Christmas!

I thought I would post some pictures and the happenings of our Christmas season here.  It was a blessing and one in which I could truly meditate on Christ, His humble birth, His life, and His purpose in coming.

  Stockings I made for the Team

        










                                                                 Our christmas trees

Christmas Eve was spent with our STINT team, our ICS team leaders and their children, 2 couples and a single guy from another missionary company, another 2 couples from another organization, the local Pastor and His wife and their children.  We all brought food and it reminded me so much of the beloved Church pot-lucks! Afterwards, we celebrated the gifts and talents God has given each of us with a 'variety show.'  People sang, did plays and puppet shows, played music, and told Christmas stories.  It was a beautiful evening completely focused on Christ!

                                                   Getting ready for singing some hymns!

 

                                           Watching an Australian Jingle Bells Puppet Show!

Christmas Day was simply our team of 7 and the Eaves (the ICS couple).  We went to their apartment and spent the day enjoying company, eating together, opening our secret santa presents to each other and watching A Christmas Story.  For most of us, it didn't quite feel like the Christmas season without Ralphie and his quest for the Red Rider Air Rifle! :)  Afterwards, the Eaves, Katelyn, Lindsay, Travis and I went to the church were the believers got together and did a small gift exchange, sang songs and later watched a Nativity Story.  It was so unique to experience this with national believers and share in the joy despite many language barriers and cultural differences!

                                              The girls and our matching snowmen socks!

                                                   The Eaves and presents fro America!

The Sunday was a great day for ministry.  The sermon at church was completely oriented to seekers.  Historically, church is the most full on the Christmas service and this year was no different. In fact, this year there were more people in church than ever before! God is at work in this City!  I was able to continue playing piano for the 'worship band' at church and it was a joy to be a part of it that day especially! To share in the joy we have in Christ through worshiping Him, bringing others before Him in worship, and sharing the Truth of the Gospel through song was an amazing experience. One I will not soon forget!

Praise God for the birth of His son! He came and He came to seek and save those that were lost, including me, you, the people of this country, and those of the world!

Time is flying by

It's that time of year already. Tonight I leave for our Mid-Year conference to be refreshed in the word and with fellowship of other believers! Fortunately for me, the conference is held in Spain! It will be wonderful to be able to understand and communicate whatever I want in a foreign language without trying to understand and later explaining that I only know very little of the language.  I'm excited for the mental break!

This past month has been busy, though, which is always surprising this time of year.  God always has plans and many opportunities to share Him with others, for which I'm very thankful! January is notoriously a slow month because of final exams and students here actually get a week long holiday meant for just studying.  So the majority of the students we meet with want to spend all their time studying for exams.  However it has been during this month that we've gotten a clearer glimpse at where some students are at on their journey to understanding who Christ is.  We've had some girls really show interest into researching truth! Not to the extent of only studying the Word of God, but a comparison study of the Kuran and the Bible. Praise God for this great opportunity to clearly show Truth against a lie  that has seized the hearts of millions of people here. Pray God will use this mightily in these women's lives!