Bursts of joy:
I. This is the second Christmas that I got to tell the REAL Christmas story to Hong Kong first & second graders. They listened wide eyed as if they'd never heard it before. For some of them it WAS the first time hearing it.
II. At the prison, we watched the film version of The Nativity Story with the prisoners, and they seemed fascinated as well. Even though it got mixed reviews from the critics, I like this 2006 version of the story & I highly recommend it to families everywhere. It was terrific joining in with the prisoners to belt out "Joy to the World" from the ugly yellow cement walls of our meeting room. We aren't allowed to give gifts or bring in any special snacks, so the Christmas story was really "stripped" down to the bare essentials. And it still works! It's Good News!
III. And our personal good news is that the boys are on their way! As I write, the older two are en route over the ocean somewhere, ready to join the third "wise guy" brother for our family Christmas celebration. Last year their flight was delayed because of snow in Chicago and Wayne and I missed Christmas Eve services for what may have been the first time in our lives. This year we are looking forward to worship at Union Church at 8 p.m. (what a civilized time for a Christmas Eve Candlelight service :) and on the following 2 days of Christmas Wayne and I are participating in Lutheran Church services... and between us we will be doing 16 baptisms! (Baptisms on Christmas are a tradition here in Hong Kong, as they were in Africa... who knew?)
Come back for more reports soon on Christmas 2010 in Hong Kong!
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| Very Merry & Rowdy third-graders at the Ma On Shan Lutheran School with their St. Nicholas and angel tree gifts in hand. |
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