Serving overseas at Christmas time can be depressing for some. Knowing that every other family member has come together, missing siblings or parents, wishing cousins could get together with cousins — it can all become a bit much. But there *are* times that serving overseas at Christmas time can be fun too. I remember one Christmas while serving full-time in Uruguay, my wife and I heard that a new movie (E.T.) was about to premier on Christmas Day across the river in Buenos Aires (Argentina). We bought tickets on the ferry ($60 for a round trip overnight sailing on the ferry, if I recall), packed up, and headed across the river to see the premier, window-shop, and make a life-long memory — even though we *were* overseas at Christmas, away from family and friends.
How ’bout you? What memories do you have as a missionary or TCK while serving/living overseas at Christmastime? Just click “comment” and allow us please to smile with you. And thanks in advance for sharing.
In the late 80’s I was asked to speak about Christmas at a school in Kunming, Yunnan, China. I expected to speak to the students and teachers. However, the first row in the small auditorium was filled with government and party officials. There was also a crew from the Kunming filming the event. I shared the meaning of Christmas and as I was speaking our three year old son was being passed from person to person along each row. I heard his little voice from the back say, “Help me!” My wife rescued him and we closed the program with a Christmas carol.
Great comment Alan. Your name rings a bell. Maybe while I was with ACMC we crossed paths? Merry Christmas.
Immanuel, God with us.
It’s such a special message but when we have heard it many times and are busy with outreach there’s a danger of losing our wonder at the miracle that occurred. In Thailand people will see decorations in the shops and hear festive music. Christmas becomes simply part of the end of year festivities. Perhaps that is why one of my dearest memories of Christmas in Thailand is walking outside on the student campus on Christmas eve. It was dark. It was quiet. I was alone. The stars were shining brightly. I could imagine being a shepherd outside in the fields around Bethlehem. What a supernatural concert they experienced with the chorus line, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” And in that moment, I experienced once again the peace and joy of God’s presence with me, even though I was alone and far from family. If possible, I now try to get outside late on Christmas eve and have a few moments gazing up at the night sky. It’s become one of my Christmas traditions.
It’s traditional during the Christmas season for shepherds in the hills/mountains above Rome to come down to the center of the city and stand on street corners playing bagpipes. Passers-by were invited to drop a coin or two in the hat at the musician’s feet. Seeing real shepherds at Christmas helping us celebrate the coming of the Lord Jesus is a wonderful visual memory of our decade in Italy as missionaries.
My wife said her favorite memory is the year we spent Christmas in Switzerland with missionary friends. On Christmas Eve, we went to a large church in Schaffhausen. The lighting of the tree was awesome. They followed the centuries-old tradition of lighting real wax candles on the tree sequentially using a string that connected each of the candles. The string was lit at the base of the tree. It lit the first candle, which then ignited the next, and so on, creating. It was a stunning visual effect as flames traveled up the tree in only seconds, lighting only the candles..
I loved the Christmas I saw in Cambodia more than 10 years ago. It was away from the commercialised Christmas we see in our ‘home’ countries, a good time to reflect, have time with God, and seeing international churches do something Christmassy and tell about Jesus.