Hello Family and whoever else is reading this! As you may know I am not in the States for this holiday season. I am spending this Christmas in Nicaragua on an island…sounds really nice ay? Well honestly, yes it is. However, it is really tough being here for the holiday. For instance:
Instead of gingerbread cookies we are eating our daily supply of beans
Instead of Christmas lights we have multiple light outages a day
Instead of freezing I get a flip flop tan 🙂
Instead of mommom’s yummy dinner we are going to eat a goat
Instead of shopping for presents we are going to give something we don’t want to carry in our pack to another teammate…I am giving a mouthwash I got for free in Honduras
Instead of watching movies under a cozy blanket I have to climb into the top bunk where I always find ants…many ants
Instead of going to the store to buy meat the boys go to kill some chicken for the girls to pluck and clean
Instead of hearing sleigh bells I hear the sound of geckos calling other geckos in the night
Instead of asking Santa for a guitar this year as planned I am asking for wart remover and cookies
Instead of wind burn from the cold I get sun burn from the sun
Instead of spending time with my family I am spending it with people I have only known for 3 months
Instead of the normal holiday traditions I am making once in a lifetime memories
Instead of wanting material goods I am wanting people…like momma, poppa, shanny, and mommom
Instead of wearing my Christmas pajamas I am going to wear the same pajamas I have been wearing for the past three months
Instead of planning a fun outfit with Shanna this year I am going to hope that the shirt I am wearing now (and wore Sunday) doesn’t smell terrible on Christmas so I can re-wear it
Truthfully I am really missing you all! This Christmas is going to be really tough for me, and I didn’t realize how big this sacrifice I made was until now. It is only one Christmas, but let me tell you that it is difficult breaking a tradition that has been in my life for 21 years (this would have been my 22nd year). I know that I am going to learn more about what Christmas is and what it really means to me by being away for a year. I do not miss the consumerism in America at all. Gifts are not what Christmas is about. The only gift that matters is the one God the Father gave to us, and that is his only Son, Jesus.
If you are confused at why he is such a good gift then I recommend that you read one of the gospels this holiday (Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John…John is my fav). God sent his ONLY son to DIE for you and to set you free from your guilt and shame. He took on every unrighteous thing you ever did and will do so that you can enter the kingdom of heaven! Have you ever received this gift? It even comes with a relationship with God, and all you have to do is believe in who Jesus is and what he did for you. The tough part is deciding whether you really want to live for him because that means letting go of the control you have of your life and letting God take the reigns…scary, but he takes you to super crazy places…like Nicaragua for Christmas!
So, my challenge to you who has never read a gospel is to find a Bible or go to Biblegateway.com and read one. I pray that who Jesus is and what he did in his life really blows your mind like it does mine!
Merry Christmas!!!!! Live in the real Spirit of Christmas this year!!!!!
I love you all and miss you all tons! Eat lots of food for me and I will save you some of my goat!
Kearston
P.S. the picture is my team, known in the squad as, Ignite. Christmas is being spent with these lovely people along with team Kaleo, the kids living at the orphanage and their tias and tios (that’s what they call their caretakers and volunteers/staff), and their church
Ok interesting story…it isn’t important if you are tired of reading, I know that the attention span in the states is two seconds long…Well in church on Sunday the announcement guy was talking about giving and prayed over the church. There was a translator there and first they took a money offering, and then the translator said something about another donation and then yelled out in confusion CORN STARCH?…to say the least we all started giggling while the rest of the church was silently thinking. We found out they were taking donations for Christmas dinner at the orphanage on the 24th (which the church is hosting). They didn’t ask for things like casseroles or brownies…they asked for 60 oranges, 15 pounds of sugar, chickens (best believe they are fresh), corn starch, and who knows what else. It was the most interesting sign up list…I mean there was no list, it was a raise your hand if you can bring this. Talk about sacrifice though. These people live off the land to feed their family and they are giving their own food to the church. How cool is that!
Hope you enjoyed the little cultural Christmas experience I had. If they can give out of what they have, what can you give this season (if something just popped in your head, best believe that is what you have to give). ….oh and next blog I promised myself will be more heart felt and about what we are doing here, I have just had my mind in really deep places this month that this has been my joy to blog these things
Kearston, Brian (holding me), Momma Erica and Poppa Brian, Vivian (with the socks), and Robin
