Christmas in Bolivia

Every year, Christmas is different.  The first year, it was a normal day until the evening when I got on an overnight bus to La Paz to meet my family.  The second year, I got home around midnight from our Christmas Eve service at church to an empty house, spending Christmas morning alone watching the rain fall outside and my heart feeling the ache of being far away from family.  This year, I said goodbye to my brother just over a week before Christmas and prepared my heart for another hard year, even though I have a roommate now, I knew that after 8 months with family, Christmas might be even harder "alone".

Jhon & the advent calendar

I decided to try and prepare myself for Christmas like I normally would in the States.  Ingrid, my housemate, and I celebrated advent each Sunday in December leading up to Christmas, reading the prophesies of Isaiah, singing Christmas carols, and reflecting on the light of the candles and how it represents the light we have in Christ.  I had the neighbor kids over 2 weeks before Christmas and they helped me put together the advent calendar my Gramma sent me.  I explained what each part of the calendar meant, and then I read them a picture book of the Christmas story from Zechariah to the magi.

We read about John the Baptist and his role in preparing the way for Christ.  As we read about him, Jhon lit up, hearing about his name and who he was named after.  When we began to read about Mary and how she listened to the angel and responded with an obedient heart, little María lit up, making the connection between her name and the mother of God.

-->Jhonny with his new Christmas ball

opening Christmas gifts

The next week, the kiddos came over to open presents and learn how to make snowflakes out of folded paper.  From the moment they yelled "¡Kati!" from the street below to be let in until they were seated at my kitchen table to open their gifts, they didn't stop jumping up and down with excitement!  It was refreshing to be around their excitement for the simple things... and what a reminder of how excited we should be for the birth of Christ!  Their gifts were simple: a different Bible coloring book for each and a pack of 2 dozen markers to share, but their excitement and gratitude was overflowing.

The neighbor kids teach me so much about joy.  There is very little in their life that is joyful, but they seem to be abounding with joy.  They helped me to discover the mystery and excitement of Christmas again, and to appreciate everything I have, even the little cut-out snowflakes I have all around my house to remind me of the real thing.  

Jesus Christ is born in Bethlehem!  Amen!

celebrating Christmas morning

Transitions

Transitions are always hard for me.  I hate the pull of the comfortable to the uncomfortable, readjusting, being flexible with myself and others around me.

I always settle in quickly where I am, putting down roots and getting into the rhythm of a new routine, which makes it so much harder to pull up roots when it's time to leave.

I also love traditions, love the rhythm of repeating the same activities each year to celebrate new seasons.


Cochabamba doesn't really have much in the way of changing seasons, it has a whole different set of unfamiliar traditions, holidays and customs.  Leaving fall, gearing up for the holiday season, and coming back to the hot summer weather of Cochabamba was a challenge.

carving pumpkins

a favorite fall tradition

I'm learning how to make my own traditions, to let go of things that once thought were so important. Cochabamba is my home now, and part of making it my home means living in the tensions of missing my home culture, but being content in my new home culture.

Life in Bolivia is beautiful, but it brings with it so many stresses and challenges.  It doesn't feel like Christmas when it's 90 degrees and the palm trees are decorated with Christmas lights!

Since returning over a month ago, I've had lots of opportunities to be reminded of the beauty of where I live and the things Bolivia has to offer that Colorado doesn't.  Despite all the tensions, I wake up every day grateful to be in Bolivia and to be blessed to experience all the vibrancy life here brings:





dancing folkloric worship song

birthday party at The Center

carrying Eliana in a traditional aguayo

celebrating my friend Maria's graduation