Feliz Navidad!

Feliz Navidad!

What a week! Feelings were a bit all over the place with our anticipation of Christmas. We were missing our families, familiar holiday traditions and foods, and a general joy that Christmastime brings, but we were all looking forward to celebrating together as a team, and Skyping with our families on Christmas Eve.

On a festivity scale, Christmastime in Chile ranks what might feel like somewhere between St. Patrick’s Day and Valentine’s Day to an American. Even if Chile were cold and snowy (which, at this time of year, is not… 70s and sunny most days), the Christmas spirit just isn’t as prevalent. There are sparse decorations, and very few lights in our neighborhood. Some houses that we have visited lately have very small arbols de Navidad (Christmas trees), but quite a few do not. We’ve also tried our best to understand conversations Eduardo has held with some friends who believe that it is sinful to have a Christmas tree in your house. It has been a new holiday experience for all of us.

On Christmas Eve Eve, our team had our celebration in the girls’ house. Prior to this event, we had made a few batches of cookies together, and swapped names for a Secret Santa gift exchange (Jean had Clay, Clay had me, I had Kirsten, Kirsten had Jeff, and Jeff had Jean). Right before our celebration began, Jean and Jeff and Clay “went for a walk,” and surprised us by decorating our house with some pine branches in the corner to represent a tree, and other festive bits as well. Kirsten and Jean helped make a fire, we put on some Christmas music, and we started to feel more merry and bright. To start our celebration, we took a moment to focus ourselves and thank J-s-s for sharing his Birthday with us, but more importantly for the sacrifice He made on our behalf. We read the story of His birth, and enjoyed remembering the true reason we celebrate Christmas. Just like the wise men presented gifts to baby J-s-s, we presented gifts to each other, and enjoyed the feeling of giving something thoughtful to the people we love and appreciate as our teammates.

After our gifts were opened (from random wrappings such as plastic bags and sweatshirts), Jeff suggested that we go look at the stars. It was a perfect night for that kind of adventure. We walked a few blocks to a large gravel pile. Following Jean’s lead (well… until the path got a little soggy, then she was on her own J), we hiked up the big pile, and marveled at the bigness of G-d’s creation, and at the fact that we were looking at the same stars as our families and friends that we miss so much. We also remembered the shepherds and wise men who followed a star to a witness a miracle. We took some time to pr-y for our community and G-d’s work in it, and pr-y-rs of thankfulness for what has already been done.

The next day, Christmas Eve, we all enjoyed the gift of talking with our families over the computer. It truly is crazy to think that we can be “seeing” each other, halfway around the world. That night we also enjoyed a large meal with our coordinator and his family. It was the first Christmas meal they have shared with other people; a truly special occasion. We then presented our small gifts to the family – squirt guns to the younger kids, a jacket of a favorite soccer team to the eldest, and a Jenga game for the whole family to enjoy. We are also hoping to take the kids to see a movie (another first for them) at some point, gifting the parents with a rare night alone, as well.

On Christmas day, we packed up our things, and went with our ch-rch to Tenglo – an island where our coordinator and his wife used to live. We spent the day enjoying a beautiful picturesque view of crashing ocean waves and snow-tipped mountains, eating a large meal, playing soccer, and swimming in the waves. It was a great day, but a highly unusual way to spend a Christmas. Who ever thought of northern North Americans getting sunburns for Christmas? J

We’re also looking forward to going back to Tenglo for 4 days this week to help with some cleaning and renovations on a building that serves children on the island. We will be sleeping and eating there, too, which will be an exciting change of pace. After doing a lot of visiting and language learning this month, we’re all eager to roll up our sleeves and utilize some different muscles.

Oh, and this week we also got to take a trip to a beautiful national park in Petrohue where we saw some incredible rapids and other natural scenery at the base of some volcanoes. Look for some great pictures from that trip on facebook!

Please continue to pr-y for our m-n-stry here in Chile: that we would all find our service niche in our community, gl-r-fy G-d in the ways that we show love to each other as well as others, and remain “tercero” (our team motto meaning “third”) in our attitudes at all times.