Cam Karama Ma Ber

Pronunciation: Ch-am Ka-rah-mah Mah Bay

Literal translation: “Have Christmas very well”

Meaning: “Have a nice Christmas!”

While many around the world are sitting around a Christmas tree opening gifts brought by Santa Claus with family, I am celebrating a different kind of day. 

This year I decided to stay in Kitgum and be with some of my youth group and with some of the Meeting Point staff.  Before braving the heat I prepared an awesome breakfast of bacon, cheesy eggs with green peppers and onions, toast, coffee, and orange juice.

Whoop there it is!

As I left my home for town I ran into some of the kids from our end of the year celebration last weekend.  After our usual greetings I asked how their Christmas was going.  They explained they were heading to church for prayer.  No talk about Santa, new toys or gifts, which would typically be the response to that question when asked in America.  I asked what their Christmas plans were and all at once they responded, “Lots of meat and soda!” 

This was the highlight of their day.  Chicken and Mirinda, think grape soda.

This got me thinking.  For those in the States who consume meat can usually do so whenever they wish.  Whether it is sandwiched between two pieces of bread, sliced on top of a bed of greens, or a fillet accompanied with a sauce of some sort, it is affordable and readily available.  A chicken costs $20 USD and for holidays a family is expected to serve pork, beef, goat, and if you are lucky, swamp rat along with the white meat. 

Let’s talk about soda.  Americans can get this in a can, a bottle, or from a fountain and again, for a cheap price.  Well even though you can find bottled Fanta here for $0.40 USD, it is too expensive for someone to enjoy on a regular basis. 

Not on Christmas.

Today I spotted lines at the soda depots, where you can buy sodas by the crate.  Bodas drove through town with four strapped to the back, taking them to various celebrations. Chickens were few as they were being slaughtered. 

The Coke depot in town where the line was apparently tripled in length earlier in the morning

After bathing I ventured into town where I went to my favorite supermarket to visit with Florence and her family.  I brought my computer with me where we watched Elf and boy did I have a lot of explaining to do about Christmas traditions in America.  Thank you Will Ferrell for portraying the idea that we eat pasta coated with syrup and candy for all our meals and sleep in window displays of department stores.

I then headed to my Supervisor’s house for lunch where we indulged in pasted beef, smoked beef, potatoes, cabbage, and your spread of carbohydrates, including rice, potatoes, pasta, and sweet potatoes.  One thing I noticed was missing was greens, which is a staple in a typical Ugandan meal.  Ketty explained to me that greens on Christmas are unacceptable as it is considered poor food.

I then gave out gifts to the children including sweets, glowing bouncy balls, a dancing reindeer wind-up toy, and a magic Christmas tree, the last two coming from Five Little Monkeys.  Thanks Melissa!  For Ketty I brought the expected gift of sugar, which she was very appreciative for.

Sweeties delivered to a special someone on Christmas Day!

One of my co-workers Santo also stopped by Ketty’s to visit and before I knew it I was at his place meeting his newborn baby boy, Maber.  Pronunciation: Mah-bay.  His wife insisted on feeding me but my stomach couldn’t handle pork or any of the other numerous steaming dishes she had on standby.  After a polite decline, Ketty and I then headed to visit the homes of the village elders.  While these old women and I were unable to converse, the smiles were universally understood. 

As I left to venture back into town to take some wine with Florence I was surprised how quickly Christmas came and went.  My decision to remain in Kitgum and be with my community was one of the best decisions I could have made.

The outcome of "some wine..."

All I know is that while I am sad at the thought of leaving this place, I am excited to know that this time next year, I will be home. 

Family, Christmas lights on rooftops, evenings watching “It’s a Wonderful Life”, luminaires lining the sidewalks, church service in English, and other traditions that remind me of my past and will carry on into my future.