Christmas Decorating
at Maryknoll Sisters

15 December 2010

There aren't many Christmas events in Buddhist Cambodia.  If you're a child in an international school, there will be some Christmas parties and fun, and some of the NGOs sponsored by religious groups will have some Christmas observance, but, by and large, Christmas is ignored by society although the young people are getting more and more involved with gift giving.  The Maryknoll community has a fairly low-key observance also, but one certain fixture of the season is going to the sisters' house to decorate.

The decorating started at 4:30 PM on this Wednesday when we normally have a Maryknoll NGO meeting. Srs. Helene O'Sullivan and Mary Little took the decorating seriously and worked on the tree together.
 Srs. Helene O'Sullivan and Mary Little
Others took the opportunity to catch up on the news while the rest of the crew toiled.  ...Ahem, Sr. Luise Ahrens and Fr. Bob Wynne!
 Sr. Luise and Fr. Bob Wynne
Still others made their way to the kitchen for the cookie decorating. Sami Scott and Kevin Conroy practiced their decorating skills without falling into the cookie-maker's pattern: Decorate two, eat one. Decorate two, eat one....
 Sami Scott, Kevin Conroy, Alice, and Susan Sporl
When the decorating was finished, there was nothing to do but sing Christmas carols while waiting for the pizza to arrive.  Peg Vamosy provided guitar accompaniment.
 Waiting for the pizza
Finally the pizzas arrived and Sr. Helene, Bill Burns, Sr. Mary, Sami Scott, and Sr. Luise began to circle the table.
 Putting out the pizza
Alice Marianito (dark shirt), a member of the Philippines Catholic Lay Mission group, will be leaving us this week to return to mission in the Philippines.  Sami Scott (standing,left) spoke of Alice's contributions and thanked her for her service in Cambodia.

 


 Tribute to Alice Marianito
The sisters' presence was different this year for their group photo. Sr. Regina has returned to work in the United States, Sr. Len is away leaving (l-r) Srs. Luise, Ann (visiting from Korea), Mary, and Helene.
 Srs. Luise, Ann, Mary, and Helene
The rest of the evening was spent in singing all the old Christmas songs and carols, led by Peg Vamosy on the guitar. Peg put together the music and printed copies for everyone.
 Singing Christmas carols
Having fun in front of the camera, Kathy Morefield, Meding Tan, Lindsay Doucette, Alice Marianito, and Susan Sporl pose for a Christmas 2010 remembrance photo.
 Christmas angels

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