Ethiopian Christmas

Christmas Eve

For Christmas Eve (January 6), we were invited to have dinner with the Bishop and other diocesan priests.  On our way, we stopped by each of the other Catholic orders to sing a Christmas carol for them and deliver a fruit cake.  This was the procedure each time we arrived somewhere new:

 

1) Drive to religious community

2) Deacon Temesgen and Abba Larcher get out of the front of the truck
3) Brother Desta, Paula, and I hop out of the back of the truck (including Paula’s guitar = added challenge)
4) Abba and Deacon knock/shout for the sisters or priests to come to the door
5) Wait for attendance at the door
6) Sing “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” 2-3 times, accompanied by Paula’s guitar skills
7) Present sisters or priests with an Italian fruitcake and Christmas card from us
8) Expediently greet and shake hands
9) Run back to the truck and climb in the back, as not to get left behind
* (If this were an Olympic sport, I’m pretty sure our team would have won gold!)

 

We caroled for the Franciscan priest/sisters/volunteers (each group individually), then drove to the Daughters of Charity and sang for them, then drove to the Missionaries of Charity and sang for the sisters there. We finally arrived at the Bishop’s for dinner, and we talked for some time while waiting for dinner to be ready.  Upon the arrival of each new guest, we immediately stood and re-performed our Christmas carol.  Sheeesh! That was a lot of "We Wish You a Merry Christmas"!  Eventually, we all sat down for dinner.  My favorite part was this most DELICIOUS potato soup.  We had all eaten, so the Bishop opened the wine.  I was talking to Paula, but out of the corner or my eye I watched him unwrap the top.  Then he popped the cork and it was REALLY loud and spewed everywhere! (aren't you supposed to do that sort of thing outside?) hahaha!  I’m pretty sure Paula and I both screamed because it was so unexpected!  And so, we concluded the meal with the Italian sparkling wine with panettone (basically Italian fruit cake).  We dipped the cake in the wine - that's apparently how you're supposed to eat it.

 

Christmas Day

The next day, Christmas Day (January 7), began at the prison where we celebrated Mass.  Due to the coffee ceremony following Mass, we ended up being there for a lot longer than we had anticipated.  There was a choir that came from the cathedral to sing, so that was nice.  They handed out coffee, sodas, and multiple rounds of snacks.  Paula and I successfully eluded drinking the salty coffee.  (I guess on special occasions or when people are hosting special guests, they put salt in the coffee.  I tried it exactly once and was not able to finish.  To me it tastes like salt water with coffee flavoring.)  Also, even with my lack of language skills, I successfully traded sodas with one of the choir members because each of us had wanted the other flavor!

 

In the afternoon, we hosted Oratory for the kids and we handed out biscuits.  We usually only hand out biscuits at Oratory on Sundays, but Christmas was an exception.

 

Day After Christmas

On the day after Christmas (January 8), we hosted a program for our school students.  Paula worked really hard to prepare students for performing many Christmas songs.  They did really well, and everyone was highly impressed!  I was so proud :) Also students performed a Nativity skit, which included live sheep.  At the end of the program, we distributed wooden toy cars that my great aunts and uncles had sent from an organization called Toys for God’s Kids(http://www.toysforgodskids.com/).

I wrapped the cars in the FedEx box they were shipped in, like a big present.

Two of the high school boys carried the box down the hill to the Christmas program, where we placed the box on the stage next to the Christmas tree.  Along the way, students (dressed in their Christmas best, and some “cultural clothes” for the occasion) approached me asking, “Miss Jenna, what is it?”  To which I responded, “Telik sitota – It’s a big gift” (Telik sitota means “big gift” in Amharic, the official language of Ethiopia).

 

Our students at the Christmas program.

Paula and one of the other teachers directing a performance.

The shepards, plus real sheep, in the Nativity skit.

The wise men, in the Nativity skit.

The wise men visiting Mary and Joseph, in the Nativity skit. *Notice "The big gift" in the lower right corner.

 

At the end of the Christmas program, after explaining that we had a gift that came all the way from America for each child, we invited one student from each grade (1st-6th) up to the stage to unwrap the gift.

Once unwrapped and opened, I tipped the box toward the audience so all the students could see.  After lots of “ooooohhhhs!”, “awwwwwws”, and very excited faces (complete with one 3rd grade student in the front row showing me his approval by a very expressive thumbs up)

Students came up to the stage, lined up by class.  One-by-one, Paula and I handed each student a car.  They responded, “Thank you! Thank you!” with big smiles.

 

They all sat back down, admiring their new treasure, trying out the wheels on the floor, or holding them up for a picture.

Thanks Toys for God's Kids, Uncle Norm, Aunt MaryLou, Uncle Paul, Aunt Loretta, and FedEx!