Christmas Greetings

Dear friends and family,
Once again we are returning to the Christmas season to reflect on the birth of our Lord and Savior in a manger. I was reflecting on this and the night that Jesus was born. If Jesus were born in Mozambique it would be on a hot and starry night. He would be born outside, because that is where the animals live. He would be accompanied by the ever present mosquitoes, blare of a radio and the low of the cattle and goats in the distance as they come in from the pasture. The uncles, the aunts, the cousins and neighbors in the village would come to visit. The boys coming in from herding the cattle would be the shepherds and the elders from a far off village the wise men.

This is world’s apart from the snow, reflecting the moon and stars, the three wise men, lights and Christmas trees in there regalia, the stable, the inn, the ice cycles on the eves. But is it not the same baby that was born long ago, the baby promised in Isaiah, the man who would transform the world. Is it not the Messiah who came for that African widow, the Brazilian musician and the American sons and daughters? Is it not the boy who grew up and walked along the beaches and called the disciples his friends? Is it not the same man who said, ‘Father, forgive them’ as he died on a tree?

Our family finds ourselves once again in the heat. Mozambican Christmas is more about parties than it is about the sacred. Though the sacred is there and the churches celebrate, it is different than what we are used to and many times lonely. But that aside, we still remember that boy. And though our Christmas’s are different and we are far away, we remember you as well. We miss you and love you dearly.

We are doing well. It has been a year of changes and ups and downs as you all know. We moved from Chimoio, our friendships which we had developed and moved to Maputo. We struggled with the decision because we had grown to love the beautiful countryside but in the end we felt it was up to God’s will and we believe he chose. We had asked God to help us decide. We prayed. We moved.

Maputo has been good but an adjustment. It is fast paced, city life again. We are older and it is not as easy with a small child. Friendships have taken time but we are developing them. The work is not in the beautiful countryside, but it is fulfilling and we are building relationships for the first time with the people we work with. This is satisfying. We have had the opportunity to travel to South Africa and see some of the beautiful countryside. We have made some friendships with families with children for Nadia’s sake. And Nadia has grown so much. She is turning into a beautiful girl, inside and out.

Nadia’s personality is really beginning to show through. She is very determined and loves to be the center of attention. She laughs and smiles a lot and likes to make faces. Apparently she likes Katie better than us at this point because she does not put her to bed, bathe her or change her diaper. She loves to give kisses and hugs and dance, though her dance looks more like an Irish jig than a dance at this point. She loves to go outside and is a bundle of energy, shouting ‘go’ and taking of at a run when she can. And when she needs to do something she doesn’t want to do, wow, look out, what strength and determination.

We look forward to what the next year will hold for us. Going to the beach for Christmas at Xai-Xai, the visit of my parents Don and Shirley in January, the expansion of our work, the opportunity to get to know better friends, worshiping with various fellow believers, a new nephew/niece, growing as an MCC team and watching Nadia learn and grow as we become a family.

And as we look forward to this year we also look pray fully to the future and when it we will see you again. We thank you dearly for your love and prayers and wish we could give back even a fraction of the love and support that you have given us these last few years. We know it has not always been easy but neither was it easy for the family who had the boy in the stable.

Deep love and Christmas Blessings!

Joél, Jenny and Nadia