Last week I had a flying trip back to Onzole, to the jungle communities there. Well, it was flying in that we were only there a very short day and a half. But we definitely did not fly there! Janna and I got on a bus at 9pm on Wednesday, and didn't get off it until 13 1/2 hours later! Let me tell you, that's a really long time to be sitting on one of those buses, squirming and turning and trying to find a place to put yourself so you can sleep!! There were endless delays, including 2 more police checks - the men all had to get off, police got on, and looked through bags and checked all our documents. I'm told that buses on this route are checked more because of how close the Colombian border is at the end of the trip. And then we were stopped for a very long time, could have been 2 hours, someone said that there had been an accident on the road.

By the time we got off that bus, I was ready to never see one again, EVER! But then there is the canoe trip, which to me makes up for all the preceding miseries. The river was very low this time, only a few inches in places, so it took 3 hours to get in to our villages, with the men having to pull the motor out and paddle and pole in the shallowest spots. But I am still enthralled by being on that river, so I didn't mind it taking longer. I did feel sorry for the men though, having to work so hard to get us upriver, they had left Santo Domingo at 5:30 that morning.

The purpose of the trip this time was to be there for the kids' Christmas program at the school in Santo Domingo. That little school very nearly didn't reopen after the last school year, the funding that had been coming from outside was pulled, and nothing was coming from the government, and when we were there last February it really looked as though school would not be happening for the children of that village. But there was some juggling and talking and someone in Canada took up the cause, and some funds have been raised, and school has gone ahead for this year.

The program was on Friday morning, and such a program it was!! All 140 students, and many of their parents, and a few visiting missionaries. The room was decorated, a stage was set up, practices were held, and it all went without a hitch. Included in the proceedings were a full length nativity play, Joseph, Mary, angels, shepherds, innkeepers, wise men - the lot! And during the play each class had a turn to sing a song. Which they did with great enthusiasm and volume. Now if they could just learn to carry a tune...! There was also a drama of the prodigal son, and one about the 10 virgins. There was a complicated little ceremony involving the "Christmas Princess", which was a very solemn affair. And through it all, these so very cute kids to watch - SO cute!

Then it was outside where they all lined up to receive their gifts. Many of the kids are sponsored by Compassion, who provides gifts for their kids, a very practical gift of a set of sheets. But every child received something.

Finally there was a special lunch for all the teachers back at the mission house, and a talk for them from Lloyd Rogers about being an example, and how much of an example teachers can be.

And that was it. A very long way to go, for a very short time, but worth it. I had a chance to go with my friend Nixon to visit the man who had injured his hand so badly in October with the machete. I went wondering what I would find, remembering the fiasco involved in getting it sutured. But it has healed fairly well, it didn't get infected, and looks not bad. But he has limited use of the hand, which is a problem, his work involves using a machete, which he is unable to grip, so he has not worked, or been able to provide for his family, since October. I'm not sure how they are managing. I gave him some exercises to do, and hope that in time it will improve and allow him to work again.

If you can stand to see more photos, here is a link - http://picasaweb.google.ca/heathermoore21/OnzoleDecember2008?authkey=py_sADDXJGU#

And now Christmas is coming. At least so I hear. I'm having a little trouble coming to grips with Christmas this year. It's 31 degrees out there, I wrote cards with 2 fans blowing on me, there's not a snowflake to be seen, and no Ikea Christmas trees! I read of everybody at home busily doing what you do there to get ready for the big day, and I see definite signs of Christmas coming here too. There are lights on houses, decorated trees inside the houses, and the stores and malls are packed. In the mall Santa has his house set up, and there is also the biggest nativity scene you ever saw. So Christmas must be coming. But to me it just seems completely unreal. I guess it's just the completely unfamiliar surroundings, and the lack of all my usual signals. I'm not really minding, it's just strange! But there's still more than a week to go, we'll see how it goes! One thing I am finding though - there isn't the "political correctness" that Canada obsesses about. Here, Christmas is called Christmas. There are nativity scenes everywhere, and many seem to remember just what it is that we are celebrating - Jesus' arrival on earth. And that's kind of nice.