Christmas Village Style

This year there was no “Jingle Bells” as I walked through the grocery store on December 1st. There was no cutting down a Christmas tree and decorating it with my family. There was no baking Christmas cookies with Gramma. There was no last minute Christmas shopping for Mom in the mall with Alisha and Dad. No midnight church service with the fam. There was no snow. No cold. No santa. No reindeer on the roof. There was no family get together with all of the extended family. This year there was just Jesus.

For the first time in my 24 years of life I spent Christmas in a different way than I have been for as long as I can remember. Now, at first this thought made me anxious, it made me miss home, it made me want to eat like 100 Christmas cookies, and home cooked delicious food that I knew I wouldn’t be eating this year. But then, this thought made me excited. It made me happy that I was going to be able to see Christmas with different eyes; through eyes of someone who lives in rural Malawi. Who celebrates Christmas not with Christmas decorations, presents, food, and materialism, but just as the day we celebrate the birth of Jesus.

I spent this day in and with my village of Chipoka. With my landlord and her family. With my cookstove, making food. With the iwes who live next door. With Tom. With my friend David. With my family on Whatsapp calling. And with my Bible. I spent this Christmas in a different, but most beautiful way. And who couldn’t be more filled with the love that comes with a new adventure.

I woke up in my bed, like any other day in the village, with the sounds of Tom whining at my door to come inside, the children laughing and crying next door, and the sound of my landlord’s radio in the distance. I didn’t smell Christmas breakfast being cooked, but the smell of beans being cooked by my landlord’s daughter that will be eaten later in the day. I didn’t walk downstairs to find gifts wrapped in beautiful paper underneath a decorated Christmas tree, but instead walked to my post office hoping to find a letter from someone I love. I walked through the market and greeted my friends, wishing them a Merry Christmas and asking them how they celebrate this day. I bought spaghetti, tomatoes, and onions at the small grocery and the place where vegetables are sold. And then I walked back to my home where I spent my morning with Tom snuggled next to me while I read in peace.

Around late morning I started cooking. I had made plans to cook spaghetti for my neighbor friends, and invite them over to enjoy lunch in my home. Explaining to them that in the United States I spend Christmas day with my family, and since you are now my family I’d like to spend this day enjoying yummy food with you. Most of the children have never had spaghetti before, but I’d shared in the past with my landlord’s son William and I’d heard him ask when Kaaaty was making spaghetti to share again. Christmas seemed like a nice day to do so, and it turned out to be a hit.

By 2:00pm there was about 20 children spread out across my floor waiting for lunch to be served. I didn’t have enough plates, so many kids shared, and Kathryn also brought some more dishes for us to use. I also apparently did not apply enough salt, because once everyone started eating there were small murmers of, “mudipatse mchere” directed towards Kathryn, which pretty much means give me or share me salt. Kathryn was out and back in in a flash sprinkling table salt on everyone’s spaghetti. The children seemed to enjoy though, and that was the most important thing for me. In this moment of having so many people in my home I felt the most loved and just thankful that I was in Malawi for Christmas this year.

After some time and kids had finished eating and chatting some began to leave one by one, while others stayed to color in the coloring books sent to me by my Grandma. But eventually, their bellies were full and their minds on to other things and I was left alone once again in my home. My friend David came over for a piece of cake that I baked over my cookstove, and to wish me a Merry Christmas. While he was here my parents called on Whatsapp and we were all able to talk and share the differences of Christmas at home in the States and Christmas here in Malawi. It was so nice to be able to talk to them from 9000 miles away, on a day I am used to being surrounded by their love. I think David really loved being able to chat with them as well as he had many questions, mostly, “When are you coming to Malawi Mama Saley?” I loved every second of watching his facial expressions as we talked to my family at home.

Later that night David also went home to eat a Christmas dinner with his mom and brother, and it was just me and Tom in the house I’ve made a home. We didn’t go to bed with bellies full of Christmas cookies, or lots of Christmas food, but instead full of love from my Malawian friends and family. This Christmas was as reminder of why we celebrate Christmas. It’s not for the presents, or food, or decorations, but it’s for spending time with our loved ones, and to remember our Jesus and the day He was born.

#peacecorps