Christmas in Jubilee

This year I got to start my Christmas season in Haiti. I had mixed feelings about it, thinking that I’d likely feel pretty homesick during my favorite time of year. I couldn’t have been more wrong. I felt the spirit of Christmas more strongly this year than maybe ever before. This year there was no room for commercialism in my Christmas; no expensive gifts, no endless commercials about material things “everyone needs,” no crowded malls or hurried shopping, just Jesus. And it was perfect.

Of course, I missed the snow and the lights and chopping down a Christmas tree, but I was able to find some of those beloved traditions here too. And when you’re walking down a street in Haiti and see a few strands of twinkly Christmas lights it feels that much more magical. This year, we decorated our small apartment with handmade ornaments, drank hot chocolate when the heat allowed it, read the Christmas story with our  community, and celebrated with our school kids. Jubilee School put on a Christmas play with all of our students, each grade singing Christmas songs, reciting poems they’d written, and reenacting the Christmas story. Then we spent the final day before break celebrating together, which included a parade around our ghetto Jubilee, sack races, musical chairs, bobbing for bread hanging from strings on the monkey bars(far cuter than it sounds), and a feast for all the kids. We followed it up by hosting our first soccer game after school. The whole community came out to cheer on our boys and went wild when the first goal was scored; it was the perfect Christmas celebration. 

This year I was reminded why I love Christmas so much. It isn’t all the traditions I thought I needed, it’s just being with people I love, celebrating the birth of Jesus by loving one another well, and being grateful for the blessings we’re given. Being reminded of that was the greatest gift this year.

*More pictures of Christmas are on my "Photos" page!