Tag: Christmas

A Christmas in Uganda

Twas the night before Christmas in our Uganda house,

And everyone is sweating including the mouse.

The heat’s quite oppressive in this holiday drought.

The fans would be turning but the electricity is out.

The children are sleeping, or pretending to be,

Dreaming of morning and the presents they’ll see.

I work on a bike, carefully tightening a spoke,

Even knowing as I do, in a week it’ll be broke.

Then I hear a great racket and jump up to see,

What wonder or miracle it might happen to be.

Could it be Santa with gifts in his sack?

No, it’s just our guard snoring, sleeping out back.

Then a bang and a rattle, something flies through the air.

I rub both my eyes not believing what’s there.

It’s a flying taxi van all decked out in lights,

Pulled by seven Marabou storks in red and green tights.

The sight is so appalling that I let out a scream,

And awaken myself from this yuletidish, nightmarish dream.

I drag out of bed and to the living room go,

Thinking, Christmas in Uganda is not what I used to know.

Our tree’s artificial, a white Christmas, only dreams.

And Santa’s sleigh’s been delayed at the post office it seems.

No fireplace for stockings so by the window they sway.

We play Christmas music and think of loved ones far away.

So many differences, Christmas doesn’t feel quite right,

And yet the core essentials are the same this holy night.

God’s love still abounds, and the victory’s still won.                                   

Our hope is still found in the giving of His Son.

So let our hearts rejoice and our voices ring.

May we sing with the angels, for the coming of our King.

Wherever we may be over all this wide earth,

Let us cling to Christ our King and celebrate His birth.

(by Bob Peterson)

8 Ways to Help Your Missionary Get Through the Holidays!

Holidays are so great, a time to be with loved ones and those close to you. We celebrate Jesus! We celebrate one another! But sometimes holidays are just plain hard. When you are separated from your loved ones, especially at a distance too far to navigate, it can burn a hole in your heart. Missionaries are not immune to such times.

It might surprise you that there are some simple things that you can do to encourage your missionary’s heart during the Christmas season. It need not even cost you much, if anything! Even if you only pick one or two, it will bless them … and you. Here’s a list of some suggestions that you might try!

  1. PRAY for them! Not only pray, but TELL them that you are praying for them. When you claim a specific scripture to pray over your missionary and their family, the blessing hits even deeper. Taking the time to think through and choose a scripture demonstrates a true act of caring which will bless them deeper than merely choosing a random scripture. There’s power in the Word prayed over someone. Try it!
  2. SEND them a Christmas card! But this one needs to be sent with a little fore-thought. You can’t just send a card overseas and expect it to be there in under a week. Planning ahead is huge! Missionaries are grateful to receive Christmas cards in February, but they are even more meaningful when they arrive in a timely fashion. A simple gesture, to be sure, but it speaks volumes of care and shows that they have not been forgotten during a time when they feel so far away.
  3. REPLY to their Christmas newsletter that they have sent to you! It only takes a few moments to not only acknowledge that you received their greeting, but to communicate your care for them. Respond to something specific that they shared in their newsletter also. It lets them know you read their news and are interested in what’s happening in their lives!
  4. SHARE links to music, blogs or podcasts that you think might encourage them. Again, choosing a meaningful link speaks volumes of care when you express your thoughtfulness along with the link. Not just any song or podcast, but one that clearly is thought through in advance gives special weight to your thoughtfulness.
  5. VIDEO yourself, your family or one of your children expressing a Christmas greeting to them! This kind of love goes the extra mile even though it is simple to record a short video on your phone these days and send it to them! Keep in mind that shorter videos are more likely to be viewed as many missionaries have unstable internet. But having an “in person” greeting adds a special touch no letter or email could match.
  6. PURCHASE a gift card for them to iTunes or Amazon where they can get some new music of their own choosing. This need not be a large amount, but thoughtful nonetheless.
  7. DONATE frequent flier miles to them or make a Christmas donation to add to their end-of-the-year fundraising campaign. Missionaries always have needs and could use a timely gift to boost their funds.
  8. ASK them what would bless them! Your missionary knows better than anyone else and an honest ask might surprise you!

There is no shortage of ideas on how to bless your missionary during the Christmas season! These are just a few of the ways that you can try. I challenge you to consider doing one or two of these ideas and think through at least one more of your own! Letting your missionary know that they are not forgotten is huge during this time of year especially. It can ease the pain caused by the separation of continents and oceans. It can bridge the gap of distance. And … bless them while at the same time in the process you likely will find you are blessed!

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