Traditions
This has certainly been the most busy month I've spent here, much like December's are back home.
I've been trying to get more arts and crafts in with the children every week, especially Christmas-themed ones, accompanying the kids to little parties, decorating the Casa, and doing lots of baking in the evenings.
The kids have had lots of attention and special activities throughout the month. A tradition here is to have Chocolatada's around Christmas, which are like little fiestas especially for the children and sponsored by schools, churches, businesses or other groups. They most often consist of home-made hot chocolate, panetón and simple gifts for the kids. We had one at the Casa put on by some of the administrators of the orphanage. We were also invited to another hosted by a montessori school in the community. That was a fun little adventure, as we walked the kids through a beautiful field in bloom, past a couple of grazing llamas (I think I was the only one excited by that), and up a steep hill to the school. There are different versions of the home-made hot chocolate in different regions, but the Cusco version includes melted blocks of real dark chocolate, cloves, cinnamon and condensed milk.
The Panetón is a boxed soft bread that is found on the shelves throughout the year but especially popular at this time of year. Much like Christmas cake, it has the candied red and green pieces and dried fruit.
I was invited to attend a graduation dinner only a few days before the 25th, and got to find out where all the good shops are in Cusco for buying dresses or shoes, shopping with the graduate and her friend. After 3 nights of looking for size 10 or 11 women's dress shoes I know that Cusco does not carry this size! We did, however, find a shop that made special-sized shoes for men and women including sizes 13, 14 and 15 women's shoe-sizes! (But, no size 10 or 11's!)
Because the kids here start school so young, most of the graduates are 15 or 16 years old and many have great college or university aspirations for the following year.
I had offered to work Christmas eve night at the Casa, but ended up with the night of the 23rd, working from 4pm to 9am the next morning. It was all of about 3 hours of sleep waking up to babies needing attention every hour and a half. Big salute to all mom's out there, and especially the Mama's of the House where there are currently 4 babies under 6 months old!
Christmas eve was spent with my Peruvian family where I learned that their traditional Christmas dinner is typically served after midnight. Much like New Year's Eve they do a countdown to 12 AM, full with fireworks, everyone hugs and says a blessing over that person, and a chocolatada is served before their customary meal. Although some people do follow our turkey tradition, others eat pork, and others (as we did) have chicken caldo soup with hearty potato, moray and yucca. I brought a tradition from home contributing a variety of cookies including iced sugar cookies, chocolate blossoms and coconut squares.
Gifts were not the focus, and most people here can't afford trees or decorations, but the town did light up the main streets and plazas with lights and lighted ornaments. I loved the Nativity Scene in Qorikancha with the llama replacing the donkey!
One of the more sad sites of Cusco's main streets and plazas during Christmas-time is the resemblance of homeless people: lines of village people, children included, huddled under blankets trying to stay warm for the night. Because it's prime-buying season, many of the poorer villagers travel into town for the days before Christmas hoping to sell their crafted goods or produce items for a little extra money and in the hopes that they might participate in a sponsored chocolatada where they can get a warm drink, fill their bellies with bread and recieve a small gift for their child. It rained through part of Christmas eve night and all Christmas day. Without in-house heating, 6 degrees overnight is COLD! I can't imagine how uncomfortable and difficult it was for some of those families to stay warm and dry those nights on the streets, hoping only for something that might temporarily fulfill.
I have to wonder that if the better part of the world spent less on all the materialistic goods and decorations and lights that are kept in boxes and closets the other 11 months of the year, how much could it benefit the third world in areas of true need?
Love Came Down
God gave us the freedom to choose the way we want to live our lives. He doesn't force Himself on us, yet, He is always waiting with open arms for us to turn to Him and admit our need. (After years of living life 'my way', I can say I know that God's way is always better). Though He may seem like a distant God, He loves His creation and created so much. He knew that all the rules of the Old Testament were not enough to keep stubborn man on track, and so He sent a most precious gift, out of the greatest love.
All Christmas things, traditions and even the birthdate and origins aside, it's a pretty miraculous gift that Jesus came to the earth. God in human form... so that we could know that He understands us through and through and has experienced every pain, discomfort, temptation, and sin that we are faced with. Yet, Jesus is the only one who has lived a sinless life on this earth. The perfect, free gift, for a perfect and better path, that is offered for eternity!
Luk 2:10-11 And the angel said to them, Do not fear. For behold, I give to you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For to you is born today, in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
1 John 4:10 This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.
