At Christmas times, many Cambodia shops sell Santa Claus outfits, for children and adults.
	This little girl's family bought her a Christmas outfit. They probably know nothing about the birth of Jesus and maybe just something about the jolly old man who brings gifts.
	This year a Chinese festival occurred in the week leading up to Christmas and these men were burning paper gifts to please the spirits of their deceased relatives.

	An annual feature of the pre-Christmas preparations in Catholic circles in Cambodia is the Christmas Bazaar put on by the students of the Salesian Sisters Technical School for Girls in Tuol Kok. Actually the students come from two of the sisters' schools to combine to organize a day of fun and food and games and music. Here is one of the simple games that are especially popular with the children.
	Many different types of Cambodian snack food and sandwiches are provided in a large covered area. This is one of the team, ready with their wok to stir-fry a combination of noodles and vegetables. The school uses the bazaar as a fund-raiser and just a fun activity to get the girls interested and excited.
	The bazaar provides a destination for groups of students hanging out on this Sunday before Christmas and, of course, teenagers are always ready to eat.
	One of the favorite drinks offered at the bazaar--indeed, one of the favorite drinks of Cambodia—is sugar cane juice. But someone has to strip the bark off the sugar cane before it can be run through a mill that squeezes out the sugary juice that is poured over ice.
	Loud music and lots of dances are a recurring part of the bazaar. Here the girls present a traditional dance that portrays the meaning and uses of the khramas, the simple cotton cloths or scarves that everyone has in this country.

	During the week we cannot rent our usual night-time venue at World Vision so we move to the Korean Diakonos Center near the Maryknoll office. Here Fr. Bob and the entrance procession enter the hall for Christmas Eve mass.
	We have to bring our own decorations for the walls as well as all the things we need for mass. One problem at the Korean Center is that they don't have a microphone system that fits a Catholic mass.
	We bring a simplified crib set with us for this Christmas Eve mass, just a few statues and some straw and candles. After mass this family posed for their photo with the manger scene.

	Christmas Day is a work day in Cambodia so we started the day with the third of our Education Project graduations, this time in Phnom Penh. This girl's sister and brother joined her for the happy day.
	Before the graduation ceremony ended, I took off after some hurried goodbyes and took a motorcycle taxi across town to St. Joseph Church for the Christmas Day English mass. The Khmer morning mass was already over so the church yard was a bit empty when I arrived early before our mass. Each year the church puts up a large artificial tree with lights.
	Next to the tree at the church is a large almost life-sized nativity scene. It's built new every year, with a slightly different design. That's one of the beauties of Cambodia. People can make anything with almost nothing in no time at all. It's great for celebrating special days and events.
	Finally at the end of the day, all the Maryknollers gathered at our office for a Christmas dinner together. The other Maryknoll projects worked today also so this was the first chance we had to come together. We also invited various foreigners who are alone in Cambodia and don't have a family or community to celebrate with.

Go to Mission Journal 1015