Since I’ve been away from home for Christmas before I didn’t think it would be that hard.. days away from Christmas though I got sick (don’t worry mom, I’m fine now) and was stuck in bed for about three days. All I wanted in that moment was to be home with my family doing all the classic Christmas traditions. I couldn’t have been further from those moments though. Taking out all of the traditions that I’ve grown so accustomed to opened my eyes. Christmas really isn’t about the trees, cookies and hot chocolate at all.
While I miss my family and I think it’ll always be hard being away during the holidays I can honestly say that this Christmas I received the best gift there ever was. I received the joy of celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ.
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Read on to find a timeline my team and I wrote out about what our Malawian Christmas looked like.
7:37AM: Makin’ banana pancakes
*Cue Jack Johnson* It was somewhat like a zoo. Malawian children gathering at the mission’s house window oohing and ahhing at Team United eating banana pancakes while singing and dancing to Chris Brown’s ‘This Christmas’.
8:30AM: Put on Christmas zitenges
To clarify, zitenges is the Chichewa word for skirt. For Christmas, team United participated in a secret Santa zitenge exchange. As the team got ready for the day they blasted worship music as they were so excited about the true meaning of the day.
10:32AM: Goat slaughter
We’ll save you the (very) bloody details. Let’s just say it was alive and then it wasn’t. Side note: while cleaning the goat’s intestines, Kelsey blew air through the goat’s lungs.
12:30AM: Prepare the pavilion
Included Africa’s version of a Christmas tree, paper chain strewn between brick pillars, and the creation of the scene of the birth of Jesus. Shout out to the ladder made out of sticks that made it all possible.
1:26PM: Let the festivities begin
For the first time ever, a World Race team brought a party to Rise Malawi as a Christmas gift. Guests included 150 children, high schoolers, and adults. It was an hour and a half of children participating in Christmas story reciting, Christmas skits, songs, and dances. We went out with a bang with performing the Little Drummer Boy led on guitar by Kelsey and drums played on water jugs per Ashlyn and 12 kids.
3:00PM: The Malawian Feast
Well Jesus fed the 150 that’s for sure. Meal included: Extremely fresh, seasoned goat meat, rice, beans, and veggies. While partaking in the delicious meal, we were serenaded by Chels and her uke for entertainment.
4:17PM: Awkward family Christmas photo
Picture featured camp leaders, Rise Malawi staff, World Race team, and people we don’t know.
5:04PM: Back Porch Kickback
What better way to end the celebration than with soda pop (“coke” if you’re Kristi) and goat intestines with all your closest Malawian friends, am I right?
7:41PM: InTENTS living room camp out
To the end the day, we rearranged our living room furniture to fit our tents for a sleepover and a movie full of the Whos. The Grinch may have stolen Christmas but we certainly found it here in Madisi, Malawi.
