Christmas Eve

We spent Christmas Eve with the Thomas family. They are IMB personnel who work with the Pokomchi' people group. They live in the town of San Cristobal about 30 minutes from us.

The Thomas'- Jeff, Karen, Andrew, Bethany, Caleb, & Daniel (A,B,C,&D)

They invited us over to help them show the Jesus film to their neighbors on their patio. There was a good crowd that came. We served coffee and sweet bread to them as they watched the movie.

Bethany & Karen making the coffee

Regina, Karen, & Bethany

Bethany & Jeff Regina handing out a cup of coffee (yes, to a kid, they drink it here)
Caleb & Daniel

Most people here for Christmas Eve will attend some type of service, have a family time, shoot fireworks at midnight and eat tamales. They eat tamales on Christmas Eve like we eat turkey and dressing for Thanksgiving. So keeping with tradition, we all had tamales for dinner.

After the movie, we all went across town to the Ramirez families house. They are with Wycliffe and are here translating the Bible into the Pokomchi' language. They have 10 children!!! It was the first time for us to meet them as well as two other North American missionary couples who were there. We enjoyed spending time with them. It's nice to know other North Americans who live close by. We had a time of fellowship and then everyone gathered for a small service. We each took turns sharing who we are and what we do. Several shared about what Christmas meant to them. We sang carols and had a time of prayer. It was a sweet time of reflecting on the true meaning of Christmas.

We left there around 11:00 so we could be home to watch the midnight fireworks in Coban. It was not a disappointment. We love fireworks. They shoot them in Guatemala for all occasions and often. Their biggest time of the year to shoot them though is Christmas Eve. It is like a war-zone when they start going off. We loved it!

They lasted until almost 12:30 and then we came in and got ready for bed. It was a late night but a very enjoyable one.