So...it is Christmas time! Yay Jesus - I do enjoy this time of the year, although this year has been very different than any other year already. Firstly, I am living in Ukraine and they celebrate Christmas on January 7th and in a very different way than we "North Americans" are accustomed to. (I have resorted to calling myself "North American" because people here call us all American, whether we are Canadian or American and when I try to correct them, they say, "It's all North America!" - he he!)
This year I am in charge of the planning and running of "North American" Christmas, which is in two days. Then we will celebrate New Years, which in this part of the world is the very important holiday (a remnant of Soviet times when Christmas was not celebrated...). So - for New Years people set up a tree and decorate it, say up all night, watch ritualistic Russian movies, eat a lot of chocolate and special dishes and give gifts. Our team leader, who is Russian, is in charge of carrying out a real "Russian New Year"!
After that...we have another Christmas - Ukrainian Christmas, on the 7th of January. This entails people going from house to house singing Ukrainian carols and of course a big, traditional meal. Our team has been asked to plan and carry out the program for the Ukrainian Christmas celebration for the missionaries and ministers of YWAM Ternopil. We have been learning Ukrainian Carols....and beginning to prepare, but we have two big celebrations to get through before that :)
For this year, I will be privileged to celebrate the birth of Jesus (which really, the day isn't important, but the remembrance and celebration of Christ's first coming IS...) with brothers and sisters in Christ from 6 plus nations. We have received a new team member, who also had trouble with her visa to Egypt so she came to be with us, from Kazakhstan. She is from the Ugur (spelling??) people group, who are originally from Northern China. She is definitely a Christmas gift from God to us all bringing a new dynamic to our family and allowing us to learn about her, her people, and Kazakhstan as well.
Just this morning we were having a time of worship that was focused on the Cross of Christ....and we shared in communion together and there were 6 nations standing together eating the body of Jesus and drinking the blood. Ukraine, Russia, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Kenya and Canada... as if that is not the miracle of the cross at work! Every tribe and every tongue!
So - Christmas time....rejoice in the Lord and all He has done by coming, living as a man and being tempted in every way as we, yet without sin, and then giving Himself as a sacrifice for our sins, conquering death, hell and the grave and rising again to bring us back into a loving relationship with the Father through the Holy Spirit, and giving us an assignment to go and teach all nations all that He has and is teaching us!
Hmmmm - this is all wrapped up in the fullness of why we celebrate Christmas....it's so much greater than anything that might be under our trees this year! Jesus - He is the greatest gift - living, breathing and changing lives this Christmas season!
С Рождеством!!! (Merry Christmas!)
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