Christmas Past and Present

Part of the Wall in Bethlehem ...Peace on Earth, Goodwill to All Men

Sodangi and his Diploma...great Christmas Celebration

Thank you friends for all that you have taught me.

Zany creativity..the market in St. Albans

Christmas Past...last year, this wonderful group gathered at my house to celebrate the birth of Jesus far from their homes. It was snowing outside and we were cozy inside. All of us remembering family and friends far away.

Nanzip and Christmas joy

Noel dreaming of a new film or maybe his home in Rwanda

Yan Yan and Olivier being creative

And now Christmas Present...with Etienne and Remaliah and their two little twin girls in their Home in Switzerland...the view from the balcony.

On the right, Remaliah and Etienne in Greece in 2008 while we were sailing with the  Next Wave from  England to Turkey

When I was a little girl, I used to sit by the Christmas tree at night daydreaming about distant lands as I looked at all the ornaments. I would never have imagined being able to visit and to work with so many people from different nations.

Last year I was home in Harpenden with my friends from China, Rwanda and Nigeria and what a party we had. This year Remaliah and Etienne invited me to spend the holidays with them here in Switzerland, one of my favorite places.
They have adorable twin girls who were born prematurely and are now doing so well. Remaliah writes a wonderful blog at: www.lilygeorgie.blogspot.com with delightful stories about the girls.

After travels in Rwanda and Burundi this year as well as life in Texas and England, I have been thinking a lot of the Christmas message of the Angels on the night of Jesus' birth.  God chose the lowly shepherds to proclaim the miracle of Jesus' birth and they listened in wonder to the angels proclaiming: "Peace on Earth, Goodwill to All Men"

Their world was full of conflict and injustice, and not the quiet world of so many Christmas cards. God's answer to all of this was the Hope of His Son showing us how to live in hope. So in our uncertain world with all the ups and downs of life, tune your ears this Christmas to listen to the voices of the angels proclaiming that God wants to give us His peace and charity to share with all.

I pray that whether your life is rolling smoothly or going through ups and downs that you will feel the love of God giving your heart peace in the midst of this holiday. Then find someone to pass that love on to and bring a bit more hope into our world.