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| Our Christmas sunset!! |
This was our tree for the holidays. We purchased the bare white barked limbs which were bundled together along the national highway for 20 pesos (about 50 cents) and then as you can see purchased orange flowers bulbs and cloth. We did not see any living trees in homes but several people used artificial trees and many were displayed outside.
Every community displays a tree of their own style. This one was in the center of Dumaguete.
Our local community of Valencia decorates very well. This is incredible taking several days to complete.
This beauty was at the Robinson's mall - a favorite place for the missionaries to eat after district meetings as there are several places in the food court that they think are delicious, inexpensive and fast! I rarely eat there due to the horrific amounts of MSG used in the fast food places. Elder, on the other hand, loves it all!!
And this one at one of our favorite grocery and department stores. While the towns were decorated and people were busy preparing their food and homes for the Christmas season, we were out teaching the gospel with the missionaries. One of the people we have been privileged to teach and baptize is an American who has been working here for a few years. He knew I wanted a picture of a Nipa hut so he drew one for me for Christmas - one of my all time favorite gifts!! He captured it beautifully.
Thank you, Daniel!!
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Christmas Day was very different from our normal. We fed 22 missionaries a big breakfast - not easy with little kitchen equipment and a very small stove and oven and only a couple of pans. But they all seemed to enjoy their time together here in our small apartment - seemed just a little like home. They were all anxious to make their calls and skype home. In the afternoon we delivered a box of fruit to a family of 7 living in a nipa hut where we saw no evidence of what we think of as a traditional Christmas and came home to skype with our children to watch our grandkids open their gifts - a very difficult transition from a nipa hut to a tree laden with presents beneath.
We are still enjoying our time serving as missionaries - a time to watch up close and personal the Lord hastening His work. We love Him whose birth and life we celebrate at Christmas time and always.
I loved your blog about the decorations and favorite places to eat at the mall. I am glad of all of your experiences and can't wait to hear of your report. We are having similar spiritual experiences here in Moldova except our Christmas felt more like the cold of Oklahoma. We did not have green leaves on the trees and nor wear short sleeved shirts with no coats!
ReplyDeleteKeep up the great work there!!!
Elder Kneib
Wow the trees are so fun and unique. I see why the drawing is your favorite! it is amazing and will be such a sweet remembrance of your time there. I can just see it framed in the entrance of your house in BA. The artist is very talented. And the picture of the sunset should be framed and hung near it as well what a beautiful picture! We miss you and know that you are touching the lives of all you meet.
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