In Mocimboa Christmas Eve means…

~reading in your backyard, thanking God for the lovely breeze

~cleaning your water filter because it only filters a cup of water every two hours

~listening to your Muslm neighbor kids (who don’t know English) sing, “Happy birthday to you, Happy birthday to you, Happy birthday to you” broken-record style for five minutes (Ana had told them that they should sing Happy Birthday to Jesus, but I have no idea how they knew it in English! They even had the right tune!)

~sweating

~rice with a bean/peanut curry for supper

~card games with the other singles on the team

~being startled when your team leader and his family sneak into your backyard and start singing Christmas carols (that was a true Christmas moment!)

~sweating

~baking seventy bread rolls (for neighbor gifts)

~going to bed on the kitchen floor because two single ladies are staying overnight at your house

~tying a mosquito net from the rafters in your kitchen

~knowing that even if a rat does decide to visit the kitchen tonight you will be safe under your net

In Mocimboa Christmas means…

~church starts at eight am, supposedly

~you arrive at church at nine am

~church actually starts at ten am

~sweating

~hard rain on the church’s tin roof means that you can’t hear the speaker

~even if you could hear the speaker you couldn’t understand him because you don’t understand Portuguese

~sharing a plate of rice and beans with a new sister in Christ (see “Beyond Amazing” post)

~sweating

~napping in the backyard

~realizing that Jesus moved cross-culturally when He came to earth

~tea, snacks, and a game of Scum King with the team

~skyping with your family

~thinking your family looks very silly in their sweatshirts and stocking caps

~dancing around the kitchen singing Christmas carols

~candles on the table

All of which stacked up for a uniquely different, but definitely enjoyable Christmas.