Christmas Eve

Fr. Paul invited me to go with him for Christmas Eve Mass in the village of Yeh which is about 10 minutes off the main road.  We were accompanied by the seminarian who is helping in Kikaikelaki parish and Sr. Rosalia (who works at the Bishop's house).  When we got there, the church was empty except for two ladies who were cleaning. There had been some mis-communication so they weren't expecting a mass tonight. However, while Fr. Paul and the seminarian were putting on their vestments and preparing for mass, the ladies rang the mass bell and people (women and children mostly) started showing up. Sr. Rosalia and I sat down by the choir and joined in the singing.

The church was the smallest I've been in since coming to Cameroon; I doubt it could have held 50 people. There was no electricity, so the light was provided by the two candles on the altar and by an electric lantern the seminarian had remembered to bring. It was a beautiful Mass. The people were very happy that Father had come and were still singing Christmas carols when we left.