Thanksgiving and Christmas are special holidays to me. When I initially signed up for The World Race, I was surprised that I would not be home to celebrate. As the holidays approached, people on my squad expressed different emotions surrounding the feelings of missing family and friends.
But of course with all things World Race, they were different but sweet and centered on God.
We arrived to Romania just a few days before Thanksgiving. A committee was quickly put together to grocery shop, cook, bake, and decorate. Many people generously donated to our squad for us to have a nice meal and our ministry host allowed us the church space to celebrate! We all unplugged from technology, enjoyed each other’s company, played games, and praised God for all he has been doing.
This is a video featuring P-Squad Thanksgiving!
For Christmas, we were able to spend it all together again as a squad in Romania. After seeing how much work my squadmates put into Thanksgiving, I too wanted to support in the Christmas planning! It was the sweetest to be a part of creating a day to celebrate the birth of our savior. It was oddly exciting being in a foreign grocery store, translating the names of ingredients, and shopping for thirty people. On Christmas Eve, we had snacks and watched the polar express on a projector in our cozy home. On Christmas Day, Jaden and Kara made incredible food including Mac n cheese, spaghetti, chicken, mashed potatoes, and of course, many desserts made by Jordan and Sarah! We worshiped, prayed, read the birth story of Jesus, exchanged secret Santa, and shared with one another some holiday traditions that we had growing up. We truly were able to see Christmas in a simple perspective, without the distractions that the world often creates around Christmas.
An Instagram account called,’liturgies for a life abroad’ wrote this:
“Our world cultures have put great emphasis on being “home for the holidays” and yet, the very first Christmas began with two weary travelers far from home. The Christ child didn’t enter the world to the smiling face of extended family and friends waiting to celebrate Him, but to the tired gaze of His young parents whose heart were missing the comfort of the support system they would have had in Nazareth. This can’t be how Mary imagined her first baby’s birth would go. It can’t be how Joseph had planned to provide for his new wife and child. And yet, here they were, with the choice to fix their eyes on the foreign place they found themselves in or on the incredible gift they held. Today, thousands of years later, in foreign lands and humble space, we weary travelers have the same choice this Christmas season. While the world tell us that we are missing out if we aren’t home for the holidays, we find ourselves in good company- the first two people to welcome Jesus to this earth didn’t even have a place to unpack their bags. Being “home” isn’t a prerequisite for Christmas. Jesus came for the traveler, the foreigners, the sojourners with the aching feet and tender hearts. He came to Mary and Joseph in their temporary dwelling, He came for you, and He comes for you till, no matter how far away from the comfort of home you may be. Christmas began with humble travelers who embraced Christ where they were. May the ame be said of us this season.”
This is a video from my squad mate, Jillisa, from our Christmas celebration!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ELjC3k2vqpk&feature=youtu.be
Being in a foreign country during the holidays can rightfully cause us to be homesick but because Jesus remains the same, I cannot be anything but joyful. We are the weary travelers in a temporary space but I’ve seen my squad embrace Christ exactly where they are.
Be well. Love well.
Mags
so glad i know you and got to celebrate with you this year mags
God celebrates all the blessings you give and receive in your treck across the planet. You folks are writing a drama you will read and reread the rest of your lives. The sense of a community of believers will shape your choices from here on out. Prayers are all over you.