Fete de Noel a Seminaire de Theologie

The last day of classes before Christmas break at the Seminaire de Theologie was Friday, December 20. Sonley Joseph, a fourth year seminarian, was also defending his thesis that morning. With the students heading home for the Christmas break the next day, and Sonley’s achievement to celebrate, I felt a party was in order! Selfishly, this also allowed me to have one more night with the whole community before they joined their families for the holidays and I was on my own.

At Seminarie de Theologie, each student has a particular assignment or responsibility linked to the school. Wilden, a second year student, serves as the Comisaire, or coordinator of all the food and special functions. We discussed the possibility of a party and he loved the idea. So did the rest of the students. Wilden solicited input from everyone and finalized the plans.

For those who may not know me, Christmas is my favorite time of year. In many ways, it is probably the hardest season for me to be away from my family and the traditions that I hold so dear. Beginning the weekend after Thanksgiving, I begin celebrating Christmas by wearing holiday clothing including earrings, of course, and decorating the house from top to bottom. The decorating is definitely a team effort- I deliver the decorations from the attic and my husband Eric puts everything in its proper place!

So, all in all, this Christmas party was going to help put me in the full Christmas spirit. In addition to planning some simple decorations, I asked the seminarians to wear something red or green. When I learned that no one had red or green clothes, I told them that I would get hats. The initial response was “we are not children”. I chose to ignore them ☺

Beginning Friday morning, Wilden, Reginald (another seminarian), Youlen, Jeanine and I divided the task list and went to work. There were a few hours when everyone attended Sonley’s defense of his thesis-which, by the way, was FABULOUS- and then returned to the work at hand.

There were a couple of final details to address. I searched high and low for red and green paper goods. Not to be found in Port au Prince, at least not where I could venture on foot. I also had not found the Santa hats in the quantity that I needed. I was a little disheartened and decided to visit one last place. I settled for white paper goods and approached the check out line. Lo and behold, on top of the kioske by the register was an entire package of Santa hats! They were not ordinary hats either- they had electrified stars! I had brought a supply of AA batteries from the states, so we were all set.

As I arrived at the Seminary with the last of the needed items, ready to have the students start decorating, I was met by Father Oge. He needed to meet with seminarians for “10 minutes”. As is common in Haitian culture, 10 minutes turned into 45 minutes. By the time the students returned to the dining room, the space was decorated, the table filled with a wonderful buffet of food and all the hats loaded with batteries and in full chasing light mode! Everyone was completely surprised and excited by what they saw. Despite earlier grumblings, they eagerly took a hat. Someone got Father Oge, who opened the festivities with a prayer. This was quickly followed by popping the cork on the champagne and starting the music.

With this, the open space of the common room immediately turned into a dance floor-Compas Cha Cha Cha, Rumba and other native dances. Everyone was dancing for the next two hours. Students who had seemed quiet and reserved transformed into incredibly skilled and intense dancers. Wilden and Michel were probably the biggest surprises of the group. Wilden is usually soft spoken. He spent the evening dancing with every woman at the party and demonstrated the most intricate steps of anyone in the group. Michel, who rarely smiles let alone laughs, completely relaxed. At the beginning of the evening, he did not even want to stand close to women in photographs. As the party continued, he took the initiative to ask women to dance and was beaming from ear to ear.

Some friends of the seminary had been invited to the party. At 9 p.m., Sonley announced that it was time for them to go. Sonley later explained that, though acceptable for the seminarians to invite people from the community to events and have fun, it is also important to know when it is the time to bring the festivities to a close. Sonley felt this was an important reminder to the public that the seminarians, in the absence of the Dean, are able to act with wisdom and good judgment.

By 9:30 p.m. the seminarians began to call it a night and head to their rooms. The evening had really brought the community together and allowed me to get to know the seminarians better. It was also an important reminder that, colored musical lights, candy canes and flashing Santa hats aside, Christmas is really about a family bonded in the love of Christ. That is what Abiade, Jean Fils, Margarette, Marie, Michel, Micheline, Reginald, Sonley, Wilden and Wilkey have become for me. They do not replace my own family. Rather, they are an extension of my family, having joined others that I love in Kenya and elsewhere.