Children in Zimbabwe are no different from their counterparts around the
world when it comes to Christmas. They are full of anticipation and
hope.
As children from the city, we spent most of our Christmas
holidays in our ancestral village, having travelled a long distance to
be with extended family and to partake of all the good food prepared for
us. Christmas was also a time to wear new clothes to church.
I
remember as a child meeting a young village boy on Christmas morning
while I walked home from church with my aunt and sister. He lived with
his mother, grandmother, and two younger siblings and attended the
village school. He was barefoot but running really fast, and as he
approached us, he slowed down, and we exchanged Christmas greetings. He
stopped, and with a great deal of excitement, he shared his Christmas
story with us. They had run out of salt on Christmas Day! So he had been
sent to borrow some salt from a neighbour for his grandmother. It is
common in Zimbabwe for families to send their children to a neighbour
for a cup of sugar, corn meal, or salt.
We girls from the city
marvelled at the simple joys of Christmas that brought forth such
excitement in him. His daily chores on Christmas Eve were no different
from any other day. He let out the cows from the cattle pen, fetched
drinking water from the communal well and gathered firewood before
joining other children for a bath in the river. Come evening, they went
around the village sharing the joy of Christmas through song. On
Christmas Day, he helped his mother and grandmother prepare an elaborate
Christmas dinner. He always wished for relatives from the city who would
bring all sorts of goodies for him and his family to enjoy.
On
the other hand, Christmas in the village for my sister and me was a mere
adventure that was quickly forgotten once we were back in the hustle and
bustle of the big city. This young village boy, who had very little,
looked content, happy, and bubbling with energy and joy. He was to us
the real face and spirit of Christmas.
One congregation that I
know of has started an initiative that aims to replace consumption with
compassion by urging its members to consider donating one quarter of
their Christmas budget towards the building of a village well.
Jesus reminded us of our responsibilities towards each other when He
said:
"You are the salt of the earth; but if salt
has lost its taste, how can its saltness be restored?" (Matthew 5:13a NRSV)
Prayer: Gracious Lord, create in us a new heart for You to dwell in.
Bless all the children around the world now and at Christmastime. May
Christ's birth, a gift of life to mankind, remind us of Your
unconditional love and grace. In Jesus' name, we pray, Amen.
Margaret Zondo
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Thanks to
Daily Presbytarian
