Sumatra Christmas

Merry Christmas! We've been asked how we celebrate Christmas here in Indonesia, so here we go: first there is no snow! (Wow, shocker I know.) So even the kids noticed that its hard to feel like Christmas with without snow, even though we have had plenty of Christmases without snow in Colorado, though it was cooler than it is here (think 90's - I know it might be hard to imagine)! It is super green here, in fact I am getting my lawn cut at this moment and my flowers are blooming.

Now there are churches here that are celebrating. We went to a special Christmas service last week and even got to sing some songs in English. The main grocery store here is playing Christmas music and has fake Christmas trees (very small) and ornaments as well to buy. But outside of that nowhere else feels, nor looks, like Christmas to us.

We have made a few extra trips to the store to help us get in the spirit ... mainly to buy more butter to make more cookies! The expats here also had a little game afternoon and cookie exchange and our team has had a party with Indonesians we work with at the language school. We will spend Christmas Eve with the team as well.

We have done a lot art work to help decorate our walls. We have made a four-foot Christmas tree mural and a five-foot nativity scene mural along with various snowmen and gingerbread houses. We were able to special order some corn tortillas and cheese for a Christmas meal. This is an exciting gift to us and we will enjoy a fresh Mexican food platter with homemade salsa, guacamole, homemade chips, quesadillas, homemade refried beans, and fresh tropical fruit. Then we will gorge ourselves with a variety of cookies ... and/or share them with the neighbors. We were sent a few gifts so we will have some surprises. We will have balmy, beautiful weather and hope to get a chance to go to the beach as well.

Greetings from our family to yours. We're sitting in front of one of the kids' murals that they made.

We will miss all of you and all of the celebrating that makes it feel more like Christmas but really Christmas is not about all the decorating and cooking, it’s about Christ being born. I am so glad to have the privilege of being here in Indonesia and waking up Christmas morning so thankful that he came as a babe to save me and the world because we need him desperately. With much love from Indonesia - Merry Christmas.