Getting Ready for Christmas

Many teachers around me are scrambling to finish grading and planning and packing so that they will be ready to head home to their friends and families in the US or where ever they're from. The holiday looms around the corner, with only 3 more days of school until we all breathe sighs of relief and take a little break from our work-filled lives. I'm not headed home, and this time of year makes me feel every single one of the thousands of miles that separate me from so many of the people that I love the most. I would be lying if I said that I wasn't wishing to be packing a suitcase and leaving on Friday's flight out of here.

But part of me is also very glad to be able to stay here and participate in some of the more local celebrations. The girl who cleans our apartment on Tuesday afternoons (yes, I'm very spoiled here!) invited me to her ch-ch's celebration of the season this coming Saturday evening. Although I can't really speak much at all of her language, I am really looking forward to going to be able to see first-hand some of the ways that He is working in this country. Then, on Christmas Eve, there is also going to be a big international (and perhaps national) celebration in a local ch-ch. Although I'm still figuring out what I'm going to be doing on that evening, I think that sounds like a fantastic way to celebrate. 

And today, we took our 4th graders to a local elementary school and put on a simple Christmas program with them. Although it was a lot of fun, and the students did a great job, my favorite part happened this morning in class. This morning we did pr-yer requests. I don't always do them, because the students like to tell in great detail about their friend's dog that is having puppies or their 3rd cousin who has a cold. But this morning, the students wanted to pr for our program, that the students at the local elementary school would understand Christmas' true meaning. It sometimes shocks me how aware these kids are of how much other people don't know - but need to know - our father. Many of their parents are here for this purpose, and their children know it, and feel a part of it. 

Another of my favorite parts about the program was what the 4th graders wrote about Christmas. For the program, each of the students had to write their own statement that starts "Christmas means..." and then tell what Christmas means to them. Not one of the students wrote that Christmas means presents or trees or snow or Santa. Many of the students expanded to their sentences to tell what it was so important that He came as a baby, and what that means to us all. I think they have a greater sense than so many of us how we have to make what we say count, because this might be our only opportunity to share. 

I think it is unlikely that all of my students truly understand what J did for them, and have accepted him personally. But as they hear it at school and from other students, it is my hope that someday it will become truth to them.

So this Christmas, I'm not decorating a tree or putting up lights. I didn't buy many gifts or go to many parties. I'm not going to be able to spend Christmas with my family or closest friends. I will miss memories that everyone else will make together, and will maybe feel a little lonely here on the other side of the globe. But I also have a feeling that I just might be able to realize just a little more what Christmas is all about... After all, Christmas doesn't mean snow or jingle bells. It doesn't mean turkey or pie, or presents or shopping. It doesn't mean Santa or angels or reindeer. It doesn't even mean friends or family or happiness. "Christmas means that G sent his son J to us to forgive us from our sins and save us so that we could live forever with him." That's really it; it's just that simple. Take all the other stuff away, and I think I might finally be able to really appreciate the reason we celebrate. (So far, I think I might be learning more from my 4th graders on this than I have been able to teach them.)