Christmas
dinner at Pedro’s
Ozarkers
experience holiday in the Bahamas
By
Gary John
Rolla
Not
exactly a typical Missouri Ozarks late December morning breeze greeted
our first of day sensations. It was a gentle soothing caress as opposed
to the sharp cutting cold we have become accustomed to in the Midwest of
the United States. This breeze came in from the pristine blue water of
Long Island, Bahamas. It was a Christmas dinner day in the Bahamas, a
day that we would find to be very unlike our more typical day back home
of cooking and cleaning for endless hours, preparing enough food to feed
at least twice the number needed.
After breakfast on the deck
of sister Penny and brother John’s home overlooking the open miles of
beautiful water, we prepared to embark on our much-anticipated day.
Cathie (my wife), Penny, John, mom Helen, mom “Nana” and I all piled
into the van and headed to the home of Pedro, a fellow who works for the
Long Island utility company and is somewhat of a local athletic hero. He
is a young man by seasoned adult standards with a family and a Christian
heart of great magnitude. This day was Pedro’s Christmas dinner day
and we didn’t want to be late.
Now, by our normal
standards being late would be to miss out on the pre-dinner stuff. The
snacks, drinks, samplings, socializing or whatever falls into the
category. Today, though, it was all about the people. These people, the
dinner guests, had one big restriction on attendance. If you were under
the age of 65 this dinner was not for you (the young ones cookout was to
be later). This Christmas dinner was open to anyone 65 or older that
wished to or could find transportation to Pedro’s home.
Finding transportation to
Pedro’s is another subject. On Long Island, the only public
transportation system is if someone is kind enough to stop and offer a
ride. The island is barely 70 miles long and averages around 3.5 miles
wide with one somewhat paved road down the middle. No golf courses,
trendy spas or bulging resorts. There are wild goats, signs of storm
damage from years ago and many, many friendly Bahamian people. It is an
island of many poor people with so many great stories to tell.
After arriving at Pedro’s
we were all anxious to begin the festivities. Today we had the privilege
to help seat and serve the honored guests. Rows of tables, covered by
large tents, were already in place. Coolers full of juices and bottled
water were already iced down. It was about 10:30 a.m. and we could feel
excitement from the others who were already there and had served in the
past couple of years.
Pedro gathered the
volunteers around and thanked us for coming, thanked God for his
goodness and gave us all a prelude to what would transpire. As the
dinner guests would arrive we would greet them, assist some of the more
elderly in getting seated and offer drink. Once the time for dinner was
to be served we would give all drink and begin serving.
Pedro told us that many
would ask for something we might find difficult to understand in the
thick Bahamian accent. He stated we would be requested for something
that might sound like “foi.” What they would be asking for was
aluminum foil. He explained that a Bahamian custom was to wrap food at
dinners or celebrations served on the initial serving in order to take
back to families at home. Many of these people would most likely be
enjoying the only large meal in the entire year and would share their
food fortune with those they live with. Some may live with 10 to 20
people from parents to great-grandchildren. As more food was served, the
guests would then enjoy their meal. Based on this, Pedro stated we would
serve the same food twice and that the dinner would take probably four
to five hours (which it did).
Around noon, the Christmas
dinner guests began to arrive. Many came by foot, others by church vans
or with friends. On this wonderful day almost 100 elderly Bahamian men
and women would enjoy the graciousness of their host, a big-hearted
mid-thirties Christian man.
As the vehicles stopped, I
would go and seek out those that needed walking assistance across the
grassy yard. One particular lady I seemed drawn to. She was so majestic
in her own way. She looked almost a century old, however identified her
age as being in the seventies. If standing upright she would have been
six feet tall but the years of stooping yielding a machete cutting grass
and grass, had strained her back. Her neck was thick and muscular, her
arms knotted with muscles and her grip on my hand as I assisted her was
like holding a vice. She wore a beautiful blue print dress with a dress
hat. No high-carb fat clung to her body. As I watched this majestic lady
visit with those around her, I desperately wanted to know everything she
had seen in her life.
Almost all the guests were
dressed in their finest. The women wore beautiful dresses with dress
hats and the men with white shirts and dress straw hats were all dressed
for the event of the year. They visited like they were with their best
of friends that they had not seen in several years. All were gracious
and polite. No pushing or shoving to get first in line but simply
polite, thankful and enjoying the moment with patient gratefulness.
With each round of salads,
bread, the main meal and then dessert, all would wrap in the generous
sheets of aluminum foil we supplied food to take home to their loved
ones. Cathie and I busied ourselves serving food, handing out juices and
busing tables, each fighting to meet more of these wonderful people.
Some of the people seemed shy at first; maybe it was because of our
white skin, but they seemed to warm to us after a period of time.
As the dinner seemed to be
winding down I thought all was about finished. How wrong can an Ozarkian
from Missouri be in the middle of the Bahamas? First, one of the elderly
ladies clinging to her cane slowly stood and began to sing The Old
Rugged Cross hymn. Soon well over half joined in, not missing a word
with no song books in hand. More Gospel hymns followed. What an awesome
experience, as could be attested by a few observed wiping of moist eyes.
A few stood to speak. Church pastors spoke and offered thanks and
prayers. Friends stood to speak of friendships, good and hard times and
those who had already departed this earth. Even local politicians spoke.
No opponent bashing, just speaking of progress and of the good life.
This was a most humbling experience to those who focus on material
stuff. These people spoke of life, friends and their God, not stuff.
The large gathering then
assembled for their traditional group picture session and Pedro’s gift
to each. The gift was a T-shirt for each person with the group picture
form the preceding year printed in full color on the front of the shirt.
After the photo shoot, the remaining juices were passed out and the
guests began to dissemble and find their way back to their respective
homes.
Even though exhausted, we
did not want the day to end. This day and these people were so special
to us. Of the many things Cathie and I have seen and done in the
Bahamas--all of the beach days, the kayaking and the walks--we both feel
that Christmas dinner at Pedro’s is the highlight of our trip and a
main event to look forward to once again this year.
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