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The first year I was here, this only made me miss home more. I would wonder
what I was doing in China with its bizzaro rendition of Christmas
(see my December 2002 letter for more details) that has all of
the trappings but very little of the truth. In my second year
I was more settled about being here, but I would listen to an
old Christmas song called “There’s No Place Like Home
for the Holidays” by Perry Como and wish I could teleport
myself home for just a few days to be with my family. Christmas
was merry but there was still a twinge of unhappiness with it.
Fortunately I had the prayers and support of people back home
to remind me why the Lord has sent me to China.
Now in my third year, I know that I am home for the holidays.
Jiujiang is my home now. As I write this, Thanksgiving has just
passed. Jo and I hosted Amity friends from around the province
and had some Jiujiang foreigners and Chinese friends join us as
well. It was the kind of Thanksgiving my mother would have had.
Coming soon is the one-year birthday of Sammy, my godson, and
I am so excited I get to be here for that. Not too long after
that Christmas will be upon us, and this year I know Jiujiang
is where I want to be.
Instead of thinking of all the things I will be missing out on
at home, I am focusing on all of the things I will be able to
do here. It means I will be able to go to all of the dormitory
Christmas parties given by my students. I know some of them will
be interested in helping me decorate my house and making Christmas
cookies. Despite my inability to hit the right notes, I am eager
to be on stage singing and dancing on Christmas Eve because I
can see the joy my off-key renditions of Christmas carols gives
to the congregation. And on Christmas Day I will celebrate with
Kong Laoshi, a tiny old man who used to teach English in Jiujiang
about 50 years ago. I’ve even been proactive and had my
parents send me the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life”
so that I share even more of my American Christmas customs with
my Chinese friends.
In having this more joyful approach this year, I hope I will
be able to teach my students something about what Christmas really
is. My students still don’t seem to understand that Christmas
is not an American festival, but a Christian one. While it has
come to mean a time of decorations, presents, and family time,
ultimately it is about celebrating Christ’s birth. Celebrating
the Savior is something I can and should do anywhere in the world,
every day of the year. I thank the Lord for making me realize
that my home is where He asks me to serve and that I can rejoice
in the wonder of Christmas wherever I may be. I pray that we may
all be joyful in Christ for wherever we are able to spend the
holidays—and every day of our life.
mizpah,
Becky
The 2004 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p.
86
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