I AM Christmas

“‘Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.’” Luke 6:21, NASB.

Elana* left her home in the Philippines when her LORD called her to serve Him in a far off Buddhist nation. Her first year as a cross cultural worker went pretty well. She taught and loved her college-aged students, and they loved her in return.

When her first Christmas season arrived Elana became homesick. She missed the Filipino celebration fun and festivity, gift-giving, religious services and Christmas carols. And, of course, she missed her friends and family. To make things worse, her birthday was at the end of November and she had just celebrated it alone.

On the morning before Christmas the stark isolation of being away from home overwhelmed her. Elana walked down an empty street by herself early that morning. Tears welled up in her eyes and try as she might she could not stop crying.

In the midst of her tears she heard a voice call out, “Ako ang Pasko!” It was Tagalog, her Filipino language. The literal translation of what she heard was, “I AM Christmas!

“There is another Filipino,” thought Elana. She wheeled around to see who had called out, but the street was completely empty. Immediately her tears stopped. She knew that God had spoken to her and reminded her that she had all she needed to experience Christmas, even though she was far from home. Christ was with her and He IS Christmas!

*Name of the local believer was changed for privacy.

Pray that:

Christians serving far from home will experience God’s comfort during special occasions that may cause them to feel homesick.

Cross cultural workers will have spiritual ears to hear when God calls out to them.

God will call more Filipino Christians to take the Gospel to the lost peoples of the Pacific Rim.

Pacific Rim is a region of the International Mission Board, SBC.