We had our Christmas celebrations on the 26/27. Christmas Eve we had our traditional taco meal; did some singing, while drinking hot chocolate and eating Christmas cookies; and watched The Muppets Christmas Carol.

Christmas morning we had a breakfast of omelettes and sausage, with mocha. Afterwards we sang a little bit and the kids exchanged Christmas gifts. The Crowleys joined us mid-morning for cinnamon rolls and the kids’ performance of the Christmas story. To begin the performance, Josh recited the genealogy from Matthew. We then had lunch (buffalo roast, potatoes, salad, and rolls), dessert, and an afternoon of singing Christmas carols with the Crowleys.

In the afternoon, the older kids and Josh played Catan – a gift we’d given them for Christmas; and I played games with the little boys. We then had dinner and ended the evening with singing and gift-giving to the kids from us. It was a very Merry Christmas!

We ended up delaying our family Christmas celebrations, since there was a wedding right across the street on Christmas Day. The bride was Davi’s cousin, and we’ve known the family since moving to Oyadao. You really can’t understand what having a wedding nearby is like, unless you live here. Weddings are done outside with a loudspeaker. All the ceremony stuff is blasted toward us, so loud that we can’t listen to Christmas music in our own house. The evening meal is a huge party that goes past midnight, with loud dance music and dancers on stage. This was all right across the street from our house, and it was LOUD!

Clara was asked to be a part of the morning wedding tradition of walking from the groom’s house to the bride’s house. (It’s just acted out, since the groom lived 45 minutes away!) Clara had to be ready before 5am to have her make-up done. (Somehow they roped me into having my make-up down too!) After the “walk” – they serve a breakfast of Khmer rice porridge.

I took the girls to the evening party, and we stayed for a little over an hour, leaving before the guest started dancing. Each table needs to be filled with 10 people before food is serve to the individual table. People are constantly coming in for about 2 hours. Thankfully we were seated away from the speakers and the other guests were older people. The music was so loud you really couldn’t talk with anyone. But it was a fun time to get dressed up! The ladies get really dressed up for these meals.

Our church had their Christmas celebrations Saturday evening, Dec 23 – a meal and service; and then Sunday morning, Dec 24, a service and meal. We helped the kids/youth do a Christmas pageant again this year. Becca was assigned the role of Gabriel. The elementary children sang the 10 Commandments to a tune I wrote and the other kids groups sang different songs we’ve put together using verses from the new Bible translation. In the morning, the adults sang a new Christmas song we wrote and then Jesus Kind and Strong (City Alight), which Josh translated for them a few years ago. Josh preached at the morning service.

Christmas is a really fun time for everyone with lots of extra pictures and singing. All our kids enjoyed both times at church. It’s one of the highlights of our church year.

Maria turned 5 months on the 22nd! She is a darling little girl who loves to laugh and interact with people. She is starting to inch forward a little bit more. We love our little Christmas girl!

One of the things we enjoy during Advent is our nightly singing time. This year the four oldest kids accompanied us on the piano. On a typical night we sing 8 songs, but on one night we have a concert included every song that can be played. When we have doubles, the kids decide who gets to play that song for the evening.

Our Christmas Countdown Calendar started 10 days before Christmas. It included crafts, cookie baking and decorating, reading, and other special activities for the season. One yearly tradition is Josh reading The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. Another is the kids making giant gingerbread cookies! We made our wrapping paper this.year, with painting feet and dancing around on the paper – but I didn’t take any pictures.

We introduced some of our Jarai friends to Christmas cookie making. I made cookies with the two ladies I’ve been working with all year on learning to read their own language. And Becca made cookies with our Jarai friend who comes to teach Becca and me Jarai.

The first two weeks of December we were blessed to have several special visitors who came up for the Tampuan Bible dedication. It was a delight to spend two afternoons with the Carson ladies, who came back from Australia to participate in the dedication. We’ve missed this family over the past year, so it was great to catch up with them.

Other friends included the Lambrechts, Crystal, and Mee-Sun. So good to visit with people who are involved in Bible translations in Cambodia and have a heart for giving people God’s Word.

On December 3rd Clara, along with 11 other Jarai church people, was baptized. Thanks be to God. Clara responded to these questions as part of her baptism.

Do you wish to change your heart, abandon your sin, and believe the Lord Jesus, in order to have salvation?

* Yes, I do.

Do you wish to abandon Satan and all evil spirits, as well as all the things they tell us to do?

* Yes, I do.

Do you wish to abandon the pleasures of this world?

* Yes, I do.

Do you wish to abandon all the covetous desires of your flesh?

* Yes, I do.

Do you believe in God the Father?

* Yes, I believe in God the Father.

Do you believe in his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who saves mankind from sin?

* Yes, I believe in his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Do you believe in the Holy Spirit?

* Yes, believe in the Holy Spirit.

December 1st we had our annual family Christmas decorating party and started our nightly advent singing. Everyone had fun putting their individual ornaments on the tree. Our tree is mostly filled with homemade ornaments. It’s a tree full of memories. After we decorated, we started our Advent singing – each night each family member gets to pick a song to sing – that’s often 8 songs (though our younger ones sometimes fall asleep before it’s their turn).