Simbang Gabi, pics, mud... and Monopoly!

Here there is a significant Filipino community, as I have told you.  They have asked to have a Christmas custom carried out in the Philippines here in Afghanistan.  The Filipino Christmas custom is known as 'Simbang Gabi', or 'Evening Mass'.  The tradition comes from the annual 'Missa de Gallo', or 'Mass at the Cock Crow'... Holy Mass which is held at 4am daily for the days leading up to Christmas.  I am told that in the Philippines churches are PACKED for the 4am Mass.  Well, since 4am does not fit in well for many, the alternative is to have the evening Mass, as we had here.  It was the first all-Pilipino Mass I had ever attended (Pilipino, aka Tagalog - the language of the Philippines).  They began with the priest processing downt he aisle to bells ringing.  I knew this was the 'real deal' of Filipino as I heard people expressing surprise as they said happily: 'Wow - this is really Filipino!'  Though I cannot speak Tagalog, when I was seen walking into the Chapel many of the Filipinos began encouraging me to come up to join in with the choir.  I came up to try and do my best.  I must admit - tears were brought to my eyes as I could imagine Mass in the language my grandparents and relatives grew up with and knew - especially as I sang along as best I could.  It was a great moment to be there with all the Filipinos who were quite grateful to have Mass in a language maybe not all common to them (since there are many dialects in the Philippines), but at least Pilipino was something a little more closer to home for them.   On other matters, I realize that the pics I tried to post earlier of my leave did not post for some reason... I even tried to post them twice!  Well - I will try again to post them, but I won't add the comments.  From where I am, and with the internet connection so slow, I cannot edit on the blog.  Weirdly - the words in teh border turn out to be in Pashtu or Dari, or whatever... so I can't navigate it.  Anyways - perhaps you'll get to see those pics when I get home, if I can't re-post.   The weather here is wet!  It has been raining and raining.  I should change my callsign from 'fisheaterinthesand' to 'fisheaterinthemud'!  All the soft, fine sand around here has turned into a paste.  The ground has gotten oversaturated so there are huge mucky puddles everywhere.  It's funny watching people tiptoeing around to try to keep from getting their desert boots soaked.  Anyhow - it's only a small inconvenience, and we're still smiling!   A curiosity: I found a Monopoly game here, except this was the 'US Marine' edition.  I've never really played Monopoly before, but I think I did have a good time when I last played it.  Anyhow - this edition allows you to buy stuff somewhat like: 'an armoured tank division' and 'a mechanized infantry combat team'.  Haha!  That's not exactly precise, but anyhow - it sounds like my kind of Monopoly game!  ;)