Christmas 2016 in Serukam in Pictures

Bethesda Board Christmas (Hospital, Nursing School, Village Health Program, and MedGo).

Hospital Chapel was decorated with a waterfall and snow (cotton). The theme this year was "One in Christ" 

What Christmas celebration is complete without cute kids singing :) 

These kids also wanted to get in on the action when the adults were on stage

Candle Lighting. This is staff from the Nursing School and we were all a bit tired as we had just finished day one of accreditation.

Nursing Students with their candles

Christmas Eve service at the church. The theme this year was "Good news for a world full of fear" which seemed very appropriate to me. This year because of an increased level of discrimination against Christians by some Muslim groups, including the stopping of a Christmas service in one of the big cities, all churches were guarded by police officers on Christmas Eve and Day. 

On the way back to the hospital I took a picture of the hospital Christmas tree which was made from recycled plastic IV bottles.

After the Christmas Eve service a group of us, including mostly young doctors and staff, gathered at the hospital to go caroling and give gifts to any of the patients in the hospital. This year I think there were only 11 or so with the majority being children. 

All dressed in our Santa hats and ready to go

Each patient also hears the gospel message, if possible from their primary doctor

Then it is off to one of our senior doctor's house for a meal and fellowship. By now it is getting pretty late and it is usually past midnight by the time we get home and officially Christmas

Christmas day we headed to church again, which of course fell on a Sunday this year, followed by a lot of visiting. That first day in the first round (until about 4 pm) we went to 7 houses. I was fighting a bad cold though so that was the end of the visiting for me. Most went out that evening and again the next day. 

Our car full for visiting. I think we had 9 adults and 2 kids with us

One of things I did this year was some special Christmas baking and cooking to help celebrate the season. I haven't done this before because it has seemed so busy already. I couldn't have done this without help from my Grandma who sent a package filled with fun things like peppermint candy and Christmas sprinkles. 

One of my favorite Christmas recipes - Peppermint brownie bars

I also for the first time attempted making lasagna here with some homemade ricotta cheese, which was actually easier than I thought it might be. The hardest part was getting my hands on fresh milk. 

Letting the curds and whey separate

Yum! Fresh ricotta cheese

All ready to bake. 

All done! It was an expensive but yummy special meal

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