It's Christmas Eve....but it just doesn't feel like it.... It is SO different being 10,000 miles (16,000 km) away from all our family. We have a little decorated tree, play our favorite Christmas music, make Christmas treats, and do all we can for the elders and our friends here in Swaziland, but it is just not the same without our family....
We had a good time today with our 12 Swaziland elders though! Here are some photos from our Christmas Eve Braai... We made goodies for each elder and gave them an Eswatini keychain with D&C 4:2 on it: "Serve Him with all your heart..."
L to R: Elder Rea, Elder Daybell, Elder Dos Santos, Elder Van Thiel Berghuijs, Elder Van Thiel Berghuys, Elder Jolley, Elder Reneer, Elder Earl, Elder Mbaki, Elder Clawson, Elder Rodgers, Elder Behunin
(I found red with white dot curtains in PEP and made tablecloths from them! There are NO tables cloths for the holidays here.... I also made little green Christmas trees from a pattern I found online. We had red, white and green speckled jelly eggs all down the middle of the table, but they were long gone in this photo!)
During the Braai...
After our white elephant gift exchange....
(I got a pretty necklace and keychain and Elder Wold got a cool carved wooden rhino.)
I just have to add these photos from a mall in Mbabane and The Gables in Ezulwini,
to show that they DO decorate the malls here for Christmas! I LOVE the decorations!
This month in eSwatini is Ncwala (Dec. 20 - Jan. 10)
The Swaziland kingship ceremony has been handed down from generation to generation for hundreds of years. It takes pace over 3-4 weeks. The first period commences at the new moon, when the "water party" journeys to the Indian Ocean in Mozambique to collect the foam of waves, which is believe to have healing powers. Upon their return to the King's palace, they hold a ceremony called "Little Ncwala" wearing traditional outfits. They chant sacred songs.
When the moon is full, "Big Ncwala" commences with a mammoth journey by young men from all over the country, who gather branches from the "Lusekwane" tree to construct a sacred enclosure in the royal kraal (cattle enclosure). The following day a sacred black bull is driven into the king's kraal, captured and slaughtered ready for the next day feast.
The next day is known as the main Ncwala day. Warriors and guests assemble in the royal compound. The warriors are typically clothed in traditional dress of animal skins and coattails. They dance in the sacred boom, singing slow ritual songs, until at last the King moves forward into his sacred enclosure.
The fifth day is dedicated to rest and meditation to be followed by a huge bonfire on the sixth day when articles are burned to represent the beginning of a new year.
We saw these Swazi men (warriors) dressed in traditional attire walking down Tea Road near our flat, on our way home from Manzini this afternoon.
SUNDAY the 23rd
We had 74 in attendance at our Ezulwini Branch today! Bob and I spoke on Christmas and I got a musical number, O HOLY NIGHT, together with our YW and YSAs and Elder Reneer and Elder Jolley.
Pontso, our branch president's wife and their daughter Naledi had new dresses for Christmas! Pontso and President Shongwe brought dinner over and ate with us and the zone leaders Sunday night! SO sweet! It was a surprise! We were not expecting that!
(It was yummy chicken, with rice, butternut squash, spinach and beet root.) I had Rocky Road fudge for them.
Two cute YSA friends, Tema Ngubeni and Nkosingphie Mahlanya ("Cassie") and I realized
we were all wearing the same color so we had to get a picture together! Elizabeth Mayala on the left, joined us. (She is holding a little MERRY CHRISTMAS card I made for all the Primary kids and YW, using our extra leftover LIGHT THE WORLD pamphlets!)
SATURDAY the 22nd
The Msibi family had a memorial (ritual) a month after their father's death. They invited us to be there and eat with them and participate in the service. We all sat around the walls of the house and sang hymns and Bob shared a message from John 11.
Masebenza is in the middle and Simphiwe on the left. The other
three are cousins but in Swazi culture they are "brothers" ~ sons of their father's brothers.
There were also aunties (their father's sisters) and Gogo, his mother,
and cousins or "sisters" who were daughters of the aunties.
Elders Reneer and Jolley and Elder Wold
They brought a basin to wash our hands and served us pap and goat meat from
the goat they killed for the special occasion.
Wendy Msibi and her baby girl and Venus Msibi after church on Sunday.
This baby was SO adorable! She is a cousin's daughter.
FRIDAY the 21st
We drove the Fairview elders, Elder Rea and Elder Daybell, to Siphofaneni to visit the cute Zandamela family! We took Chocolate Rolo Cookies and our Christmas card to them and explained to them about the changes at church beginning January 2019. Padthwakuhle on the right just turned 11 in Sept. and was excited to learn that she will start YW in January!
