Merry Christmas from Ocean View!
Christmas this year was definitely different than the last 23 I’ve celebrated! With the warm weather, lack of snow, and being away from family and friends from home, the days leading up to Christmas simply didn’t feel the same. I missed these things about Christmas at home, but I traded them in for experiences I’ll never forget!
A few days before Christmas, our team went to the Hillsong Christmas Spectacular. Hillsong, known for their awesome worship albums, has several churches around the world, including campuses in Cape Town. The church put on an incredible show that was definitely one of the highlights of my month!
The remaining days before Christmas were spent with the kids in the neighborhood. As we played soccer each day, we could see the anticipation of Christmas growing in them! Our team and the kids often broke out in “O Holy Night”, which seems to be the official Christmas carol of Ocean View.
When Christmas Day finally arrived, we loaded up the van and headed to church with several of the kids. The kids were excited to show off their new clothes and shoes given to them that morning.
Upon our return from church, we joined our contact and his family for a Christmas dinner. We shared stories and laughs as we enjoyed so much good food! The rest of the day was spent hanging out at the house, visiting with the kids as they stopped by and wished us a Merry Christmas!
Simply put, it was amazing to experience how South Africa celebrates Christmas and join the kids we have been hanging out with all month in one of their favorite days of the year!
We head out to Botswana on today! Prayers appreciated as we travel and prepare for everything next month has in store for us!
