Our First Burundi Christmas 2010!



Christmas isn't christmas without a little cooking!  So sweet Soeur Malabi, with a heart of gold, came to teach Sister Jameson and me to make "Sweetened Peanuts-African Style!"
For some of the business people in the community and also the workers around our apartment complex, I made up some cookies to share!  I really missed handing out Raspberry Jam to all of our friends and neighbors back at home.  That had been a tradition for 16 years.  It isn't Christmas if you cannot give!

A week before Christmas our new little Bujumbura group had a wonderful Christmas Nativity program written and directed by Sister Jameson!  There were many loose ends as the time came for it to start.  We didn't know how many to expect but as you can see, we had a great group and we were prepared!

 The children played two games and there was much laughter and fun written on their faces!

 Elders Jameson and Frogley helped with some of the speaking parts, but Sister Jameson made sure every child had something to do in the program.  We had about 25 children.

 This is a 12 year old boy, Anicet and his little sister.  He speaks Kirundi but has only missed one Sunday's attendance in 17 weeks.  For this program, he memorized a small speaking part in French!!  It was wonderful and surprising!! His sister placed a wooden character in the nativity scene.

Afterwards, we served Banana Bread and apple juice with sweetened nuts!  We had enough for all of the children and their family members that came!  We even fed the young Elders who, by the way, sang beautiful christmas carols together for all to hear! They are tremendous singers!



Then it was Christmas Eve!  The two missionary couples planned and executed the evening....but then.....we were all there is!!  Our plan was to have a dinner menu of foods from the Holy Land and then have Elder Frogley give a powerpoint presentation on the Holy Land and symbolism of the birth of our Savior! It went without a hitch!

Haroset is a salad that is to remind those partaking of the food, of the blood and flesh that was shed when the pharoah had the people build the pyramids of Egypt. This was Elder Jameson's favorite of the night!

Tabouli salad is a very traditional salad from the Holy Land. This is made with quinoa, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, garlic, avocados, parsley and mint in a lime sauce. Very delicious!

This was an Israeli Soup which tasted alot like minestrone. M-m-m-m!

We had homemade flat bread and some rolls.  Topped off  with the traditional drink of grape juice!!

It was nice to have each other to share with.  The Jameson's shared that last year they were all alone on Christmas eve in Lubumbashi!

 We then enjoyed Sister Jameson's apple pie and almond macaroon cookies for dessert.

Thank goodness for technology!  Elder Frogley then shared some wonderful insights and sights of the Holy Land!  It was a very meaningful Christmas Eve! Then we just sat and visited for a while!  It was relaxing and wonderful!

It is marvelous each year to remember the condescention and birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ!

On Christmas Day, the two couples hosted a Christ celebration for the eight young Elders.  True to African tradition, time was irrelevant and they were over an hour late!  Could it be because two of them had been held by the police earlier in the morning?  Only the Jameson's could answer that for you!!  Thank goodness, it was all innocent and they did nothing wrong!
So we started with a gift TAKING game and had a good time laughing!

Then Elder Frogley taught the significance of Christ's birth and the typology of Joseph Smith to Jesus Christ. After that, they listened and saw our prophet via video, Thomas S. Monson, speak about, "What shall I give?"

We served a delcious meal.  The Elders were filled up (which is hard to do)! They were generous with their words of gratitude!




 

They left us smiling as they always do!!  We love them! (oops! Elder Mpoyi is missing! Sorry, Elder Mpoyi!)

The last few hours of Christmas Day were just the two of us!! But Christmas is NOT complete without FAMILY!!! Again, thank goodness for technology! That evening, we were able to speak with our Full-time missionary son who is serving in Seattle Washington.  Then we were able to talk with each of our other children and most of our other amazing family members. For us, it was like giving food to two starving people.  Talking to them was nourishing, satisfying and delicious, too! We are thankful for our first very unique African Christmas 2010!