Happy Christmas!

My memories of childhood Christmases are good. 

It wasn't about the food. After catching my mum gutting the turkey one year both my brother and myself refused to eat turkey for the rest of our days at home! Best Christmas food memories involve chocolate - now there's a surprise!

It wasn't about presents. I did have some good ones. I absolutely loved the new set of colouring pencils I got each year. I remember being just a wee bit disappointed when what I thought was a red handbag turned out to be a nurse's kit. The disappointment didn't last long though when I realised how much fun I could have sticking needles into my guinea pig brother! And was I ever the red handbag sort of girl anyway?!

Christmas was all about Jesus. We didn't go to church at Christmas as kids. We were always taught that Christmas was about Jesus being born, but if I'm honest, he didn't figure hugely on the day itself.

But thinking about it now, I always knew he was there. I felt very unsafe during much of my childhood. I lived with a constant sense of danger and threat. But Christmas day was different. There was something inside that told me it was safe. Nothing bad was going to happen. I was safe.  Christmas Day was a happy day; it was fun with no sense of danger; it was safe. I can't explain why, but what I know is that when each Christmas comes my memories are happy, and I totally love the day.

Jesus came at Christmas and stayed. He can make the most amazing difference to a day - any day. And even if this Christmas is more than usually sad or dark or uncertain for you - Jesus is there.

So, Happy Christmas everyone. I don't think I'll be having colouring pencils - I hope not, Santa! Or a nurse's kit! But there is chocolate in the air! Happiness all round!

No room at the inn

'Thank you so much for the support you give us every time. My mother got the money for rent and we are so happy. They were almost throwing us outside but God is good'

'Thanks for the Rwf 90,000 you have given me. My landlord almost threw me out of the house'

Life for many in Rwanda is a daily struggle for food and shelter. Existence is often literally a hand to mouth existence and each day's activities are centered around finding food and keeping shelter.

We had a couple of letters just yesterday acknowledging some gifts we had given to cover rent for 2 families. I have to say a huge thank you to all of you who support us in any way, as the money for these rents came from money many of you, and many others, gave towards our last trip. 

Together we have made sure that for now at least these two families have kept a roof over their heads - and while we continue to pray that mums find work and can provide better for their families - we thank God that they have shelter today. 

But even more than shelter, we have given hope when it was almost gone. We have given a sense that someone is not alone. And a reminder to Tonia, who wrote the first letter above, that God is indeed good.

Both these letters seriously moved me. The first, maybe especially because it is written by a child - a little girl who shouldn't be going to bed at night, not sure whether or not she'll have a home next day.

The second is written by a mother of twins, and while no little girl should be worrying about having a home or not, it struck me how tough it must be for a mum not to be able to provide for her little girls. She goes on to say this - 'I am the single mother of twin girls. I am an orphan and I have no relatives. My girls are, you and your friends are the family that I have. I am jobless too, but I pray God helps me I find something to do that at least will provide my kids with food'

In case you hadn't noticed, it's Christmas, and the Christmas story tells us of another family seeking shelter and finding 'no room at the inn'. And this story is of the one who would later speak these words in Matthew 25 - 'I was hungry and you fed me; I was thirsty and you gave me a drink; I was homeless and you gave me a room'

Happy, blessed Christmas!