Christmastime is Here

Here in Honduras, Nochebuena (Christmas Eve) is a bigger deal than Christmas Day, so I was quite busy on the 24th. After breakfast and chores, we all headed down to the courts for games. I helped out with a game called El Dulce that is so classic Ranch it’s ridiculous. Here’s how it works. First, you go to the kitchen and get several blocks of this brown sugary substance. Then, you put it in the middle of a sack in a space marked out in a field. You then take a child, blindfold him, and hand him a MACHETE. (I wish I was joking). Whatever part of the giant sugar cube he hacks off is his to eat. No, seriously. In the late afternoon, I got to talk on the phone to several of my precious girls on their internship in the city. Then I got pretty because Deysi told me on the phone that I had to andar guapa. So I decided to go Honduran or go home and wear the dress I bought at the secondhand store three of my girls worked at. It was definitely a big hit on the Ranch, although Quinn might punch me if I wear it at home. In the evening we had the pastorela, which was a video of the kids acting out the Christmas story. We then all headed down for dinner in Buen Pastor. We had nacatamales, empanadas, and fruit that we hardly ever get (apples and grapes). They put on a movie for the kids, but I mostly hung out with my mara by the bonfire. The best part was having little Natalia (new to the Ranch, completely adorable, and desperate for affection) fell asleep on my lap. That night was kind of like New Year’s in that you stay up until midnight and then everyone gives hugs and says, “Feliz Navidad.” It felt really good to get hugs from so many people…sort of a physical manifestation of the relationships I’ve made with pequeños and grandes here. We headed back to hogar around 1:00 a.m., and I had signed up to do turno (spend the night in hogar). It was basically a big sleepover, and we ended up watching movies on my laptop until 6:30 in the morning. Totally ridiculous and really fun. By the time I actually got to my bed, one of the girls was already asleep in it!!

Christmas Day was good too. We finally dragged our sorry butts out of bed at 10:00. I had played Santa and put their presents on the girls’ beds next to their sweet little sleeping (most of them) heads. The girls were so grateful for the bolsitas I’d put together for them, and many of them were using their soaps and lip glosses, wearing their earrings, and eating their treats that day. They were really excited about the mirrors I bought for the two bedrooms – definitely a good choice. Even though we got up so late, there was still food by some miracle, and we were able to have breakfast. Afterwards, I headed down to the Buen Pastor to deliver gifts to my monton of ahijados (a chess set for Axel and framed pictures for the others). I was able to get a quick nap in before I went back to hogar. Momo and Reinhart invited me to lunch at their house, and we had a really nice time. I feel like they’ve kind of adopted me. In the evening, we lined up outside Casa Suyapa for a candlelit procession into the church. It was decorated beautifully, and mass was really nice. Natalia fell asleep on my lap AGAIN, but mass involves lots of sitting down and standing up and I was in heels, so that was more of a challenge. Each hogar was assigned a part of a poem to read or, más bien, memorize. I had two of my girls say they would do it and then back out, so as mass began, the little slip of paper was passed to me. I spent most of the first part of mass memorizing the poem with Natalia on my lap. But it went fine. I loved the music and was tickled to recognize a song I’d learned for Christmas in flamenco classes. I went back to hogar for dinner and then bowed out as soon it was reasonable to pass completely out in my own bed.

I really miss my family and friends and was so glad to get to talk to some of them on Christmas Day, but I’m not as sad as I thought I might be. As I said to my girls at breakfast on Christmas, being my first one away from home, I was so glad to get to spend it with them. Here, there is no shortage of love and affection, and I am so grateful for this experience.