This year, Papai Noel came to Jardim Camandocaia in a ’92 Fiat Uno

The neighbors

Edson & Familia

Tiago

This year, Papai Noel came to Jardim Camandocaia in a ’92 Fiat Uno

It was a great day today. Tiago came out of the bedroom wearing the Santa Suit that Valdir had used for a community service act in the praça. The praça had a Christmas present give away to the children in the Bairro which is a mixed place, tho mostly made up of poor folks. I put the suit on, and grabbed a bag of candy (Helena always has candy around for the crianças) and went to the neighbor’s house, and they laughed at me behind the fence, and wished me as well a “Feliz Natal”. Just then a tiny kid down the street yelled,

"É Papai Noel!”

and she started running in my direction from one of the houses three for four houses down. Nothing in this crowded little neighborhood ever goes unnoticed. I used to get asked if I was a missionary, when I answered in the negative, as in “o jeito nenhum!”, I was greeted warmly and still am no matter how long it is that I am away. Though we are descrete, everyone knows about Milton and I, and they don't really seem to care. On our afternoon walk today, a colleague of Milton’s greeted us, and wished us a, “tudo de bom com voces”.

So dressed as Papai Noel, I walked up and asked the little girl her name and gave her some candy, and I noticed another house across the street with folks out so I went over and gave them candy too. All the time making sure to say,

"hoh hoh ho! Feliz Natal!"

I was getting into it, and stopped to give the kids next door candy. Milton’s family and the neighbors were all standing out enjoying the moment, so Papai Noel suggested that Tata take him to Edson’s family about six blocks away. So Tiago and Tata and I piled into the Milton’s aging ’92 Fiat Uno and off we sped. We turned the corner and a family spotted us, so we stopped and I gave some more candy. And another kid started running out the driveway of his house screaming again,

"É Papai Noel!”

If there had been traffic he would have been squashed. So what could I do? I walked across the median, over to the little house that had a small group of people and meager little churrrasqueira, and gave out candy. On my way back to the car, the police drove by and gave me the thumbs up sign. I jumped back in the car, we turned the corner, parked across the street, and parked and went into Edson’s family’s home. I met his parents, a brother and a sister, with a little boy of about 1.5 years who was absolutely beside himself with joy. I gave him some candy, put some in a toy truck he got for Christmas, and after a few pictures we left.

On the way back we stopped again at a few houses, the surprise factor was really great. Here people hang out in the carport when it is this hot (today was about 35c), and make a churrasco. A father thanked me deeply, as you could see that the only present the kids had came from Valdir and the prefeitura in the praça. It was good, it was simple, and I enjoyed the pre-carnaval craziness with this rather random act of mitzvah-esque kindness.

I am definitely doing this again…

So that is how Papai Noel came to the Jardim Camandocaia in a ’92 Fiat Uno., and how I had the best Xmas ever.

well they are calling me to eat the leitoa...

Boas Festa a todos!