Feliz Merry Christmas

Christmas Season 2013 started off with Brian and I cooking dinner for  our compadres, our godson Sander and his brother Jack. More than the stuffing dinner and pistachio pudding for dessert, they loved the balloons with a string attached!

Then Liz, Paul, and Josia invited us over, along with Padre Jack and Erik, the visiting student from Canada. Liz was raised in Africa by missionary parents and made a traditional holiday meal of curry lentils and rice, and 10 different toppings including nuts, raisins, coconut, papaya, and banana. It was delicious! Then we watched Andre Rieu Christmas Carols with a japanese children's choir! The music and company were beautiful!

Los Posadas... for 9 days before Christmas, signifying Mary's 9 months of pregnancy,  carols are sung by a group at houses around town. They carry a statue of Mary and Joseph as a re-enactment of their search for lodging. Centro de Salud Santa Clotilde is the final stop on Christmas Eve for over 500 kids, where we the "innkeepers" finally let them in... 

Once everyone enters, Padre Roberto has a Children's mass in the lobby of the hospital. He emphasized the details of Christmas... Where is Mary from? Where was Joseph from? Where was Jesus Born? Etc. The kids cooperate and know the answers... 

Answers: Mary of Nazareth, Joseph from Belen, and Jesus was born in Joseph's home town of Belen. And the children are welcome to partake in hot cocoa, panetone, and candy from Santa Clause.