. It's in my head and now it's on the page. Take care. Maybe Shawna and I will get on facebook tonight.
Sounds like you had a LOT of fun this Christmas. I don`t think mine was as interesting as yours. I wasn`t turning on the AC, I was huddled by the fire drinking hot chocolate.
Love,
K8lyn:)
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