Mama Nancy (Bosco's wonderful wife) was back at the compound baking a table full of wonderful sugar-iced spice cakes for the party! We had a peek at the cakes when returning with our shoes. They were beautiful!!
Tuesday morning was filled with gift wrapping and last-minute prep for various activities for the ladies that afternoon. All wrapping and preparations were finished just before heading to eat lunch at Katherine's house. We then headed to the church for the party with our wrapped gifts, 72 large inflated balloons (for a game), story visuals, prizes, etc.
It started raining! Yuk!!! We usually walk the half mile to the church, and the ladies come from miles around, walking on the long red clay road to the church. We had prepared for many ladies, and we feared the rains would keep them away. Not in Kamonkoli! We arrived to find at least 100 ladies already there, sitting on the old primitive backless benches, waiting for us. And they just kept coming --rain or not! As we entered the sanctuary, their applause rang out! Wow! Cynthia, Alison and I were overwhelmed when we looked out over the gathering group. You see, most all the ladies were dressed in their long, satin-like "Gomez" dresses and head wrap. The Gomez is the traditional dress for women in Uganda. They usually have only one, and it's tucked away in a metal box in their mud hut along with their Luganda Bible (if they can read) --their most treasured earthly possessions! The drab, gray, cinder block sanctuary had come alive with so many colors of their traditional dresses that the room just sparkled! They were so beautiful to look out and see!
We set up our things with no lights. Judith (Pastor Charles' wonderful wife) began our party with prayer and praise, as another hundred or so ladies arrived. We were so excited to be in such a unique part of the world, and we were honored to be worshipping with such precious women. They love the Lord and worship Him with all their spirit in their songs and praises and dancing! The music is like no other we have ever heard. Simple--with only a goat skin drum for accompaniment. So powerful! We felt the presence of the Lord in this simple African church. We knew we were on Holy ground.
Cynthia, Alison, and Mama Nancy shared an English Christmas carol with the ladies, "Angels We Have Heard on High." The sounds bounced off those concrete walls in an amazing way. Chills ran all over me as I listened. Wow! What a sound!
The story of "The Three Trees" started off our ladies' Bible Study, a simple story about three trees in the forest dreaming about what they plan to be when they grow up. The parable-like story reminded us that God's plan for our life may not be what our plan is, but God's plans are best if we follow them. Christine was our interpreter for the story . She did a great job explaining as the story was taught.
After our Bible study time, the tea party continued with some games, crafts and prizes. We had a Christmas tree craft for each lady to make with jewels and stickers. They were so proud of their simple craft to take home. Then we started our games. We had planned to have a balloon relay, but we weren't real sure how this was going to go over. We demonstrated, showing them how to sit on the balloon to pop it. The ladies were so excited! After lining up benches in the center of the room, they were more than ready to try. To see those ladies squealing and laughing at themselves and their friends was a sight to behold! We were all laughing so hard that we were crying! Watching those beautiful gomez dresses bouncing on the benches, popping balloons was so much fun!!!! We made so much noise that the men had to come over from their Bible Study to see what in the world was going on! We even got Pastor Ron to sit and pop a balloon!
After our games, the men came to join the ladies for African chai (hot tea with milk) and cake. All gathered together again while tea and cakes were served. This is traditional and a very special event for these Kamonkoli ladies. After tea, a line was formed while they sang and came forward for their wrapped shoes and lotion. For most ladies, it was the first time they had ever received a gift wrapped in Christmas paper. They were so gracious and thankful for such a simple gift. After more fellowship and many hugs, we all cleaned up the sanctuary and headed back down the red clay road to our compound.
For me the best surprise came after the Christmas party as all the beautiful women in their brightly colored luminescent dresses with sleeves like butterfly wings started down the dusty road to their mud huts. I was overwhelmed by the colors moving down the road. It looked like a beautiful, brightly-decorated, moving Christmas tree. There they were...they have no trees to decorate nor decorations to store each year. They WERE the Christmas tree themselves! They praised and worshiped the new born Christ. I have seen many many beautifully decorated trees in my life, but I have never seen a more beautiful one as watching those beautiful African women walking down the road.
This Christmas party was like none I could ever have imagined in my life's journey. It will be one I will keep in my heart all the days of my life. Merry Christmas, dear Kamonkoli ladies. We love you!
Nikki Bodie
Praise and worship!
Angels singing!
Nikki tells the story of the Three Trees, Christine translating
Beautiful ladies working on their craft.
The mat is reserved for mothers with young children.
Mama Nancy's yummy gifts!
Mama Nancy cuts the cakes!
Peace ladles out a pot of African chai.
Alison, Nikki, Cynthia...what a team!
Handing out gifts
The ladies line up for their gifts...singing all the while!
A sincere thank you to Katherine Hines for all she's done!
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