christmas pageant

For the month of December some of the teachers have been working on the christmas program. They have taken kids out of each class for parts in the play. Mark was picked for Joseph and chisomo was the lead angel. Every day at 1130 they would go to the office to rehearse. Then this last week of school on Monday they went to the church for dress rehearsal at 11. Tuesday got rained out and the program was on for Wednesday. I still had no idea what was really going to happen or be portrayed but was quite excited to see it. so Wednesday came and the invitation said to come at 1030 (though we wanted to start at 11) (the school team had wanted to put 1000 or even 930 for the same actual start time). Those in the pageant went over at 9 to practice again (Monday was evidently a shambles). The rest of us came over at 10. We were a part of the choir. Got to see a little bit of rehearsal. It was an adorable production. Teacher Patience was the narrator (using the microphone just made everything fuzzy but we all know the story) the kids said their lines…we had Herod with 2 soldiers who marched for all they were worth and shouted their orders at the first row of the audience…the inn keeper who told mary and joseph there was no room so mary and joseph had to continue their journey around the communion table with mary saying “I’m tired” and joseph responding “it’s ok” all the way around…3 times as the first 2 had full inns. The 3 year olds were all angels who followed chisomo as the choir of angels. I think it went very well. At the end of the play the school team made a presentation of Christmas gifts: umbrellas for the teachers, Dorothy got a wooden puzzle of Africa (the pieces were African animals), pictures in a frame, and a booklet with well wishes and thanks from the teachers, and I got a book on Malawi and a booklet with some photos and notes from my kids. We both said a few words but had to keep it short because the tears were threatening to start.