In 1993, when I was the U.S. Peace Corps Country Director for Tunisia, a young Moroccan immigrant asked me (daily) for a job - any job. Hamid Jad saw his future in learning English. Giving in, I finally agreed to let him take care of my yard and German Shepherd dog. Although a Muslim, he asked to borrow my bible to practice reading, and to join me weekly at an English-speaking church in Tunis. Hamid loved singing carols, especially “Come Oh Come Emanuel” with its minor key and middle-eastern sound. As the 1993 outdoor Christmas Pageant, approached, Hamid volunteered to help construct and furnish the stable. While entranced by the panoply of animals (sheep, goats, donkeys, cows, and 3 camels), Hamid asked, “Where are the chickens?”
“There were no chickens,", I replied, "The Bible story does not mention chickens.”
“Of course there were chickens,” replied Hamid, “The rooster crowed 3 times prior to Peter’s denial of Jesus!"
So Hamid took it upon himself to procure 3 chickens for the Pageant, and, with a long ladder, perched them on a beam just above the manager with a string tied to one leg just to make sure they stayed put. During the Pageant, a light breeze ruffled their feathers causing the lady next to me to revel in the “3 owls!”
Near the climax of the Pageant, as the baby Jesus was being born and the 3 Kings descended their camels to offer gifts, a strong gust of wind blew one chicken off its perch. Dangling by one leg, the bird was squawking and flapping its wings directly over the manager (not exactly the hovering of an angel from the heavenly host!) Hamid quickly grabbed the long ladder, nonchalantly climbed up in front of the 3,500-person crowd, and replaced the errant chicken on its high perch.
After the Pageant Hamid announced that in the spirit of the season, he was delivering the 3 chickens to 3 poor Muslim families for their Christmas dinners the next day. Then on Christmas Day, Hamid visited the Tunis Souk (market), and purchased 10 tiny, fuzzy chicks (as might be found in Easter Baskets) and carefully placed them on my Christmas tree with the other ornaments.
Several months later, Hamid and his now pregnant Tunisian girlfriend were married. At his father’s request from Casablanca, Morocco, I represented his family at the wedding, and when their little son was born, he was named “John Roberts Jad.”
Merry Christmas to all, and somewhere in Morocco, to John Roberts Jad. 
