Christmas in Ixil

While we missed all the home traditions, family and friends this year, we had a wonderful Christmas with new Guatemalan friends. This was a Christmas we will never forget! We spent Buena Noche (Christmas Eve) in the town of Nebaj. Nebaj is the next town over and is where we usually go on Saturdays to check our email, eat at one of their few restaurants, and buy basic supplies and food for each week. But on Sunday we did none of that. Instead we had a special invite to the home of Carlos (a local Agros employee) to spend the evening with his family. Here everyone waits up for midnight to welcome Christmas Day, kind of like the way we welcome in the New Year on December 31st. At midnight there are a million firecrackers and fireworks that light up the night sky. We were both quite impressed! It was a spectacular 360 degree display that we never see in the States due to all the laws and limitations on fireworks back home. After the fireworks there is feasting on tomales, before heading to bed and then sleeping in late the next day. The above picture shows Brian with our hosts. Carlos is the second from the right.

On Chistmas Day we took a microbus back to Cotzal and visited the home of Dilia. Dilia (pictured above with Jeannette) is another local Agros employee and has been quite a blessing to us. At her house we enjoyed more tomales and a hot fruit drink.

In the afternoon we created a little Christmas of our own. We made a special meal of spaghetti and garlic bread with a tomato, cucumber, and onion salad. We watched a Christmas movie on our laptop and exchanged little gifts we bought for each other in Nebaj. We were even blessed to talk with our immediate families for a few minutes on the phone. We had hoped for a new, more private living situation for Christmas, but thus far we are still in the same house. We appreciate your continued prayers that something new will present itself soon.

We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, and are looking forward to the New Year!

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The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel----which means, “God with us.” Matthew 1:23
La virgen concebirá y dará a luz un hijo, y lo llamaran Emanuel----que significa, “Dios con nosotros.” Mateo 1:23

God is with us! How awesome is that?!?!