Busy, Busy, Busy
No matter where you are, Christmas is always a busy time of the year. Actually, I feel busier here than I do at home. Sarah and I have been having quite a time with making ornaments with the children, trying to do our Christmas shopping in town(which is quite taxing), making Christmas goodies, laughing a lot, etc. We have been trying to incorporate the American Christmas and the African Christmas together to make it special for the children.
Making Ornaments
When we found out that the children had a Christmas tree, but no ornaments, we decided that we would make orn
aments with the children, all 88 of them. So one room at a time came over to make ornaments and decorations with Aunty Kristen and Aunty Sarah. This was quite an under taking but learning from our experiences this summer with crafts, we tried to make it as organized and fun as possible. We definitely succeeded in the fun, organized, not so much! One of the rooms had some miscommunication, so we ended up having the Room 3 and Room 2 boys over at the same time, which is about 20+ children. This wouldn’t have been so bad except we were working with glitter, or shine shine as they call it! We had glitter everywhere!! Glued to the floor, in our hair, on the couches, stuck to our feet and legs, even in the butterscotch we made later! Oh my, what a mess! But it was worth it!
Making Christmas goodies!
Trying to make Christmas goodies proves to be a bit challenging when you don’t have a
n oven or a stove top! Some of the home children know how to make butterscotch, so we asked our little Patricia to teach us how to make it. You know the saying, “third time’s the charm!” The first time we made it we used unsweetened condensed milk(you need sweetened)! The second time we made it we learned how impatient Patricia is! (Her sisters were coming home from boarding school so she lost interest in teaching us before it was actually done). And the third time we invited Patricia, Fatu, Isatu, and Massah to help us. We figured with four girls we couldn’t go wrong! Well, we made it and it was so good that more of it ended up in the girl’s mouths than it did in the container! Little Fatu kept rolling the butterscotch and putting it straight in her mouth. When we would tease her about it, she just laughed and kept eating it!
Laughing A Lot!
If Mama Angie ever decided to take a break from COTN, I know who would be the next Country Director, Patricia! Patricia is about 11 years old going on 35! She is the most assertive, forward female I’ve met in Sierra Leone! Which is actually quite rare since this is a very male dominating society! Okay, on with the story… While we were making butterscotch, she kept making comments like, “this is so much butterscotch,” “this is making a lot of butterscotch.” Finally she said, “We should take some to Mama Angie.” And you just don’t question Patricia. When we were done with eating, I mean making, the butterscotch, we went upstairs to deliver some to our Mama Angie! And it was there we learned that Patricia is also a little comedian! She impersonated all the Senior Staff members, including Mama Angie! I haven’t laugh that hard since I have been here! I wish that I could explain to you how funny it was, but I just wouldn’t do it justice! I think you will just have to meet Patricia in person someday! Patricia is actually the one who played an instrumental part in my coming to Sierra Leone. In the fall of 2005, she had to opportunity to visit the States and actually came to my church. It was that Sunday in late October that I decided to come to Sierra Leone! Patricia is very dear to my heart and often reminds me that it was her that visited my church and that is the reason I am here!
Christmas Shopping in a Third World Country!
Yesterday, Sarah and I attempted to do our Christmas shopping. We made a list, wrote down in what order we would do things, and were quite organized if you ask me! By the time we got home, we were exhausted and felt like we had accomplished nothing! Town was so busy, there were people everywhere, and the stores that we thought had what we wanted didn’t have it anymore! That’s the way it goes, I guess! We actually were fairly productive, but we had anticipated that we would get everything done. Oh, when will we learn this lesson, that nothing ever goes as planned!
Playing Mother!
Sarah and I are becoming mothers for Christmas! Don’t worry mom, it’s just from December 23- Jan. 2! We have invited our two boys from up-country to spend the holidays with us, Brima and David! Yesterday we bought them their Christmas outfits and the sunglasses and watch (which is what makes Christmas special for the children- a new outfit and these little sunglasses and toy watch). They are going to look quite stunning. Can you tell we are a little excited!
Prayer Requests!
That the people of Sierra Leone would remember the true spirit of Christmas. Christmas is used as an excuse to party and so many people spend their day in the clubs or at the beach. I pray that the true spirit of Christmas would reign in the peoples hearts this year.
Pray for the country of Sierra Leone and its leaders. Recently Sierra Leone has been blessed by the World Bank and has had their debt cancelled. We pray that the leaders would take this opportunity to begin re-building and developing the country.
Pray for our children. That this Christmas Day would be special and that they would feel the love that God brought down that Christmas Day so long ago.
My prayer for you is that you would take this special time of year and spend it with the people you love and cherish. Remembering that it was a time when the Lord came to earth, to become like us, to save us. I pray that you would be peace in your hearts and love in your hands. I thank God for you everyday, and praise Him for this opportunity I have and he used you all to make this possible for me. Thank you and may God Bless you and your family.
Making Ornaments
When we found out that the children had a Christmas tree, but no ornaments, we decided that we would make orn
aments with the children, all 88 of them. So one room at a time came over to make ornaments and decorations with Aunty Kristen and Aunty Sarah. This was quite an under taking but learning from our experiences this summer with crafts, we tried to make it as organized and fun as possible. We definitely succeeded in the fun, organized, not so much! One of the rooms had some miscommunication, so we ended up having the Room 3 and Room 2 boys over at the same time, which is about 20+ children. This wouldn’t have been so bad except we were working with glitter, or shine shine as they call it! We had glitter everywhere!! Glued to the floor, in our hair, on the couches, stuck to our feet and legs, even in the butterscotch we made later! Oh my, what a mess! But it was worth it! Making Christmas goodies!
Trying to make Christmas goodies proves to be a bit challenging when you don’t have a
n oven or a stove top! Some of the home children know how to make butterscotch, so we asked our little Patricia to teach us how to make it. You know the saying, “third time’s the charm!” The first time we made it we used unsweetened condensed milk(you need sweetened)! The second time we made it we learned how impatient Patricia is! (Her sisters were coming home from boarding school so she lost interest in teaching us before it was actually done). And the third time we invited Patricia, Fatu, Isatu, and Massah to help us. We figured with four girls we couldn’t go wrong! Well, we made it and it was so good that more of it ended up in the girl’s mouths than it did in the container! Little Fatu kept rolling the butterscotch and putting it straight in her mouth. When we would tease her about it, she just laughed and kept eating it! Laughing A Lot!
If Mama Angie ever decided to take a break from COTN, I know who would be the next Country Director, Patricia! Patricia is about 11 years old going on 35! She is the most assertive, forward female I’ve met in Sierra Leone! Which is actually quite rare since this is a very male dominating society! Okay, on with the story… While we were making butterscotch, she kept making comments like, “this is so much butterscotch,” “this is making a lot of butterscotch.” Finally she said, “We should take some to Mama Angie.” And you just don’t question Patricia. When we were done with eating, I mean making, the butterscotch, we went upstairs to deliver some to our Mama Angie! And it was there we learned that Patricia is also a little comedian! She impersonated all the Senior Staff members, including Mama Angie! I haven’t laugh that hard since I have been here! I wish that I could explain to you how funny it was, but I just wouldn’t do it justice! I think you will just have to meet Patricia in person someday! Patricia is actually the one who played an instrumental part in my coming to Sierra Leone. In the fall of 2005, she had to opportunity to visit the States and actually came to my church. It was that Sunday in late October that I decided to come to Sierra Leone! Patricia is very dear to my heart and often reminds me that it was her that visited my church and that is the reason I am here!
Christmas Shopping in a Third World Country!
Yesterday, Sarah and I attempted to do our Christmas shopping. We made a list, wrote down in what order we would do things, and were quite organized if you ask me! By the time we got home, we were exhausted and felt like we had accomplished nothing! Town was so busy, there were people everywhere, and the stores that we thought had what we wanted didn’t have it anymore! That’s the way it goes, I guess! We actually were fairly productive, but we had anticipated that we would get everything done. Oh, when will we learn this lesson, that nothing ever goes as planned!
Playing Mother!
Sarah and I are becoming mothers for Christmas! Don’t worry mom, it’s just from December 23- Jan. 2! We have invited our two boys from up-country to spend the holidays with us, Brima and David! Yesterday we bought them their Christmas outfits and the sunglasses and watch (which is what makes Christmas special for the children- a new outfit and these little sunglasses and toy watch). They are going to look quite stunning. Can you tell we are a little excited!
Prayer Requests!
That the people of Sierra Leone would remember the true spirit of Christmas. Christmas is used as an excuse to party and so many people spend their day in the clubs or at the beach. I pray that the true spirit of Christmas would reign in the peoples hearts this year.
Pray for the country of Sierra Leone and its leaders. Recently Sierra Leone has been blessed by the World Bank and has had their debt cancelled. We pray that the leaders would take this opportunity to begin re-building and developing the country.
Pray for our children. That this Christmas Day would be special and that they would feel the love that God brought down that Christmas Day so long ago.
My prayer for you is that you would take this special time of year and spend it with the people you love and cherish. Remembering that it was a time when the Lord came to earth, to become like us, to save us. I pray that you would be peace in your hearts and love in your hands. I thank God for you everyday, and praise Him for this opportunity I have and he used you all to make this possible for me. Thank you and may God Bless you and your family.
posted by Kristen | 10:03 AM
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