By Fr. Vinnie Busch
Subanen children are born in simple shelters with farm animals nearby and so our cards show the birth of Jesus in a lowly stable. Every day Subanen families cook, clean, gather fire-wood, fetch water, and feed their farm animals and so our cards show Mary and Joseph doing similar activities. Joseph prepares food for Mary while their donkey eats from the manger Many Subanen families have had to quickly abandon their homes and flee during times of armed conflict and so our cards show how the Holy Family had to quickly gather up their belongings and flee from Herod’s soldiers.
their New Workship
Our workshop went into operation just in time to facilitate the production of this year’s Christmas cards. Each card requires hours of cooperative work. Some crafters color the background. Others carefully cut out images of Joseph, Mary and the Donkey. Still others neatly fold in pieces of colored paper into the cut-out images.
The images in our Christmas cards draw attention to those joys, fears, and activities which the Holy Family have in common with Subanen families.
Subanens have to hike daily over mountainous trails, and so our Christmas cards show Joseph and Mary trekking over rugged terrain to reach Bethlehem.
Subanen children are born in simple shelters with farm animals nearby and so our cards show the birth of Jesus in a lowly stable.
Every day Subanen families cook, clean, gather fire-wood, fetch water, and feed their farm animals and so our cards show Mary and Joseph doing similar activities.
Many Subanen families have had to quickly abandon their homes and flee during times of armed conflict and so our cards show how the Holy Family had to quickly gather up their belongings and flee from Herod’s soldiers.
Subanen families do their best to feed, clothe, shelter, nurture, and protect their children and so our cards highlight how Mary and Joseph cared for Jesus and each other.
As the Subanen crafters color and shape their Christmas cards they become aware that the Holy Family is like their families.
Columban Fr. Vinnie Busch lives and works in the Philippines.
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The Columbans are a society of missionaries, including priests and lay people, who minister to people of various cultures as a way of witnessing to the universal love of God.