Reaching the Elderly at Christmas

Boniface, the pastor with whose family I live, has a heart for children.  That’s obvious from his sacrificial investment in his preschool which is expanding to become a Christian elementary school.  But he has an equally tender spot for the elderly, and that is exhibited in the generous Christmas celebration which he organizes annually for about a dozen seniors from our community.

After five consecutive years of hosting the “Elderly Christmas” in our home, he moved this year’s event to the lovely pavilion on the school grounds.  That allowed plenty of space for another first:  serving a meal to our guests in addition to the gifts they take home.  The refreshing breeze was also a welcome relief in the summer heat, in contrast to gathering everyone in our living room.

At home after Sunday worship, our family finished cooking lunch, ate quickly, and loaded our two vehicles for the short drive up to the school.  There we mounted tables with tablecloths and arranged plastic chairs with cloth covers.  With two other volunteers, we set the three dining tables with glasses, utensils, napkins, water, and juice, and placed steaming trays of food on the serving table with a stack of plates.

Most of our elderly friends had arrived before we did, and were relaxing in the home of Boniface’s mother on the premises.  As they shuffled to their seats and munched on cookies that Stephanie distributed, our crew divided our stock of dry beans, spaghetti, oil, sugar, soft drinks, and soap into gift bags for each one.  Then we listened to Bonifácio’s homily exhorting the seniors to trust in Christ before death so they can enjoy eternal life with Him.

Stephanie had prepared a festive Christmas cake, so following local tradition, two honored guests ceremonially cut and ate the first piece.  Then we heaped plates with chicken, rice, potatoes, tomato sauce, and cake for all the seniors.  As lively music echoed from our speaker, they enjoyed their feast.  Several saved their leftovers to take home.

After our elderly friends had eaten, we distributed their Christmas presents.  Stephanie and I handed each one two colorful cloths, which the ladies put on right away as wrap skirts and headscarves.  Our family and the other volunteers gave out the gift bags we had prepared, along with a sack of rice and a live chicken for every guest.  They lined up for this photo with their goodies before wrapping all but the birds (which they toted by hand) into the colorful cloth to carry home on their heads.  The weaker ones had brought youths to bear their loads for them.