Christmas on Campus!

Two holidays in two days: this was great!

After our Halloween celebration on Friday, we woke up on Saturday to start our Christmas on Campus celebration, Malawi style. Christmas on Campus is a celebration at the University of Dayton during which UD students “adopt” children from inner-city Dayton to celebrate Christmas with them. When the volunteers arrived here last year, they wanted to carry this tradition to Chaminade.

Things are a little different here, so our Christmas on Campus celebration was focused on giving the students a day when they could relax, have fun, and enjoy time together in the family spirit that is what Christmas is all about.

We began the day at 9AM with our Kick-Off including an opening prayer, an explanation of the day, and a detail of the day’s events! We then directed all of the students as staff to the basketball court for a game between the two sections of the school. It proved to be an enjoyable game with lots of cheering and chants! Then, the staff prepared to face off with the students on the volleyball court. Though we narrowing lost the first game, we came back and won the second game. It came down to the third and final game to decide the winner, but unfortunately, the student’s stamina proved to be too much for us staff members, and the students came out on top.

We then broke for lunch, where everyone we back to their respective locations for lunch. This proved to be a nice break for us volunteers who were directing and coordinating all of the days activities. Then after lunch, the students hosted a variety show including acts with dancers, singers, rappers, actors, and even a fashion show!
The last activity before the evening was a football (soccer) match, highlighting the schools best football players. The game was a very close and exciting one finishing with a 4-4 tie!

Then the students had about an hour to rest up and clean up before the evening prayer service started in the chapel. This prayer service included much singing, several scripture readings, a very entertaining and enjoyable reenactment of the Birth of Christ, a powerful, profound, and pointed reflection by one of the brothers, and a very reverent candle-light procession to the dining hall.
Coincidentally, the power went out just as the Nativity play ended, so the candles proved to be entirely practically as well as symbolic. We gathered in the dining hall, and after a prayer over the food, all of us volunteers proceeded to serve a bountiful and delicious dinner to the students. The diet the boys typically eat isn’t that nourishing or flavorful, so this meal was an enormous treat for them. After the meal, each of the volunteers took a part in explaining the meaning of the day, the people who made it possible, and the hope we have in them. We then announced the various gifts for the school made possible by numerous donations including new sports equipment, new sports jerseys, a sound system, and new chalk boards located throughout campus. We tried to give a gift to each of the departments of the school: athletics, entertainment, and academics. As you can imagine, the students cheered, shouted, and celebrated upon the news of these fantastic gifts. Quite appropriately, we celebrated the end of the day with a disco (dance), and the boys danced the night away, only coming to an end when the sounds system had to be returned to MIRACLE.

Though Christmas on Campus here took a little bit of a different form than what I came to know at UD, I could visibly see the way that this day touched the hearts of many of these students. I could see in the smiles, laughter, and sincere moments of gratitude that they appreciate how gifted they are and how much of a gift this day was. I could sense that the small and simple gift of this day of familial celebration filled their hearts with the joy and love of Christ, and to me, that is what Christmas is all about.

With that, I would like to thank all of those who made these gifts possible, including my mom. My mom worked diligently to bring together a fantastic fundraiser which raised many of the fund that made the meals, gifts, and materials available for this day. Several other donors including Kat’s parents made this day possible. Thank all of you for the gift you have shared with these students.

I know it’s still a bit early, but Merry Christmas!