December 23, 2003

Unfortunately, we were too tired to go to school this morning for the last day of exams. We managed to be up and decent enough to share lunch with wonderful people whom we will miss dearly. We ate tasty malfouf (stuffed cabbage leaves) and spaghetti casserole.

Zababdeh children dressed as angels for the Christmas pageant.

Then Marthame hustled off to help set up for the evening's activities at the Latin church hall. At Latin mass tonight David Owens was remembered. After mass was a large party. There were Christmas carols and dances, and finally a Christmas pageant, another original by Fr. Aktham.

A scene from the Zababdeh Christmas pageant.

High school and college students essentially played themselves - young Christians living in a time of brutal occupation. As such they one by one beg two soldiers (enthusiastically played by high school boys) to pass a checkpoint in order to pray at church on Christmas. Because they are Christian and it is Christmas, they are eventually let through.

Singing Christmas carols at the pageant.

But not all intend to pray - some to party, to drink, to play cards instead. Those get reprimanded by a heavenly voice, and find themselves in darkness as those who choose a path of faithfulness are rewarded. The morality tale reinforces that being Christian is more than just having "Christian" printed on your ID - more than getting a day off or special treatment on Easter and Christmas.

Elizabeth stayed for the event but, still sick, slipped home right after, skipping the ongoing visiting and festivities.

Marthame poses with former students of ours, who have come to say goodbye to us.

Later in the evening, a few visitors came by - including some former students, now at AAUJ. It was very nice to see them, especially now that we don't have to tell them to be quiet and pay attention in class.