December Newsletter

Christmas in Lima

Merry Christmas! It is summer in Lima, Peru, and Christmas has a special feel to it, this year for us: 1) Christmastime generally marks the beginning of summer, and 2) we are living in a desert.

Think of celebrating the birth of Jesus at the Grand Canyon in June, and you have a better idea of what we mean. Or try to imagine in department stores, next to Santa Claus in his woolies, that bikinis are on sale.

Christmas carols are an English speaking specialty, even in the churches. At the Anglican Cathedral there are two services of English speaking carols: one for people familiar with melodies from England, and another for people familiar with different melodies for the same carols from the United States.

Most churches, however, continue to sing regular hymns at this time of year because many Christmas carols are too culturally specific (figgy pudding) or have to do with cold weather (the snow lay on the ground), and that just does not translate well to summer in Peru.

Culturally, the big thing to do for Christmas is to stay up until mid-night on Christmas Eve at home, and then celebrate with chocolate and panetone, with family and friends.

And on that note, we pray that you would be blessed in some special way this Christmas.

How are we doing?

Present Ministry: We are very excited about what we have been doing and what is ahead. We are in the midst of preparing for the next semester, getting the ordination process up and going, and we will be helping out with sacramental ministry in the Villa el Salvador district of Lima for a month or two; it is a very poor area of the city, with its special joys and sorrows.

Residency process: Lydia's visa process is complete. Yea!

Prayer Requests:
• For our students in their studies.
• For seminary, mission, and diocesan: ministries, relationships, priorities, and finances.
• That we spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ in all that we do.

God bless you, and thank you for your continuing support! – Shaw, Julie, and Lydia