On the Sunday before Christmas, we invited friends out for a carol service. We invited all of the expats we know in Mae Sot, but also invited Burmese and Thai friends. Since many carols are already translated, it was a great opportunity to attempt a multi-lingual worship night.
I spent the morning with Pyo Pyo, Nyein Nyein, and Pwe Pyu Hey—three women from the community who I had invited over to bake with me.
It was a great opportunity to hire them for a short time and make all the cookie-baking more enjoyable for me! I am really loving baking with the neighbors and my kitchen-related Burmese is doing pretty well!
We made 21 batches of cookies and managed to decorate about a six dozen of the gingerbread cookies. We also set up outside, cleaning up all the trash, hanging up Christmas lights, and melting candles to the concrete walls around our house. I also put small candles into cup lids (like from a fast food joint, where you can just push the candles through the straw space) so everyone could hold the candles without wax dripping on them.
We then had a great turnout from the neighbors and quite a few expatriates. It was loud with talking and chatter, but lovely. The neighbors that can read tried to follow along with the Bible readings and songs, which was really great.
Although we always see new ways we can improve, we have great friends who are patient with us and love our community with us. It was a holy experience in its own way.
