World Renewal International
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Christmas in Summer
One of the blessings of 2006 was our new ministry of Birthday Parties for Jesus. The goal is to provide an opportunity for our churches in Mexico, Brazil and Haiti to host a Christmas party for poor and unchurched children. The first party had been held in December of 2005 in Brazil. It worked so well I thought we should try this in every country we can. It was a bit ambitious to try in three countries in 2006. Americans filled shopping bags full of things children need, not just toys, but tooth brushes and soap, etc. The Americans sure did a great job. I attended parties in Brazil and Mexico. It was not safe to travel in Haiti so we only have pictures.
The parties include a meal, games and presentation of the Gospel as well as the gift bags. Christmas Couriers carried the gift bags into the countries in their suitcases.
Mexico City held their Birthday Party for Jesus on January 6. This is the traditional date of the wise men's visit to the Christ Child. This year it fell on Saturday. On Friday night in the world's largest city it seemed no one was sleeping. Parents were out buying gifts for the children. The children seemed to excited to sleep. At 11pm on Friday night I found myself helping our Pastor David Martinez load bicycles into the car, he and his wife Carla bought them for all three girls. None of the children opened presents at Christmas, only on January 6. The children wrote "wish lists" to the Wise Men not Santa.
The next day at our two parties, all were unchurched, most were poor, their parents stayed for all the festivities. The gifts at one party were handed out by the "wise men." It was really three church ladies dressed as wise men for the drama presented. At one of the congregations, two young mothers were introduced to the Lord Jesus after my Sunday morning message.
We hope to hold more parties in 2007. The general budget of our mission paid for most of the expenses for the ministry in 2006. We do need corporate and individual sponsors to make it happen in 2007. We will need churches who will fill the bags by having Christmas on their minds in the summer. We need Christmas Couriers who will go with me to the parties and carry in the gift bags. I hope it will be you and your church.
Did You Know? World Renewal-Brazil started an English Christian School in Carpina, Brazil in 2006. The seminary facility is used for the school during the day and it becomes the Bible College at night. This has given us the opportunity to reach the upper middle class of this 100,000+ city. A new church was started in the Seminary with many of the parents who have children in the school. It is a great example of using what God has given us. We need teachers for the school, even for just a 3-month term. Pray about it!
The parties include a meal, games and presentation of the Gospel as well as the gift bags. Christmas Couriers carried the gift bags into the countries in their suitcases.
Mexico City held their Birthday Party for Jesus on January 6. This is the traditional date of the wise men's visit to the Christ Child. This year it fell on Saturday. On Friday night in the world's largest city it seemed no one was sleeping. Parents were out buying gifts for the children. The children seemed to excited to sleep. At 11pm on Friday night I found myself helping our Pastor David Martinez load bicycles into the car, he and his wife Carla bought them for all three girls. None of the children opened presents at Christmas, only on January 6. The children wrote "wish lists" to the Wise Men not Santa.
The next day at our two parties, all were unchurched, most were poor, their parents stayed for all the festivities. The gifts at one party were handed out by the "wise men." It was really three church ladies dressed as wise men for the drama presented. At one of the congregations, two young mothers were introduced to the Lord Jesus after my Sunday morning message.
We hope to hold more parties in 2007. The general budget of our mission paid for most of the expenses for the ministry in 2006. We do need corporate and individual sponsors to make it happen in 2007. We will need churches who will fill the bags by having Christmas on their minds in the summer. We need Christmas Couriers who will go with me to the parties and carry in the gift bags. I hope it will be you and your church.
Did You Know? World Renewal-Brazil started an English Christian School in Carpina, Brazil in 2006. The seminary facility is used for the school during the day and it becomes the Bible College at night. This has given us the opportunity to reach the upper middle class of this 100,000+ city. A new church was started in the Seminary with many of the parents who have children in the school. It is a great example of using what God has given us. We need teachers for the school, even for just a 3-month term. Pray about it!
:: posted by Gary Wright, 7:58 PM
