Just a few moments ago, the Christ candle was lit at St. Andrew's in Edgartown. It shines in my still-singing heart here in Kenya: "Joy to the world... " And just a few days ago, this evergreen branch was decorated at the CCC Kids' Club.We shared a lovely Christmas Eve at the Hardisons' home on the compound at St. Philip's. Nan prepared a delicious ham dinner with all the trimmings, and Padre Zach performed a miracle (with garlic, of course) on the mashed potatoes. Everyone enjoyed Nan's rum cake with ice cream for dessert, while the family dogs, Simba, Chewi and Little Brown, gobbled up the leftovers. Hymns played quietly in the background, a wooden giraffe was decorated as a Charlie Brown tree, Liz orchestrated a hilarious gift exchange, Lori and Don bequeathed a furry Santa cap to our hosts, and Nadia and I loved every minute. Christmas in Kenya was a delight, in great part because I knew you were with us in spirit.
Everyone went to bed around 10 PM and "slept fast" since I needed to be taken to the Kisumu Airport at 6:30 this morning. The flight to Nairobi was stunning, and my plane to Boston via Amsterdam will leave tonight at 11:10 PM. Meanwhile, I am enjoying the company and diversity of my fellow travelers: planeloads of passengers returning from the Hajj; Susan, an American embassy nurse in Yemen en route to visit family; and Krista, a Canadian epidemiologist returning to her home in California after a photographic safari with the World Wildlife Fund. Destinations scrolling overhead on the airport monitors include Zanzibar, Dar es Salaam, Kilimanjaro, Bombay, Dubai, Mombasa, Cairo, Entebbe, Addis Ababa -- and, oh, yes, Paris, London and Rome. This sure isn't Kansas (or even Kenya) anymore!
But the Anglican Church of Kenya has a Christmas collect for all the world: "Eternal God, who made this most holy night to shine with the brightness of your one true light; bring us, who have known the revelation of that light on earth, to see the radiance of your heavenly glory through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord..."
1 comment:
Merry Christmas, Mom. I am so touched by your posts. What travels you have had! Thanks for the great communications. Lots of love to you and safe travels homeward.
I am using this format to communicate some personal details because email that I sent you recently has bounced back from the grannys address I have for you.
I have decided to travel with Scarlet to Florida for family meetings next week, so I need to cancel dinner with you on 1/4. I hope we can make a plan to have a meal together in the week of 1/13. Also, and I will update you about this: I think Maisie will be performing with her classmates in their 4th grade theater project at the Playhouse on the 19th.
Currently Maisie is on her way to AZ with her mom, and Scarlet and I are in NJ where we had a very nice Christmas with family. We three celebrated a sweet Christmas eve Christmas together on the morning of the 24th at home on MV.
I look forward to seeing you as soon as we can make it happen.
Love and Hugs,
Rex
Post a Comment