Gifts

The moon rose, huge and red. The fireflies appeared before us in twinkling, scattered bursts beneath the brightening stars. Soft music began to play as the lemon grass tea set about coming to a boil. We run about catching fireflies in the dusky light. 

What joy is this...

Nate took all the interns for a camping trip out at his land in the village, on the bank of the Nile. What a gift!

Watching the sunset over the Nile.

My life of late has been filled with many gifts of varied forms. Special moments hand crafted by Someone whose thoughts are far above mine (really, this is always, but sometime His hand is especially apparent). A package from my family, filled with some of my favorite things. A gift.

Watching the Ekisa Christmas program. A gift.

Ekisa is a group home for disabled kids where I've been volunteering. It has been so great to get to know the kids. Today one of the little girls asked me if I knew Jesus. I said yes, and she said she did, too. Then we talked about how we are sisters in Christ. It was a special moment. 

        Time spent skyping with loved ones, hearing their voices, seeing their smiles. Homemade eggnog. Giving presents. Baking cookies. All gifts!

This girl is such a sweetheart. 

        Paper Christmas trees and snowflakes, reminders of memories of Christmas at home, ultimately reminding us of God's Great Gift.

"And there, in the stable, amongst the chickens and the donkeys and the cows, in the quiet of the night, God gave the world his wonderful gift. The baby that would change the world was born. His baby Son.

Mary and Joseph wrapped him up to keep him warm. They made a soft bed of straw and used the animal's feeding trough as his cradle. And they gazed in wonder at God's Great Gift, wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying in a manger.

Mary and Joseph named him Jesus. "Emmanuel" - which means "God has come to live with us."

Because, of course, he had."

- The Jesus Storybook Bible