Now I have been talking a bit about walls and here is where I faced mine for Christmas Eve. There is nothing quite like being locked outside the church on Christmas Eve. The church is in downtown Benoni and it was after 8pm at night so we take safety pretty seriously. I had jumped up to get Joyce on autopilot and hadn’t told the guard or anyone I’d be right back.
We left Freddy with the car and tried to go check the other gates. Then I started phoning my mother hearing the hymns playing hoping she would see and could get help. I was tempted to call the pastor, but he was almost at his preaching. Mom had begun to get worried in this time, mothers just sense things. So I finally directed her out the door of the church and talked to her through the gate, trying to explain to her who could help, though she had never met anyone. One of the stewards finally came not realizing the gate was locked and tried to help then went back again for more help.
And in we finally walk during the middle of the sermon on not being caught up on running around but making time for the baby Jesus. I walk right to our seat and we almost made a pewful. The rest of the service and one last song were nice. I was just happy everyone that was there had got there. And that my friend could share in Christmas not loneliness. The truth was all of us had had the potential to be lonely, but mom had come all the way from the US, and Freddy had joined us, and we had had the time to bring Lynn as well and all was as it should be.
Except that I was not supposed to be running around on the chance of missing the baby. But see the way I see it we were just running around so more people could see and share and I think Jesus understood. Hilton, the pastor, did at least.
So amidst all the running around, I was finding peace in my own way, especially aided by my mother who instead of saying Hannah too much, helped all the pieces fit.
We dropped Joyce back off, and it was very special for me to see her for Christmas and headed back to Rachel and Sarah. We were a merry band in Lynn’s hotel room talking about many numbers of things. But alas we had to love and leave.
Though I miscalculated time for goodbyes and such and we had to get 20-30 minutes past where we lived to get to Trinity the church Rachel and I worship at for a communion 11:30 service. It was lovely to spend the time with Lynn as we had been at the same church it all seemed fitting. (The next day mom and I went by the hospital to see her and her Dad and skyped with her family that was gathered waiting for her in London.) We also had great news I forgot to mention that the problems we were worried about with her Dad were misread so he was closer on his way to going home. Quite a Christmas Eve blessing.
So again almost as if Rudolph was guiding us, though more it was the lightening. We were never where the rain was falling that evening, but every time we went outside the energy of lightening came forth. Not quite the magic of snow falling on Christmas Eve, but still definitely something there.
And somehow we made it to Trinity at 11:30pm exactly and walked in right as Rev. Ike started welcoming everyone. And I sat down and opened myself for Christmas. They did a litany for all of the advent candles. Soon I noticed tears running down my eyes for the peace candle. I always think of the Prince of Peace and peace to the world around Christmas. Of the soldiers that met in the trenches for Christmas, but somehow peace struck a deeper cord this year. Somehow I felt the violence and what it does to people’s hearts much more and yearned for the beauty of true struggles for peace. And surrounded by people I loved and with the possibilities for peace in my heart I let the tears fall, until I took communion.
After the service that sense of magic that I couldn’t quite reach last year had come. And the band of tired hope filled travelers made our way back into the quite downtown of the city, over the Mandela Bridge and up to the 7th story flat. And sat in candlelight and talked until it was finally time to sleep to be able to wake up for Christmas morning.
Every part of the evening, I was right where I was supposed to be...
No comments:
Post a Comment