Thursday begins the holiday season here in the U.S. Twinkling white lights decorate the palm trees on my street, although it's weeks before Christmas. Stores are decorated with Christmas wreathes and paper Santas. Television and radio commercials shout at us about sales on "Black Friday". So much hype! So much money spent! So much distraction from what Christmas is really about!
While I'm taking time away from Bondeau and Kay Timoun this month, my thoughts drift back to Bondeau. I can't help but compare life here in Florida to life in Bondeau. Those who have read my blogs know that Bondeau is an extremely poor country village in southern Haiti. People have barely enough money to live on. Very few have regular jobs. Women buy and sell fruit and vegetables to make a few cents. Others sell penny candy and cookies. Men do manual work. So, people don't have money for a festive Christmas. They barely have enough to scrape together for a special dinner. Certainly they don't have money to buy toys for their children.
Christmas for the people in Bondeau is centered around the church as they celebrate the birth of Baby Jesus, born to poor peasant parents, born in an animal stable. Parents in Bondeau relate to the poor circumstances of Jesus' birth. They relate to Mary and Joseph who want to give Jesus the best they can, yet can only give him straw for a bed. Many are in the same situation, wanting to give their children the best they can but can give them next to nothing.
So, there are no twinkling lights decorating the street, no Christmas wreathes or Santas. Children are thrilled if when they return home from midnight mass they find a small toy tucked under their pillow. Parents are thrilled if they are able to provide a special Christmas meal for the family. There is nothing in Bondeau to distract from the real meaning of Christmas. People in Bondeau know what Christmas is really about.
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