Per the request of Fr. Ed, I have written about my first Christmas I spent at Bosco. It was a year ago, but I remember it like it was yesterday. I just wrote it tonight, but you wouldn't be able to tell that. I wasn't going to post it, but I feel like i need to share how it was, so here goes.

Christmas 2006 In Jamaica (Dec. 24, 2006):

Today was indescribable. The only word that even comes close to describing it is “magical”. It started out slow, but it got better. I have been installing sound systems the whole time since Wright State left, and I finished my last one today. I woke up and ate my breakfast. I was eager to go to Grand Market with the boys. Grand Market is a Jamaican tradition where everyone gathers in town to do their last minute holiday shopping. There are all kinds of people around and all kinds of sales. It is a chance for the boys to get out of Bosco and see Mandeville, which they don’t get to do very often. I was kind of disappointed when Sr. Susan told me that I had to stay at Bosco until I got the last system in the dorms installed. The final steps, however, were out of my control. I had to wait on the welder to make the cages to surround the speakers on the concrete wall. So I went out on the playfield and spent time with some boys, which I really haven’t gotten to do much since I have been busy in the ceiling of the dorms all week. That was fun. I would check on the welder about every hour, and I have to say, he is probably the slowest person to wait on when you are in a hurry. It got to be time for Sr. Mimi to take a group of 20 or so of the younger boys into town for Grand Market. They all dressed up in bright yellow shirts so they would not get lost. Sr. Mimi and Leslie (a woman who Pat “Santa” Kelly brought to be an elf for Christmas) took the boys into town. I still waited around, just wanting to go to Grand Market. He finally got the cages painted, but they had to dry before we could install them. Two hours later, they still weren’t dry because it was way too hot outside for oil-based paint to dry. The boys returned from Grand Market and started showing me what trinkets they bought. Leslie told me how great of a time she had with the boys…I was jealous needless to say. It came time for the older boys to go to Grand Market. This group walks independently into town because supposedly they are older and more mature. They are only allowed to go into town if they have had 4 passes (or 4 weeks of good behavior). Again, I didn’t go with them because I was literally waiting for paint to dry. I had given up hope on going to Grand Market. I knew I was missing out, but I also knew that I came to Jamaica to help out, and these sound systems are more important than me going to Grand Market. Eventually the paint dried enough for us to install them over the speakers, so we did. That was the last step in getting the sound system installed. We installed 8 speakers in the dormitories, and after checking all of them to make sure they worked, the system was done. It does look nice, I have to admit. Sr. Susan is planning to use it as a music therapy program. In the morning when the boys wake up, they will wake to upbeat music to wake them. Conversely at night, when they go to bed, they will go to sleep to soothing music. Sr. Susan says it is a way to reduce stress and depression that most of these boys go through. I just hope it works. I spent a few more hours on the playfield with the boys after finishing up the system.

Then came the highlight of my trip. I met everyone (but the boys of course) down at the Convent. Sr. Susan had gone through the “gameplan” last night at dinner for what tonight was going to be about, so I knew the plan. While Santa was getting ready, she went to the school and started to tell the boys all about the Christmas story. I walked up there with her, because I wanted to be with the boys all through this experience. As I walked in the rec room, I swear I could hear a pin drop. I could feel the anxiety and excitement in the room, and nothing had happened yet. After Sr. told her story, she invited the choir boys (or what was left of them, who didn’t go home) to lead everyone in Christmas songs. The boys got so excited. During the 4th or 5th song, the lights in the rec room went out and a bell was heard ringing. Again, the boys erupted in excitement. They knew it was Santa. Sr. made them be quiet to make sure they heard it was him. His 2 elves came into the room followed by him. As soon as he entered, the boys erupted in applause. It was so amazing. I have never seen these boys so happy. Sr. made them be quiet again so she could give instructions. She had all of the new boys to line up to sit on Santa’s lap and tell them whether they had been naughty or nice. About 20-25 of them lined up. A few of them spent a lot of time on Santa’s lap. I found out later from him that most of the boys really do open their hearts up to him about their troubles in life. They do more than just tell him what they want. It’s kind of like a confession for them. I see why he comes back every year (this was his 16th straight Christmas at Bosco). After the line was over, it was time to hand out the presents. Every boy was given a pillowcase that had gifts that were carefully chosen for each boy (based on behavior) by Sr. Mimi. They weren’t allowed to open them until each boy got one and they had to be silent while they were being passed out. That was next to impossible, given the situation, but we managed. Then Sr. said the magic words “you can open your presents now”. Then the chaos began. To my amazement, the only words I heard the boys say were words of thanks to Santa and everyone for the presents they got. I was expecting more selfish comments like “wow, a new truck” or “it’s just what I wanted.” I took a few minutes to take in what was happening. It was awesome. The boys would come up to me and show me their new toys. They wanted me to take their pictures, so I did. Eventually, one of the boys came up to me and asked me “Matt, what is your favorite part about Christmas?” Without a second thought, I anwered “being here with you boys.” He replied “but shouldn’t you be spending Christmas at home with your family?” I said “well yeah, but I have spent many Christmases with them, I want to spend this one with you.” It upset me a little that he didn’t feel like he was worthy enough for me to spend such a special time with them. I saw him start to think about what I just said, then he looked at me and seeing that I didn’t get a bag ( I wasn’t supposed to get a bag) he offered me his. He said “here, since you didn’t get to spend Christmas with your family, here is my bag.” I couldn’t accept it. I wasn’t here for the toys. I told him that, but the whole idea that I gave up being with my family and getting things for Christmas was too much for him to comprehend. Something that was almost too much for me to comprehend was just how giving and caring these boys are. Here I am giving everything of myself for them not expecting anything in return. They have nothing, but yet they are still so giving of what they do have. For them, its not about the material things, its about surviving in life and being successful. It really makes me not take for granted all the gifts that I have been given in life. After lots of pictures and boys showing me what they got, it was time to leave. I had to go eat dinner with the sisters and Santa at the convent. I was filled to the brim with emotion on leaving that room. I had to take time to take it all in. Like I said, it was a magical experience. It made my entire trip worth it, even if I didn’t get to go to Grand Market. I felt like I was on top of the world. We all ate dinner, and shared our experiences. Then I went back to my house and rested a little bit before going to Midnight Mass, which is what I am actually waiting for right now. After Christmas dinner tomorrow, which we all serve the boys at the Catering Hall, I will be leaving to go to Negril for the night. I am going to miss these boys so much, and I just pray every day that I will end up back here some day. There is literally not a single day that goes by where I don’t think about these boys. They have become such a huge part of my life, and I am realizing that I have become a part of their lives as well. One thing, however that I have realized is that no matter how much I try, there is no way to change who these boys are and what they do. What I can do, however, is make a difference in their lives. If I am able to do that, I have succeeded. In closing, I just want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and I hope everyone is doing even half as well as I am right now.