November 28, 2005

Dear Friends,

Greetings from Edinburgh in the grace and peace of Christ! We hope this letter finds you doing well and celebrating the gift of grace that we remember at Christmas time.

Time continues to fly for us here in Scotland. The fall semester is drawing to a close, and all four of us have enjoyed a wonderful term. Sammy just turned 2 and continues to have fun at his nursery. He will “star” in his first holiday pageant in a few weeks—meaning he will act the part of a star. Calvin seems to love the academic life, perhaps no great surprise! First primary has been a great learning adventure for him, and he has started bringing home books to read to his overly proud parents. The start of Elisabeth’s Ph.D. work has been very encouraging, and she is finding great joy in pursuing her work in Old Testament. I too am delighted to report that my studies continue to be uplifting to me and satisfactory for my advisor. We thank God for these good situations, and we thank you for the myriad of ways you have supported us in this work.

I have been struck by the realization that God’s love is not “impartial” in the sense that God would merely love us all as equally “human” in abstract and general terms. Instead, God loves each one of us in a way that is particular. Based on this love, we are not interchangeable—one warm body for another. Having made each individual person unique, God loves each one of us in that uniqueness. We are each irreplaceable in the divine love.

As we celebrate Christmas, we look to the incarnation, God’s entering into human history in a specific time and space. In doing so, God affirmed our life with all its temporal and spatial limitations. While so many of us actively seek to throw off or at least minimize the limitations of our lives, God willingly embraced them for our sake. God came among us in that baby, sleeping in that animal shed, in that town in the Middle East. And God’s love finds us each again where we are, in our individuality, affirming our unique personhood.

This personal love of God has grounded our experience in many ways this past year. At home, we thrill to watch our boys grow and develop, watching the surprising ways in which their God-given personalities unfold. Sammy’s eccentric dedication to the art of jumping and his joyful readiness to make friends, Cal’s rich imaginative play and quirky half-Scottish expressions—all are traits God has willed and joys to brought forth. God’s delight in our children, and in all His creation, must surpass even the joy we take in watching our own boys.

We have been blessed this year to watch the growth of God’s kingdom in the very different contexts of our three “homes.” We have also shared in the sorrow of the tragedies recently affecting all these places. It has been a privilege for us to witness to the many ways God works in such different situations. It confirms to us, once again, God’s love for all humanity—not as an abstract, universal principle, but as a particular and personal grace.

We plan to celebrate this Christmas by carving an American-style turkey, “pulling” some Scottish crackers, and singing Arabic Christmas hymns. We’ll have American family visiting us, we’ll attend services at our Scottish local church, and we’ll spend half the day on the phone with friends in Egypt. Most importantly, however, we will be remembering the grace we have received in the incarnation of Jesus Christ. Our one Savior shone God’s love for all the world, person by person. The diversity of our small celebration is only a hint of the incredible breadth of love God gives to all His children the world over.

Thank you for shining God’s love in your corner of His world, in your unique way. May your celebration of Christmas this year be rich with the experience of God’s love for you.

Yours in the love of Jesus,

Darren, Elisabeth, Calvin, and Samuel Kennedy

The 2006 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 165