Christmas Blessings in Ethiopia
Dear Friends and Family,
I can just imagine the Christmas carols being hummed, the scents of wonderful things cooking, the beautiful decorations, and the friendly get-togethers you are experiencing on this wonderful Christmas Eve.
Here in Ethiopia, there is no way, it seems, to experience an American traditional Christmas. However, as everyting is relative, let me share the blessings I continue to experience on this day.
My computer was adjusted so that I now have internet connection.
I've not been able to do e-mail for the past couple of days.
I am in Addis Ababa preparing for the arrival of LivI and Sue Paul from Sanibel Community Church.
Last Christmas I was in Hosanna where there were no other Americans.
I am staying in the SIM (Sudan Inland Missions) Guest House which is decorated by the residents.
In Hosanna there is not one decoration or evidence of Christmas.
I have signed up to go with residents and other guests to Christmas Eve ENGLISH service.
There are no English speaking services or translations in Hosanna.
We are going out for scarcely available ice cream (my favorite food) after the service tonight.
Few people in Hosanna even know what ice cream is--it's not there.
I'm eating Kellogg's Corn Flakes for my supper with FULL CREAM powered milk from the Netherlands
No Corn Flakes in Hosanna. I have never seen full-cream powdered
milk in the US.
I've just returned for having the night out with 12 other people. There must have been 500 people at the
International English speaking service. Even though there was power outage and generator failure it was
a spirit filled room and singing carols was a special time.
We all went out to have ice cream (well, maybe imitation ice cream, I would say, in a restaurant that had
Christmas decorations so we got close to having a traditional Christmas.
Again, everything is relative. It doesn't matter when we celebrated Christmas or how we celebrate. There is
one thing that cannot changed, for as long as we live and that is the true meaning of the unspeakable gift of
God coming to earth as man, Emanuel: which means God with us. Whether I am in the US, Addis Ababa,
or Hosanna it is all the same "God with us."
Love and Peace to all,
Dee
I can just imagine the Christmas carols being hummed, the scents of wonderful things cooking, the beautiful decorations, and the friendly get-togethers you are experiencing on this wonderful Christmas Eve.
Here in Ethiopia, there is no way, it seems, to experience an American traditional Christmas. However, as everyting is relative, let me share the blessings I continue to experience on this day.
My computer was adjusted so that I now have internet connection.
I've not been able to do e-mail for the past couple of days.
I am in Addis Ababa preparing for the arrival of LivI and Sue Paul from Sanibel Community Church.
Last Christmas I was in Hosanna where there were no other Americans.
I am staying in the SIM (Sudan Inland Missions) Guest House which is decorated by the residents.
In Hosanna there is not one decoration or evidence of Christmas.
I have signed up to go with residents and other guests to Christmas Eve ENGLISH service.
There are no English speaking services or translations in Hosanna.
We are going out for scarcely available ice cream (my favorite food) after the service tonight.
Few people in Hosanna even know what ice cream is--it's not there.
I'm eating Kellogg's Corn Flakes for my supper with FULL CREAM powered milk from the Netherlands
No Corn Flakes in Hosanna. I have never seen full-cream powdered
milk in the US.
I've just returned for having the night out with 12 other people. There must have been 500 people at the
International English speaking service. Even though there was power outage and generator failure it was
a spirit filled room and singing carols was a special time.
We all went out to have ice cream (well, maybe imitation ice cream, I would say, in a restaurant that had
Christmas decorations so we got close to having a traditional Christmas.
Again, everything is relative. It doesn't matter when we celebrated Christmas or how we celebrate. There is
one thing that cannot changed, for as long as we live and that is the true meaning of the unspeakable gift of
God coming to earth as man, Emanuel: which means God with us. Whether I am in the US, Addis Ababa,
or Hosanna it is all the same "God with us."
Love and Peace to all,
Dee
posted by John | 12:10 PM
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