Christmas time in Africa

Well I have officially made it through my first Christmas away from home. To tell you the truth it was better than what I expected it to be! There are not really any Christmas decorations other than what you find at the larger stores, so you were not easily distracted by other things to keep your attention off the real meaning of Christmas. One night I attended a Christmas concert featuring the Ghana Symphony Orchestra with a junior choir. The even was sponsored by the German church and let me tell you, I’ve never seen more white people in one place since I’ve arrived! (Not to mention they were all speaking German!)

Christmas Eve day was spent doing some last minute grocery shopping for our big Christmas Eve dinner. When we arrived at the grocery store we were very excited to see “snow” coming down in front of the entrance- the management had placed a snow maching on the second floor, which you could tell just thrilled the westerners coming to visit! Saturday night five of us SIMers gathered for a wonderful feast that just brought me back home- right down to the candle light and sparkling grape juice! After supper we opened a few small gifts and ended the evening with the movie “White Christmas” featuring Bing Crosby. My friend Sherri had this wonderful idea to stay awake until Christmas, but at 11:50 I couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer! I must be getting old

Christmas day was definitely a day to remember for being my first Christmas away. My director was asked to speak at a church that was about 50 kilometers away from Accra. We left at 9 am to pick up a couple people for the church service. I still have to get used to the African way of visiting, and the “no hurry” atmosphere. We picked up a man for church, who then led us to his home. He invited us in and there we sat in his small living room, just waiting. We didn’t know for what, so we just kept waiting. Meanwhile, it was after 10:00, which was the time the church was supposed to begin. After about 20 minutes, the rest of his family came out ready to leave for church. Since it was Christmas day and taxi’s were hard to find, they decided that we would all squeeze into our pickup. So we had the cab full, and three in the back. After driving for another 30 minutes, I looked at Sherri and said, “wow- we are really going WAY out here!” She replied, “I’m preparing myself not to get home until 5:00, that way if it is earlier, I won’t be mad about it!”

We have quickly learned not even to wear our watches to church, because the longer the service takes, the more impatient we become- especially when the offering lasts 45 minutes! So we found ourself coming into a little town where as soon as we slowed down about 6 more people climbed into the back of the truck, all heading for the same church.

The village we went to was in a beautiful area- very green all around, but not developed at all. We met under a tin roof shelter, which I was very thankful for the shade that God provided that day!

So, 11:30 rolls around and the service that was scheduled to start at 10 is just beginning. Soon the drum is going and the congregation of about 60 is singing praises to God. As I looked out over the village I saw three young children, about 2-3 years clapping and dancing to the beat of the drum- and for being that young they didn’t miss a beat! It was a really precious sight.

The church service was in the Kasem language, so basically gives me a lot of time to think, daydream or read my Bible. The service concluded around 2:30, which was actually a relatively short Christmas service. Our goal was to leave immediately after the service, but we all knew that was an unreachable goal. Hospitality is so big in Africa. You are always offered a drink wherever you go, and a lot of times a meal on top of that. We knew they were having a meal all together, but they had already excused us from it, knowing we were heading back. As we were leaving they had us come back into the shelter and drink a “mineral” (or pop/soda). Finally by 3:00 we were able to head back into Accra.

We arrived back home at about 4:30, and you would think we would be hungry after all this time, but as soon as I saw my bed, I just collapsed!

Christmas night we opened more gifts and watched the Hallmark film, “A Season for Miracles.” During this time I was delighted to receive a call from my family who were at Grandpa and Gramma Byker’s house. For almost an hour the phone was passed from person to person, and it was a perfect ending to my first Christmas away.

I don’t think this Christmas would have been near as good if Sherri were not here also. It was her first Christmas away from home and family also, so I think we helped each other to get through it. In fact, as I was thinking it, she told me that if she couldn’t be home for Christmas, this was the next best thing. I totally agree.

Who ever thought that on my 25th year of life I would be spending Christmas day in a small village in the middle of no where in Africa?! But yet the beauty of it is that even in that small village, I could feel the love and joy that only Jesus can give. It was nice not to have all the distractions all around me about gifts, santa, decorations, etc. It has been very refreshing to see how the African culture is so similar to how life was 2000 years ago when Jesus was born. It has made Christ’s birth even more real to me this Christmas.

So, as I count my blessings this Christmas Season, I thank God for His faithfulness in placing me where I am at this moment, for providing people to help me through, for an incredibly loving and supportive family, and an encouraging, loving group of friends. I am so blessed to receive these “gifts” this Christmas!!!!!