Carol's In Uganda: HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO THE STUDENTS OF SAINT MARY'S in New Jersey!!

I must send a HUGE HELLO and HUG to Master Matthew and Miss Anna Hayden of St. Mary's school! I understand your classes may be reading some of the stories of the children here in Kampala, Uganda.

I THANK YOU for your prayers! The children here feel your love and caring!

I thought I would share with you some of the traditions of your counterparts here to give you an idea how they celebrate Christmas.

This may only be from the ones who I have interviewed and may not be how ALL children celebrate BUT....We start preparing during the start of Advent (which was last Sunday). The weather is cooler (60-75F) during this month and rainy..no snow...so as a result, there are no "sleigh bells" types of songs. Most of the children have never seen a horse, snow or know what a sleigh or a snowman is.

We have started playing some Christmas songs over the overhead speakers. They are some of the same songs we all sing at church (Oh Holy night, Silent night, Oh Come Oh Come Emmanuel) Some of the songs are in their own native tongue of Luganda. the music here is much more upbeat, faster and include lots of drums!

There are no decorations except in the church and chapel (usually candles and greenery but no evergreen trees) as the focus is on the birth of our Savior. Generally in the community, people go to church Sunday morning (Christmas morning) then come home and have a feast as we do. Most Ugandans do not eat sweets as these are not a needed item and are often too expensive. They have not heard of Christmas cookies so I plan to bake some now that I found a propane oven in the Monastery.

The feast includes traditional foods but primarily FISH, rice, matoke (a plantane/banana which is steamed in banana leaves and feels and tastes more like thick mashed potatoes) the matoke is served with geenut sauce (ground nuts like peanuts) which is very yummy!!! there is also usually a wet stew of sparse veggies (peas and carrots) along with potatoes for the rice. beans are also on the menu.

The adults usually rest (nap) after Christmas feasting. The kids open presents (usually only a couple if any) the following day, which is called "boxing day". Most families here in the slums (where I live) cannot afford presents at all let alone a Christmas meal. The Brothers here at Missionaries of the Poor serve the children a feast following Christmas Mass. I was told there are up to 2,000 children or more who come.

You would think that they would be sad about this wouldn't you???? So did I! BUT NO! THEY ARE NOT!

What these children lack in needs, God fills with bountiful gifts of other things that are much more special! He fills them with a love of His Son, so much so that children wear the best clothes they have to spend up to 4 hours at church every Sunday!

Can you imagine sitting through church for 4 hours? I used to get fidgety after 30 min. The children sit listening as if to the best story they ever heard. They do not fidget and yet they have to sit on benches with no back support! They stay quiet unless they are singing. When they sing, the lights of the church become brighter because you have never heard such love turned into song!

These children have pure JOY in their eyes! They do not complain of small things. They share even the little they find with each other. They care for each other even if they are not related. God has given these children the PEACE of knowing that the Father above cares for them and loves them each very very much as He does you. This is their gift to the world, for when you are with them, you begin to feel the same way and it is WONDERFUL!

Sit back and close your eyes....think about how wonderful it is that the only thing that matters is that you are LOVED, you are SPECIAL and you are unique to God and your family. You have gifts and talents to give the world! God loves you all so much just because. All the silly things such as who pushed you yesterday, who got the larger piece of pizza, who might have said a hurtful thing,...these things do not matter.

The children here say..."just smile because smiles are Magic and are free to give!" Try it out!!! just turn to your neighbor and smile right now, go ahead, turn and smile!...try giving your biggest smile! I dare you not to laugh! I dare you! Try it! Then go home and smile as big as you can to your family! Do not say anything else...just smile big and don't stop until they smile back...for some who are worried or busy, it may take a few minutes but keep trying! You have to do it all evening until you get a smile back...then check in with your heart....ask yourself "How did this make me feel?" I'll bet it will feel like the same Peace and Joy the children here feel. This is their gift to you. Then try it with your neighbors and the world....just see what magic you can make! I am curious to see what happens!

HAPPY ADVENT SEASON from the children of Busega Bethlehem home.

“Whenever you did this to the least of my brethren, you did it to me” -

Matthew 25:40

Adults: IF you are interested in helping out at all in any small way with the Christmas dinner for the children, please contact Father Henry Lozano, Missionaries of the Poor Superior at: