Life In The Village: Kruse Christmas

A 14^th Christmas in Ethiopia causes reflection. Missing my first Christmas with family was hard but the thrill of the adventure helped with the homesickness. The cumulative years of absence from family gatherings and Christmas programs brings different emotions. Sadness at missing making memories with family. Relief at missing the secular focus on the “holiday”. Fear that we might never appreciate Christmas in our home country again due to all the distractions. Hope that no matter where we are: our family can shout out Emmanuel! God with us! For it doesn't really matter where we are, it matters where our hearts are.

The season of Christmas causes me to reflect on my own childhood memories. Memories of skating, sledding, building forts and snowmen, twinkling lights, glistening snow, evergreen trees with piles of gifts waiting to be unwrapped, turkey, cookies of all kids, chocolates and nuts, cousins to play with, stockings, mandarin oranges. My memories are strong and I was sure at the time that THIS was Christmas. I did not realize as a child that across the world Christmas was celebrated with great diversity.

Now I know for our children will have different memories. Their memories will be climbing trees, running barefoot in the dirt, one string of lights in a village of darkness, twinkling stars, a 3 foot tree with homemade decorations, paper snowflakes blown by the hot wind, making gifts for each other out of wood and cloth and a needle or nail, cookies of all kinds, stockings hidden outdoors found by a poem, and carolling by the lights of a glowing candles in tissue papered mason jars.

Yet as we celebrated the Advent season without distraction, the meaning becomes so clear. Christmas is about celebrating Jesus. It is about celebrating what God has done....for us. It is about sharing love with those around us, teaching the meaning of Christmas to those who have never celebrated before.

Christmas Eve we hosted two families for the day and enjoyed watching the kids present their drama and songs, eating a Mexican meal and baked goodies. The Lord graciously allowed us not to be interrupted from this special time. Christmas day was quite another story yet God filled us with gracious hearts. As we began our family tradition of searching for stockings, Rolf was called away and made a medical trip to Dibate. We paused and prepared lunch and then on his return, held a small carnival of face painting, juggling and some games with another missionary family. After lunch, our Christmas continued and people stopped by and were served treats and coffee but we found time to play. We didn't wish them away because we want them to know that Christmas is meant to be celebrated.

Christmas was spent with friends that become family and in serving, helping and loving. Taking time with each other, time to reflect. And as we look back we know. Christmas was well spent.