Christmas Haven

Beyond the gift of life that we all acknowledge to have received from God, I think there are so three more gifts that are important. These are; the gift of people be it in family or friends, the gift of the meaning of Christmas and the gift of self. This Christmas has been one of the most exciting moments of my life in Norway and a landmark may be for ever. Beyond that a Christmas like never before. May be you are curious of what happened or the experience. I spent the Christmas in Fogn with the Volds invited by a good friend Finn. There is so much to tell about it but I should start by painting a picture of Fogn.

First Fogn is a small Island north of Stavanger with a population of about three hundred and twenty, may be twenty one, two, three or four… people. If you have heard of the times that Kings never excited in Israel and everyone knew what to do then Fogn is such a place. Or if you have ever read a book titled “Siku Njema” (Good day) and learnt of the dream of Kongowea Mswahili (the main character). The dream of a world of peace, natural harmonic existence such that no one has to lock doors to houses or cars, no need of police or even leaders then go to Fogn!! It also reminded me of my Kenyan village where we know everybody or rather almost everybody, we great them, we share with them and we welcome everybody. The true spirit of community and neighbourhood!!

With such a background then you can be sure I was in a haven of Christmas. Being in the Volds home was a great gift to begin with. Being with a family is one of the things that really fill my energy tank. I had this great feeling of being at home through out my stay and I never lost the gift of being myself. The playing around with the two girls Ester Alida and Inger Katrina, dinning with the family, going for walks together and relaxing like I do back home was a great gift. And this is the gift of people.

It all started with the journey to Fogn with the boat once more, no fears this time, and an evening in a social gathering in one of the family’s friend who host a similar party every year for the last 10 years. Later together with Finn we attended a youth meeting till early morning. The Christmas eve (24th Dec) which is the peak of Christmas celebration in Norway start with eating one of the most typical Norwegian ‘uji’ called ‘ris grøt’ which is made from rice and milk before the service. The Christmas service is very important in this land and the churches are usually full. Amazingly it was the first time since I started attending Norwegian services did we sing a song that there was some clapping hands and some sort of dancing. You can be sure I had missed this so much so I did it with all enthusiasm.

I can’t miss out on telling you about the Christmas dinner which is a special meal in Norway. Several times before I had been asked severally by friends what I will be eating for Christmas, it was ‘ribe’. These are pork ribs oven heated for about 2 hours or so. It was a great shift from my normal ‘mbuzi choma’ or ‘kuku karanga’ (roasted goat meat or fried chicken) back home. I received so many Christmas gifts than I ever anticipated this is a beautiful thing, don’t you think so? Then the dancing around the Christmas tree singing Christmas songs! I hadn’t imagined how fun it could be until it happened. We had many moments to focus on the true gift of Christmas and that is the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Without this I think Christmas would be another fun having event but not with the Volds. The moments to have talks with each other and reflect on different issues to do with our faith were beautiful moments. The several Christmas services added beauty to it.

The history of the island goes back to 500AD. Several historic sites as war centres and graves that old exist well preserved. The beauty of nature exciting so naturally was breath taking as we took the walk on the 26th before coming back to the city. As I left Fogn for Stavanger, I had a deep feeling of loss that I was living the family I had so become a part of though in few days, yet a feeling of gain because I had made good friends. I loved it that I lived out to have the gifts that I think are also important too: the true meaning of Christmas, the gift of people and the gift of self. It was fulfilling and refreshing. I look forward to living everyday with these gifts and the ultimate truth; Christmas is not an event but rather a life with Christ in our hearts!!!! What is better than that?

Ice Skating

On the 'vintersolverv' (this is 22nd of Dec when the sun starts coming back from the south and it starts getting lighter gradually on the north) at 11am our friend Tom picked us to go and try skating. This was my first time to try that and as everything new, I was afraid. But I decided that the worst that could happen to me would only be falling on the ice which won’t be a big deal as such. By the end of it I had made about 9 rounds on the field with several falls on the ice. Tom would lift me up every time I fell. Amazing there was some kids who new how to do the thing quite well. I made some friends. One of the young girls may be about 7yrs came over and held one of my hands as the other was on the wall and she became my couch for a round. Sooner after she had left some two more kids may be about 9 and 10 years old called Martha from USA and Caroline from Denmark came over and gave me a good lesson on skating, how to keep my skates straight and balancing my hands. Well it was good fun and I was so excited to try it out.

Above how it was at the begining and below finally at the end!

What I want to share with you is some reflections I had as I went round the field several times and falling severally. It is obvious that I was afraid and I had some fears about the whole thing. And Tom asked me at the start, ‘are you afraid Sammy?’ I said back to him ‘let see when I try it out’. The first time on the ice was very scarily and I almost felt that I can’t make it, but I thought ‘mmh am just afraid because I have never tried this before’ and beyond that the host of kids watching around made me think that I just can’t flick out! And so I did it close to the wall for support. By the end of the first round I was not afraid any more!! In the next several rounds that I did I became stronger and better in trying every time I did it. This was a big lesson for me on over coming fear by trying the things am afraid of. Well am still very much afraid of swimming and this comes with adjacent complications too especially the public shower thing. Am still considering whether am going to try it out on the 27th when we go swimming with Finn Ivar.

Jule Måneden

I have always wished that I could write like whispers my writing hero. Whispers was a humour writer on the Sunday Nation a few years a go in Kenya who left to be with his maker. But beyond that I don’t make to do it every week. But..eeh… I finished my paper and reports and also did a Norwegian language test, that sounds like reason enough… may be not very convincing. The winter has also caught up with me may be. It is dark when I wake up and a few hours after lunch so it becomes again. The temparature is just above zero when it is not below. And on a typical day just dress as you can see. Suits are only used in parties.


All the same, many things have been happening in this ‘Jule Måneden’. Jule is Christmas and the later just means ‘the month’. If I had ever seen Jule celebrated it is this year and by the way when you read ‘Jule’ read it as ‘Yule’. Actually it takes a lot of planning. I have a friend who told me that she started planning for Christmas in June. The way to do is to do lots of shopping, planning where to be during Christmas, parties before Christmas, Christian concerts and Carol services. If you walked in any store in Norway you will find ‘Jule…’ everything. I mean Julebrus (Christmas juice/drinks), julekake (Christmas cake) and many more. You may wonder why am making a big deal out of this. But back home we think about Christmas not much before it appears, and no much of ‘Christmas everything’. And we also celebrate Christmas on 25th unlike on 24th (Christmas Eve), with eating a goat or several chicken.

The Christmas cake house and the calender. This was made with our team leader in his house and will be eaten after Christmas.
There is an extensive ‘Jule Calendar’ having various activities from 1st the 24th of the month. All this is called the Advent period. I am sure my mother is more familiar with this than I am. I actually just remembered her favourite sermon during Christmas time, and it is amazing every time I listen to it. Now that am going to miss it this year let me tell you just a bit of it. It goes like; ‘Tukiririkana guchiarwo gwa gakenge Yesu, reke gachiarwo ngoro ini’ (as we remember the birth of the baby Jesus, let Christ be born in our hearts). It has many other words and it is usually in my mother tongue as you have learnt already. Back to the calendar days’; there is a day to go out singing to your neighbours and this is 13th, to light the ‘jule tre’ (Christmas tree), making a Christmas cake house (‘jule hus’) and many other things for everyday.


On 7th of 'Jule Måneden’ the Student group in University of Stavanger organised a prayer evening. It was a time to thank God together as the student group for the year, for those sitting for exams, for the festive season, and also for the student ministry in the coming year. I loved participating in the planning and being part of the evening. As part of celebrating Christmas the group organised what is called ‘Julebørd’. I have already told you that everything this month has a ‘jule’ aspect in it. This is would literary mean ‘Christmas table’ and surely it was, because it was a Christmas party. Coupled with indigenous Norwegian foods which at first tasted exotic to me was a lot of singing Christmas songs. Well, I had just joined the praise and worship team in church just a month before leaving home, though my close friends thought it was the wrong ministry for me because of the long time it takes to put my voice to harmony with others, I am surely having good practise with lots of singing this Christmas. Watch this space!!!

Above students singing in the prayer meeting and below, Vidar (left) and Sigurd (right) in the Julebørd.

Over this ‘Jule’ my team mate and I will be spending and celebrating it with the family of one of our friends in an Island called Fogn. This is about 30 to 40 minutes ride in a motor boat. I have always been water-phobic; well to set things right I mean water-transport-phobic. But this weekend I tried it out and it wasn’t that scarily after all. Not only did I do the 40min to Fogn but first was a 2 hours ride to Sauda on Friday to visit a student group. As always spending time with students is always very energizing and activity filled especially on such an occasion where they were teenagers. The morning came sooner than I had expected. Sauda had much more snow than I had seen in Stavanger and so I did promise myself to go back and try skiing early next year. I also visit Tørd’s family (Tørd is a fellow student at Hald and in Kenya for internship) who were getting ready to go to Kenya next week and visit Tørd. That is when on our way back we visited the Volds at Fogn our host for Christmas. I am looking forward to spend time with them and have a taste of the Norwegian Christmas. You have something to look forward to when I return! 'God Jul og Godt Nytt År!!!' (Merry Christmas and happy new year). Keep smiling!

Martha (Tørd's sister) playing a Christmas song during our visit in Sauda.