Greetings to our Friends and Family
About a week prior to Christmas we joined the entire Zone on the Island (14 of us) as well as President and Sister Nelson, our mission leaders, for a joint preparation day. We traveled to the north part of the Island, the Turkish occupied portion. It’s probably a 1 ½ hr. drive from our apartment. It involves crossing two borders, the U.N. border and the Turkish border. Passports are required for entry and documentation of vehicle insurance. We lunched at a little restaurant identified by the elders, because they had previously visited and recommended the shawarmas. Yum!
We then attempted to visit the St. Hilarion Castle, arriving at 2:40 but they were closed because they’re on winter hours now…very odd because there was no sign of winter to us!
Well it’s Christmas Day here in Larnaca, Cyprus where we’ve been now for almost two weeks. We’re nearing the end of our jet lag I hope but still very much overwhelmed at all the cultural adjustments necessary to establish ourselves here. Certainly, language is at times a hurdle, though the church functions in English, but not all the members speak English. It’s like going to church at the United Nations each week. There are truly people here from so many different countries. We will be somewhat limited in what we can share with regards to photos, because a number of them will agree to having their photo taken but ask that it not be shared on social media because in some cases they fear for their lives. Several of them are asylum seekers and are here hoping to begin a new life.
We participated in a service project last week in Ayia Napa,
about 30 minutes away. We visited a
hotel where a large number of refugees were housed and could remain for only
three months. That very day an
immigration officer came to inform some of the residents that their time was up
and they had to leave early January.
Leave meant going to a homeless camp here in Larnaca, a much less desirable
situation. Nonetheless we were there to
provide a simple Christmas for the 80 children of the refugee families. Simple was an understatement. It meant a coloring book and crayons for each
child. We wrapped and categorized the
various books into ages, genders, etc.
Elder Kiddle executed his skills at tree decorating much to the delight
of some of the children who came to enjoy the lights and decorations. An Iranian woman with twin three-year-old
daughters was one of those who received a notice to leave. She was so devastated but her countenance
changed when she was able to show her girls the tree and the gifts to be received
at a later time. It was so gratifying to
do such a simple task that you knew would be so welcomed. Such perspective for the abundance that often
lies beneath our Christmas tree.
We had a simple but fun Christmas
party with the Larnaca Branch members.
Again, it was a reminder of the sometimes excessive nature of fluff we
impose on our group gatherings. Food,
visiting, music and nurturing friendships.
It’s been a simple Christmas and
that’s fine. In the absence of the often
busyness of the season we’ve spent more time in reflection and simplicity and
enjoyed that. Certainly we’ve missed the
connections with friends and family, but phone calls have sufficed.
Christmas Eve was spent with the 10 young elders and sisters and another senior couple on the Island. Other than the other senior couple, all of our young missionaries are from Europe. We’ve got Italy, Norway (2), France, Germany (2), Switzerland, Sweden (2), and Denmark represented. They are remarkable young people with such devotion and we’re so grateful to serve alongside them. Each brought a dish from their homeland and we a had a nice mix of delectables. We had a couple of ideas for our dish but finding necessary ingredients was a challenge, so we resorted to pork tenderloin with mustard sauce sprinkled with pomegranates and scalloped potatoes. It was a win for sure. We did a Secret Santa exchange, Christmas movie and Zoom with the entire mission and the evening was complete.
We’ll go back to Nicosia today for more food, games and festivities. Late afternoon we’ll visit an U.S. embassy family who attend the Nicosia Branch and visit there. Our names are often confused so we must meet. They are the Criddles!! Update – it’s now Boxing Day (because we still claim our Canadian roots). We had a lovely time meeting the embassy family and enjoyed a wonderful traditional turkey Christmas dinner. So many new friends.
We often pause and wonder how in the world we got where we
are when we did. At times it all seems a
blur because it all occurred so quickly and all of a sudden we found ourselves
on a beautiful island in the Mediterranean.
But at the end of each day we offer gratitude for this choice, unique
and sacred privilege that is ours to be an instrument in God’s hands to bless
the lives of those we cross paths with.
It is a minute offering of gratitude for all that we have been granted. We trust you’ve enjoyed a joyous Christmas
season with dear ones and that the spirit of the season will linger in your
lives and make a difference in how you approach each day. We are so grateful for the influence you’ve
had upon our lives and look forward to how the New Year will unfold. Here’s to 2024!!!
Much love,
Elder and Sister Kiddle
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Enjoy your blog and the spirit of missionary work that you exude! Keep up the good work!
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