Christmas in Thailand - Arthur
Klee ooh plet, lur alreeg ( Its as close as I could manage) But Merry Christmas in Karen! Christmas really came out of no where and plopped its Eve on our front door! Thursday night, when we started to prepare English Christmas songs for Caroling, distractions happened and no singing in the village happened. Friday night, A night that singing always happens, Bilay was sick, and when the chaplin is sick no one leads the kids to the candle lit homes, so Friday night everyone went to vespers.
Then Saturday night came and what do you know it was Christmas eve! We had so many things happening that the annual Bamboo School Christmas caroling was limited to one night. But we made the most of it, and God blessed us. The stars where out, hanging like glittering jewels in the grey night sky. Heidi, Myself, and about thirty students traveled up to "no-man's land" to sing our hearts out. Several families live up in a small valley. Their houses are tucked under the bamboo and don't hide from the road like the some residents that hide from the army/police/border patrol. As the car left the first load of students and myself to get another load, we tromped down the steap dirt road to find the first house. AFter a brief delay, we decided that singing could start without the second car and the valley echoed with praise. HAlf the songs I couldn't understand, but it was ok. My violin didn't need words. I pulled it out and strummed right along. Renee' also brought her flute, which added so much to the Christmas spirit. By the time the second car showed up it was later than 9 30 but we still kept singing. We still managed to make it on the trails and sang to four or five houses.
Staring up at the stars that were lighting the night sky which was void of the moon, I thought this was the closet I've ever come to experiencing the "true" christmas. I looked around at the smiling faces, revealed by the warm flame of the oil lamps, The goats and, off in the distance, cows uttered their acknowlegments, and the stars hung over as if God had strung christmas lights in the sky. A gentle breeze whispered through the edgeing of the dry grass roofs, and snuggled the singers closer together. Love was present, along with the smell of animals, beetle nut, and jungle. The bamboo porches weren't the clean and loaded with presents, but a gift was being given. God was there, and it was....good, joyfully peaceful, unintentionaly intament, it was christmas eve. And just when I thought it couldn't get any better I heard a jet in the sky. As I looked up and observed the blinking green and red lights cruiseing across the sky I knew my family was also up in the air, somewhere over the pacific coming my way! It doesn't get much better than that.
Then Saturday night came and what do you know it was Christmas eve! We had so many things happening that the annual Bamboo School Christmas caroling was limited to one night. But we made the most of it, and God blessed us. The stars where out, hanging like glittering jewels in the grey night sky. Heidi, Myself, and about thirty students traveled up to "no-man's land" to sing our hearts out. Several families live up in a small valley. Their houses are tucked under the bamboo and don't hide from the road like the some residents that hide from the army/police/border patrol. As the car left the first load of students and myself to get another load, we tromped down the steap dirt road to find the first house. AFter a brief delay, we decided that singing could start without the second car and the valley echoed with praise. HAlf the songs I couldn't understand, but it was ok. My violin didn't need words. I pulled it out and strummed right along. Renee' also brought her flute, which added so much to the Christmas spirit. By the time the second car showed up it was later than 9 30 but we still kept singing. We still managed to make it on the trails and sang to four or five houses.
Staring up at the stars that were lighting the night sky which was void of the moon, I thought this was the closet I've ever come to experiencing the "true" christmas. I looked around at the smiling faces, revealed by the warm flame of the oil lamps, The goats and, off in the distance, cows uttered their acknowlegments, and the stars hung over as if God had strung christmas lights in the sky. A gentle breeze whispered through the edgeing of the dry grass roofs, and snuggled the singers closer together. Love was present, along with the smell of animals, beetle nut, and jungle. The bamboo porches weren't the clean and loaded with presents, but a gift was being given. God was there, and it was....good, joyfully peaceful, unintentionaly intament, it was christmas eve. And just when I thought it couldn't get any better I heard a jet in the sky. As I looked up and observed the blinking green and red lights cruiseing across the sky I knew my family was also up in the air, somewhere over the pacific coming my way! It doesn't get much better than that.
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home