I'm Dreaming of an Ayi Christmas

Just when we thought we'd let the Ayi's (housekeepers) in our area know what Christmas was all about...

They showed us! We gathered them to give them a few small gifts (socks, bandaids, combs, ear muffs etc). And yet, they came baring gifts! Check out that fruit carving above! And those pot stickers are dyed with grinded vegetable juice. They tried to make them Christmas colors.


Another carved flower with homemade cream puffs (only with sesame filling).


More deliciously cut fruit.

Really, who will eat this? Too pretty to touch!

Gorgeous!

And so yummy!

Wonder how long it took to learn!

So beautiful!

Then they sang for us a beautiful song they'd practiced.

And I begged the Christensens to serenade us.

Tami's really only 25 years old. Don't know if you knew that. Her daughters came in town for Christmas and they confirmed it. Girlfriend is young in every way! So unattached to pretention or material things. She is ready to be there for anyone in a split seccond to serve.

JiangJie is singing an old Chinese Opera song. She used to perform on TV here in China.

We were crying all over the place, they were so sweet to prepare for this little gathering.

Loves!

Zhangjie sang "Edelweiss", it was so beautiful it silenced the room.

Then they sang Tim and I's wedding song "YueLiang DiaBiao Wo De Xin"... or "the moon represents my heart". My mission companions sang this at my wedding.

A group hug to close the night! I'm in the Santa hat. I love Ayis from the North. They are considered the "islanders" of China. They'd give you the shirt off their back. They are very affectionate and love to help people. They would work for free if they could. Like Tami has said "Heaven is filled with BeiFang (northern) Ayis!" Oh to be as pure-hearted as they are naturally!