One of the fun things we like to do at Christmas with our twin grandkids is go see the beautiful lights at the Anne Marie Sculpture Gardens here in Southern Maryland. It is a truly amazing display of multiple scenes representing things like underwater sea creatures, planets and stars, the various states across the USA, cartoon characters and so on. But sadly, I am always disappointed that there is no focus on (or even mention of!) the Nativity! The commercialization of Christmas here in America seems to increase every year – and it can really steal our joy if we let it! Some Christians start to question every aspect of our Christmas traditions: Should we have a Christmas tree? What traditions are biblical and which are not?….

Gerald and I just watched an excellent sermon on YouTube by Alan Didio of Encounter Today entitled “They Lied To You About Christmas (Not what you think)”.  He uses scriptures and historical facts to bring a clear perspective to the issue. I have travelled (and celebrated Christmas) in several different countries around the world, experiencing various local traditions while enjoying celebrating with other brothers and sisters in Christ. I believe we can separate the traditions we choose to follow from the amazing reality of what happened that first Christmas season – which shines brighter than any Christmas lights and impacts our life far greater than the “best” Christmas present. But anyone wanting to help those who may be questioning, can watch the sermon via this link https://www.youtube.com/live/YcyoWSZgljk?feature=shared     It will bless and encourage you to help others truly enjoy this Christmas season and focus on the glorious miracle of Christ’s birth. May you experience the true joy of Christmas and be filled with hope for the coming year! Blessings, Shirley and Gerald

Pastor Sika in Togo – He sent a brief Christmas update with sincere greetings and thanks to all who help support the ministry there through donations and prayer. He writes: “Through your contribution, a brighter future dawns for our beneficiaries and the ministry, one imbued with hope, progress, and a deep sense of gratitude in spite of financial difficulties worldwide.” Thank you to the Lord who has raised up the widows (see photo) of the Baptist Church of the JP orphanage who regularly take care of the orphans (washing their clothes, cooking for them etc…). He needs our prayers for Christmas festivities with widows and orphans in the form of evangelism, as he’ll be going there on the 24th.

This week he is returning to the village of Agbanake (seen below) where the newly planted church is experiencing persecution from the idol worshipping priests and their followers. One of the chief’s advisors (who helped start the church) has been fired from the village council. Please pray for protection and courage for those recent converts as they seek to follow Christ, and for Pastor Sika as he takes the Christmas message there again. He also shares two testimonies from people who tune in to his weekly radio message in Lomé. One man was very disillusioned by church leaders he had met previously and was so thankful for Pastor Sika’s teachings that he plans to join his church to learn more and be baptized. A lady was on the point of suicide due to her troubled marriage, but she writes: ”God has been able to use you through your precious teaching on the couple. God is great, wonderful, Almighty, and I have asked him for forgiveness….”

Pastor Sika asks for our continued prayers and support for the year ahead, especially with regard to the monthly support of the Joseph Project Orphanage and ministries – which include helping the widows, local children, and those older students at the JP who are hoping to enter apprenticeships.

Pastor Honoré in Central African Republic – He sends his thanks and Christmas greetings, along with new photos and news. Despite the lack of teachers, many local parents met together recently to pray for the CEERCA school (1st photo), which they see as a great benefit and privilege for the area. The electricity has still not yet been installed to the compound though all is ready and waiting.

They continue to celebrate weddings every week in the church as the congregation has caught the meaning of Christian marriage and decided to obey the Scriptures – a result of the seminars and teaching under the leadership of the Holy Spirit. They recently celebrated the Women’s Ministry in the church. Eleven women were engaged in the ministry and promised to serve the Lord and support the ministry there.

Pastor Honore and the church are praising God for a wonderful, unexpected donation from a widow – a set of musical instruments! They will be a great blessing to the church worship and in the upcoming Christmas celebrations – part of which will include the church feeding 100 local orphans. We pray God will continue to bless and multiply this amazing ministry and that all can experience a joyful Christmas with hope for the coming year.