Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!!!

 (This is the Nativity Scene from the hospital's courtyard.)

We want to wish you a very happy holiday season filled with lots of wonderful memories!  Love and joy and hugs to everyone!

What's been happening here so far?  Well, first we had a lovely Christmas program at school.  Since this is only the third year that Christmas is officially a holiday here, everyone was excited.  The kids worked hard and were FANTASTIC!  Here they are practicing:

The program began with a march by the older kids that was fun. 

Here are the adorable little ones singing:

Besides classroom songs, we also had a couple of plays--one was Nepali and one was about the birth of Jesus.

We also had a costume parade and a song, which was really special.  I loved it!

Notice the little one bowing too soon!  Too cute!!!

The parents were as happy with their children as we were!

Our shipment isn't here yet, (NO IT ISN'T) so we looked for a few Christmas decorations.  I was able to find three boxes of Christmas decorations in a Kathmandu department store and picked out a few things.  This Santa and wreath were made here by women who are part of an organization that helps women with their own businesses.  You feel good buying something from them.

One day we were able to get away to this picturesque hotel for some photos of the mountains.

Here's the sign that tells you what you're looking at...

...and here's what you see to the left of the tree:

Beautiful, don't you agree?  Now, let's zoom in!

(No words necessary!)

Look at that sky!  That's a plane heading towards Kathmandu.

From this beautiful vantage point, we took our Christmas picture.

(Can you see the mountains?)

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

On Christmas Eve we had an outdoor Christmas vespers service beside a campfire...

...and a very full house on Sabbath for Christmas.  There was standing room only inside the church and even spill-over outside!  How wonderful it was to spend the day together as a church family.  We had a nice lunch and the weather even cooperated too.  

That evening we had a Mexican haystack supper with the other missionaries and needless to say, enjoyed ourselves!  Sometimes, when you haven't had it for awhile, Mexican food just tastes so good and was the perfect ending of a great Christmas in a Hindu country.  We certainly are counting our blessings and we're thankful to the Lord that we are able to be here.

We're also hope everyone reading this enjoyed their holiday and we wish you a Happy Holiday Week this week!  Good-bye for now from Nepal!  I'll leave you with a couple more great pictures!