December 25, 2010
As I reflect on Christmas past (my first at Mkuu) and Christmas present (my last at Mkuu), I am awed at the difference a year can make. Last year, Cheryl and I tried our level best to make this day a special day to ease our loneliness. This year, I have a large extended Tanzanian family to keep me company.
Many children in Tanzania do not really know when they were born. Yuda says he is 15, but to me, he looks about 12 or 13. However, his youthfulness and innocence helped me to see Christmas again through the eyes of a child. This year we had a real evergreen Christmas tree, a gift from Aggie’s friend Lucy. Yuda put it in a bucket of dirt and rocks and added a bit of water and set it in our sitting room. I purchased a short string of fruit lights and a flower garland. Beatrice and Yuda added balloons and garlands of toilet paper. Underneath the tree, Yuda put a small table to display a picture of Jesus and Mary. (After all, Christmas is about Jesus). Yuda was absolutely mesmerized. I am sure that he wanted to sleep there in the sitting room so that he could look at the tree all night, but I sent him off to bed.On Christmas Eve, Beatrice, who is Pentecostal, went to church in the early afternoon. She planned to stay the whole night and return in the early morning. I baked banana bread in my double sufuria, one for us and one for Lucy. When it had cooled sufficiently, Yuda and I went to greet her. Of course, we had to stay for a while and drink sodas, but she had a TV with one station and it was playing Christmas carols. I was able to sing my favorite, O Holy Night, as well as a few others. Yuda, Lucy, and her little sister were quite impressed, especially when I tried to hit those high notes.
When we returned home, Cheryl was there. She had come to celebrate the holiday with us. While we sat and talked, I had another visitor. One of the young teachers brought me a gift. How exciting! It is not often that I am given gifts from my colleagues. I opened the cardboard box and was speechless. There, huddled in the corner of the box with her feet bound, was a frightened little red hen. Now this really is a valuable gift, and I thanked Agripina profusely, but after she left, I sat down with the box on my lap to contemplate my dilemma. You see, I had come to a profound realization about myself; I cannot meet my meat before I eat. There was no way that I could prepare and eat Little Money Penny. I had seen her eyes. I had seen her fear. I suggested that we make her a little house and raise her as our own. Maybe one day she would reward us with eggs. However, Yuda and Cheryl voted to eat her, so I took her to the neighbors and asked if she could spend the night in their chicken coop. On Christmas day, Fatuma would help Yuda and Beatrice prepare her properly and she would be a delicious treat for all but me. I would eat cow parts in my pilau. I am not against eating meat; I just do not want to know it.
That evening at about 10:00, Yuda and I set out in the dark for the church. We were going to midnight mass. I do not think Yuda had ever been before because he was very excited (living alone in the bush probably makes it a bit difficult to get out at night). I had to walk quickly to keep up with him, but the new headlamp worked great. The church was still closed when we arrived and there were many people already there waiting by the doors. We joined them, and waited and waited, standing, squatting, or sitting on the ground. Finally someone came and opened the doors in the back. We were in the front. When our door did not open, Yuda grabbed my hand and pulled me along with the crowd to the open door. We made it inside in one piece and were able to find seats close to the front. Once more we sat and waited, but the church was all decked out for the holidays, and Yuda just looked around in wonder. An evergreen enclosure had been erected around the statue of Jesus and twinkling lights and nativity figurines had been added. Two big Christmas trees were on the altar and glittery garland and twinkling lights adorned the sanctuary. Hundreds of worshippers, many dressed in bold, colorful clothing had filled the pews. In its own way, it was beautiful.
Finally the mass began. I noticed Yuda struggling to keep his eyes open during the service, but he was determined not to miss a thing. Last year, I knew very little Kiswahili and just stood and sat along with the others. This year I was able to participate in the responses and even sing along. OK, I made up a few words, but the tune was right. Mass ended about 1:30 am and we followed the masses out into the dark. Yuda was exhausted (I was too), but he looked up at me and said, “Thank you Madam. It was so very beautiful.”
When we got home, he went right to bed. I stayed awake long enough to arrange a couple of small gifts beneath the tree. The next morning, Yuda and I were both up early (6 am). He wanted to get to the butcher’s early. I guess I am just used to getting up with the sun. When Beatrice returned, we had tea and banana bread, and Yuda and Beatrice opened their gifts. They were both overwhelmed. There were really gifts for them? This certainly was a special day. Yuda received a Bible and a rosary, a shirt and a pair of socks, a package of peanut M&Ms, a pencil, a pen, a small calculator, and a toothbrush. Beatrice got some lotion, chapstick, nail polish, a journal, a pen, a pencil, M&Ms, and a toothbrush too. (Some of you might recognize some of these things. Thank you very much). Both were thrilled and they eagerly hurried to the kitchen to prepare our Christmas feast. (Remember Little Money Penny). I preferred not to watch, so Cheryl and I took a walk down to the shop for a soda. At the store, we encountered an old woman who was a bit touched. She was especially annoying Cheryl so I whispered nonsense in the old woman’s ear and gently steered her away. The plan did not work exactly as I had hoped, because while Cheryl and I were sitting on the bench drinking our sodas, the woman came over and sat down very close to me. Now she was my best friend. She was making whispering noises and nodding her head a lot and she smelled a bit like a barn, but I patted her hand and told her “not today.” She sat quietly there beside me for a while, and then she left.
Cheryl went home and the kids went to bed. Finally I lay in bed thinking about Christmas. I wondered what my children were doing. What would they eat? Would they enjoy their gifts too? Did they miss their mother? I wished that their Christmas would be as magical as the one I had experienced today. Indeed, today had been a glorious Christmas present.
Merry Christmas.
Ruth
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