New Christmas traditions
The Mengen people are establishing their own Christmas traditions as they celebrate the birth of their Redeemer.
The team of missionaries serving among the Mengen people are from various countries each with their own traditions to mix with the Mengen celebration.
Lourens and Marie Laureti are from South Africa and their suggestions for a tropical Christmas were much closer to the Mengens. Potato salad and fresh bread are an important part of their culture while those from North America and Ireland tended toward pumpkin pie and stuffing.
The Americans put paper snowflakes in their windows and a miniature fireplace in their house to remind them of snowier days.
But to the Mengen palate there is nothing better than “fresh meat” – an imported rack of lamb available in some stores. That is a favorite treat this time of year so the Mengens decided it should be part of their Christmas traditions. This called for a mumu which involves putting the meat in the ground covering it with banana leaves and placing hot stones all around and then visiting until 3 in the morning while the meat cooked.
After a short nap, Mengens and missionaries gathered at about 8 a.m. to open the hole and share a Christmas feast together. Lourens shared with the believers a short sermon about Jesus coming to fetch us all at any time and the perfectly roasted meat and vegetables were dished out to everyone.
The Mengen believers and the missionaries all developed some new traditions.