You remember the Old Testament miracle how the widow and her son had enough to eat during a famine because God somehow kept her flour and oil from running out? Well, I think something similar happened to us Christmas Day, when I had 6 other women with me in my kitchen preparing the meal.
I had found out beforehand, just in case, that the small shop opposite would be open Christmas Day in case of need, and even though out of stock at that time would have their gas bottles restocked Christmas Eve in case mine ran out.
I started cooking at 6am after getting up at 4.30am to phone the family in Australia, and as dish followed dish into the oven (roast potatoes, carrots, onions, and reheating others’ chickens) and pot after pot on the stove (beans, rare broccoli and cauliflower found just the day before, cranberry relish, hot water for fruit teas) I wondered if the gas would hold out.
With relief I finished stirring the cheese sauce mix before we all (7 single lady missionaries from 18 to 50’s and one little 5 year old African boy) sat down to eat, thinking I maybe miscalculated how far along the gas bottle was.
After the meal we watched 2007’s Melbourne Carols by Candlelight on video and then dispersed for siestas before remeeting at another home for supper and a Christmas video - so I didn’t use the stove the rest of the day. Boxing Day morning after a little sleep-in my thoughts naturally turned to a nice cup of tea … but the gas was bone-dry, not even a tiny spurt of flame. I kept trying the different knobs at different levels before giving up and sending the empty bottle across the road to the shop for a refill.
Leah came back - no gas bottles had ever arrived at the store and they had no idea when the truck would next come. That’s when it struck me that the gas had kept going long enough for our Christmas meal but no further, and had not run out while there was no possibility of refilling it.
I eventually refilled the bottle later in the day after trying at another store a little further away redirected by the second seller I visited, also empty.
I had been praying that the celebration at my place would be a good experience, had spent extra time in getting the house looking welcoming and Christmasy (eg. after 14 years and 7 moves had the scratched furniture revarnished), especially since for most of the younger short-termers it was their first Christmas in Africa or away from home, and they had already noticed how they missed the Christmas atmosphere they were used to since celebrations are so different and lower key here. So maybe it was just an extra Christmas present …!?
