I'm not dreaming of a white Christmas...

This past Saturday was the Good Shepherd Outreach Christmas party. There were about 200 people there. It was amazing. Families and children who are supported by Good Shepherd services attended. These families receive food, medical support, HIV support, and milk powder (for their babies) from Good Shepherd. The children, including the teenagers I teach, come to the Friendship Centre every other weekend for activities and English programs.

The children put on awesome performances that they had been practicing. I also got to be in the teenager’s performance because they needed another body. I had a lot of fun wearing my Santa hat and green skirt, dancing with candles and boughs and stars J We performed to “O Christmas Tree”, “Deck the Halls”, and a sweet song that goes “I’m not dreaming of a white Christmas, all I’m dreaming of is a peaceful world.” The younger kiddos performed to Jingle Bells, We Wish You A Merry Christmas, and Jingle Bell Rock. So cute!

The Friendship Centre was transformed into a Christmas wonderland by staff, workers, and us volunteers. It was beautiful!! At one point, Kia exclaimed, “Do they really have to do everything so perfect??!” Every detail was thoughtfully executed, from the balloon arrangements to the handmade bamboo nativity hut to Santa’s chair. We were busy preparing two weeks prior, especially the Outreach staff (Kate, Daen, Maew, Perm Sak, Sr. Pranee) and I thought numerous times that if we were back in the States, decorations would have been store-bought, ready-made. Much more time-saving, but also less special I think. Here, we cut out and attached every snowman’s nose, Kate carefully folded ribbons into masterful bows, Wanchai painstakingly built the bamboo hut.

After the children performed, the Outreach staff invited the people to bring up their gifts to the baby Jesus in the nativity set, with Chaon and Pik kneeling on either side as Joseph and Mary. Every year, they ask the people to bring small offerings of food, which Outreach will then bring to poor families in the villages. I was very moved by this part. People lined up so respectfully and deeply bowed to the nativity set before placing their donations. The Thai people have different forms of the “wai”, the bow. But this is the most respectful  one I’ve seen – on the knees, forehead to the knees. It also spoke to me of humility and acceptance – Christmas asks people to SURRENDER to the love of a powerless baby. Christmas asks us to put our faith and hope into this mystery of life. These Buddhist villagers showed me what it means to put the ego aside and bow down to the wonder and awe of life. They don’t worship Jesus as God, but their reverence and respect for the baby Jesus was so tangible.

Santa Clause also came to visit to pass out the gifts to everyone! An American man who has lived in Thailand now for many years, this was the second year he played Santa Clause for Good Shepherd Nongkhai. He has a natural white ponytail and full beard and full belly and full voice, so he really looked and sounded like Santa! I really enjoyed his jovial presence, which felt very American to me. I felt like I was back home hearing his “Ho ho ho’s”. He is also a very spiritual man who told Antonia that he prays for each person as he passes out the gifts. I actually started to cry when he made a short speech about the meaning of Christmas, about the peace and love of the season. I think mixed in there were the feelings of homesickness the whole party stirred up in me and the overwhelming bounty of love present.

After lunch, Nuphit’s daughter (around 12 years old) sang Silent Night in Thai for her mother in front of everyone. It was beautiful and also moved me to tears. It was doubly amazing because she was so confident in front of so many people – in my experience, Asian girls tend to be so shy. But she was so strong and confident up there. Nuphit, her mother, has largely, though not completely, lost the use of her legs. She needs a crutch to help her walk. But Antonia said that for a time, Nuphit would bike 6 km to work, to provide for her daughter. Now she has a motorcycle. Amazing. While her daughter sang, I cried out of gratitude for witnessing that kind of love. I cried because of the joy despite so much suffering in that group of people. I cried for my own family’s struggles and my own homesickness.

So many emotions, which is just about right for this Good Shepherd Volunteer in her home away from home! Thailand is a Buddhist country, so Christmas here is really not celebrated. Some things pop up on TV and in stores, but it’s more commercial than anything (though that’s not much different from the States I suppose!). But at the Good Shepherd Outreach party this weekend, I truly felt the magic of Christmas. Not in the same way as I did when I was 5-years-old and leaving notes for Santa so that he would know where to find us in the Philippines. But in the way that Christmas lights twinkle their way through the dark. In the way that the wise men followed the star, even though they didn’t know where it was leading them. In the way that pure joy and love transforms sickness and fear and sorrow.

And that was just the start of the parties! Three or four more to come!

Offering gifts of food. 

 The handmade bamboo hut!

 Christmas Tree decorating competition. My winning team's tree = far right. With Ying as the Star!

Antonia the red-nosed reindeer and Jiem and Wansai make merry.