Christmas in Kiribati

Enjoying Christmas surrounded by the sea - on the Equator

in what perhaps, will be our Warmest Christmas Greeting Ever!

Christmas is just around the corner - only 3 more days to be exact.  Being on the international date line, Kiribati will be the first country in the world to have Christmas Day - - the rest of you will have to wait for 24 more hours (Naa Naa Naa).  That means Santa will land here first!   

Rudolph and the other reindeer will have to use water wings on their legs to land in Kiribati

Unfortunately we have no chimney for him to crawl down.  No snow on the roof where the reindeer can land.  No problem, Santa's sleigh will use pontoons, which the elves will attach so he can land in Kiribati to deliver presents to the boys and girls here and other places on the isles of the sea. We expect him to land on the ocean right behind our house, and then roll up his pant legs and wade through the shallow water to our back porch.  We will keep the backdoor unlocked - please don't tell the neighborhood burglars.  We will leave some breadfruit cookies and glasses of coconut milk for him, his elves and of course the reindeer. 

                                  After watching his video, maybe we should skip the cookies?

If I was Santa, I would stay in the sleigh and have the elves deliver the presents.  Santa needs to stay dry, so his beard doesn't freeze or have his sleigh 'ice up' at high altitudes, before he gets to where it is really cold such as in Utah and North Dakota.  After all we need him to deliver some really nice presents to some very cute grandkids.

Santa's Sleigh with Pontoons - making Deliveries to Kiribati   
Comparing a Kiribati Christmas on the Equator
To that of an Eskimo Village in Alaska  

There isn't a lot of evidence around here - that Christmas is nearly here, at least not like in the United States and other more developed countries;  where Chistmas is so often - overly commercialized.  We see a few decorated artificial trees in a some stores and an occasional manikin in a Santa outfit that look rather bizzare.  

Santa must have found the "fountain of Youth" in Kiribat                                                 

There are few lights on some of the huts and stores but not many. In some ways it is refreshing and in other ways we do miss some of fun the traditions - such as buying things for and spoiling our grandkids.  So far we haven't even sung a Christmas hymn in Church, that we really miss!!

Sister Thorne's 33 inch Christmas Tree

                                                                                                   
Sister Thorne has again put her creative talents together to make a cute little Christmas Tree that is held to the wall using thread hanging from a couple of nails in the wall and some duck tape.  


Air Marshall (or Scare Marshall) as some refer to it) is how the packages are delivered from the mission home in the Marshall Islands and then shipped via air freight to Tarawa. Unfortunately the only airplane that flies from the Marshall Islands to Tarawa had its engine replaced.  Thus, there have been no flights flights from there for over a month.  The mail and packages have been piling up in the mission home.  There have been no boats or ships that have traveled between the two island groups during the past month eithr. But, alas there still may be hope for a Christmas delivery.

There is a flight from there scheduled to be in Tarawa this afternoon, but because it is fully booked.  The 500 pounds of packages for the younger missionaries from their families and loved ones have been delivered to the airport, hopefully will arrive later today.  But with the flight fully booked with the passengers and their luggage, a high probability exists that the packages will get bumped.  Christmas away from home for these young elders and sisters is tough enough with out packages from home.  Letters and goodies from home really brighten their day, especially at Christmas time.   The mission home staff didn't even attempt to ship any packages for the senior missionary couples, which is Ok by us.  They  will arrive eventually, hopefully before Easter or at   least by the 4th of July or perhaps Labor Day or Thanksgiving. 

We couldn't get the Coconut or Palm Trees through our front door

The missionaries will call home on Christmas day - where their families live, not our time. The senior couples SKYPE connections will be used for the missionaries with a one hour time limit for each.  Hopefully, their families will also have SKYPE so they can see each other.  The missionaries from the Pacific area will be calling home on Sunday(our time) and those in the States will be calling on Monday.  We hope to work in some time for a call to each of our families at home.  Brian, Tracy and kids will be in Arizona with her parents,  Brian, Jalene and kids will be at Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and Keven, Carrie and their three will be in Richfield, Utah. 

On Saturday - December 24th the senior couples will again provide a Christmas dinner for the missionaries.  There will be turkey, ham, dressing, potatoes and gravy, cranberry, rolls - the whole works.  Sister Thorne will also be preparing a fruit custard dessert from a secret Kiribati receipt (hopefully we will soon get the secret receipt so we know what to buy).  Thank you President and Sister Shaw for sending the Turkey and other goodies from destinations unknown.

On a More Serious Note: Christmas in Kiribati

Our Stake President Iouta Tune, spoke last Sunday in church about how they celebrated Christmas when he was growing up in Kuria, a small outer island on the equator South of Tarawa.  He said the day before Christmas, he and his grandparents walked quite some distance through the bush to the nearest village.  They slept on mats on the floor of  the Maneaba (the traditional gathering place in each village).  They joined most other residents of the area, who also slept there Christmas Eve.  The parents put a package for each child on a tree placed in the maneaba.  At midnight the local minister would call out each child's name and give them the package that their parents or grandparents had prepared.  Then on Sunday the family would attend church services.

The following is what a tourist brochure says - happens in Kiribati during the Christmas celebration. We will wait and see if it is really true or just marketing by a travel agency.

The Christmas in Kiribati is celebrated to commemorate the birthday of Lord Jesus as is done all across the world. Everyone rejoices to mark this special day which is basically a day of prime importance for the Christians. Christmas celebrations in Kiribati are one of the major events especially for the 2 major Christian Denomination Churches- Protestants and the Catholics. 

All the people even though they are not Christian get together to celebrate this festival in Kiribati as it becomes a meeting ground for all the cultures and traditions around the world. The celebration for Christmas in Kiribati usually begins on the Sunday when everyone attends the Christmas Service which is of great significance for everyone and especially for the Christians. The service at the church is followed by feasting and host of activities which are a favorite of the young and old alike. The main activities in Kiribati include local dancing, canoe racing, choir, sporting events like basketball, tennis, volleyball, soccer, boxing and game fishing.

Everyone enjoys the celebration mood till the New Year when people go in for picnics and excursion to the nearby islands and enjoy their holidays. The residents of Tarawa prefer to camp out in the Taiwan Park for about a week and here they have their barbecue feasts and entertaining activities every day until the New Year celebrations end. Be sure to visit Kiribati during Christmas for having a glimpse of the lifestyle of the islanders.

Our Christmas will be a time of gratitude for all the wonderful blessings we have received, for our great family, for the opportunity of serving among the wonderful people of the islands.  But most of all we will reflect on the birth, life, and atonement of our Savior, even Jesus Christ.

                                                   

                                          Video on why we have Christmas, that is often forgot

As the young Moroni High School students fervently declare, as they bare their testimonies, during talks and other church meetings; many of them express words to this effect: "My dearest brothers and sisters I know that Heavenly Father lives and loves each of us". Then they often sincerely express their love for their families and for each other.  Often they testify of the Divinity of His Son Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Almost all conclude their testimony with a great conviction that: "The Church is very True". 

Sister Thorne and I also testify that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of our loving Father in Heaven.  We testify that our Savior died on the cross that we may all be resurrected. That in the Garden of Gethsemane, our Savior took upon himself all the sins of mankind. Through His atonement each of us may have our sins forgiven and removed, on the condition that we truly repent and forsake our sins. We must also keep His commandments including loving and serving one other.   

God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ live and they know each of us personally and their  greatest desire is to have each of us return to their presence. The Father and His Son loves and blesses each of us in our daily lives, whether we recognize it or not. 

That is why we commemorate His birth at this special time of the year, may you also gain a firm knowledge and conviction of this truth is our humble prayer. In the name of His son Jesus Christ, Amen.

May the Lords choicest blessings be with each of you during this special time of the year.   

"Ask for His presence instead of Presents"

Wishing you each a very Merry Christmas!

Elder and Sister Thorne