Happy Holidays!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS from Nepal!!!

 This year we're lucky!  We have the blessing of having some wonderful young people here with us whom we love very much!  My niece, in the front, is here volunteering at the school, along with our friend, (to her left) who's volunteering at the Muscular Dystrophy Center.  We are very proud of these two for taking a year out of their schooling to dedicate to the people of Nepal.  It's hard to say who's more blessed--they or the ones who's lives they touch!  Also with us (to my right) is my cousin's daughter who has stopped by for a few weeks on her way home from Korea where she has been working at a language school.  We're very proud of her too and all she's accomplished and so happy she had the time to stop by to see Nepal (and us!!).

 Those who have been long time readers of this blog know that celebrating Christmas is relatively new to Nepal.  It's nice to be a part of these "new" celebrations!  They are low-key, but still very nice!  We had a program at school, there was a program at the hospital, and a potluck on Sabbath after church as well as a lunch on Sunday.  The weather was perfect (it's cold this year--but not as cold as last year though) with beautiful sunny skies, and of course the company of family and friends was heartwarming.

Here are some pics of the kids practicing for the program.  The little ones are SOOO cute!

OK, who's next?

--- "Awesome God" with Liesl Miss (my niece)---

I tried to get organized.

Baby Jesus waited patiently for his turn.
(Liesl took his picture when one of the first grade girls asked her to!)

These two had some serious talking to do!  (Sorry it's a little blurry, but so cute!)

These dance routines I missed getting pictures of during the program when my memory card filled up.

I was so proud of the kids during the program!  They did a great job!  Our English part of the program was a trip through the Bible (to be different from the last few years of only the Christmas story).  First of all Grade Five students did a great job with their play and song about Adam and Eve.

Grade Two was next with the story of Daniel.  They did a good job!

Next Grade One students told and sang the story of Jesus' birth.

They were so adorable!  The circle shows how God's love has no beginning or end just like a circle!

The story of Jesus in the temple as a boy was performed by the Fourth Graders.  It was so nice!  "Joseph, where is Jesus?"  "He's with you."  "No, he's with you."  "No, he's not."  :)

Grade Three students reenacted the ladies going to the tomb, only to find it empty!  They were so happy to discover that Jesus is alive!

Our Kindergarten students sang three songs for their parents. You can see a fifth grader here reading the translation in Nepali.  For each class a fifth grader told what was going to happen for those who needed translation.

Here they are "letting their light shine!"

Liesl did a WONDERFUL job directing!  I'm so very proud of her!  (I was on the piano.)
  For our Grand Finale, Grades K though 5 sang "Awesome God" (as you know from the practice pics above).  It was a rousing success!

That concludes the English part of the program.  Stay tuned for Part 2 of "Happy Holidays" (since I don't have time now!)!  We hope everyone is off to a great start to 2012 and we wish you all the best in whatever you're doing!  Here in Nepal we're about 3/4 of the way through the year 2068 and we'll celebrate the new year 2069 in April.  As I've said before, Ramon and I aren't sure if we're really young or really old over here!  :)  Well, HAPPY NEW YEAR!  See you soon!