We want to give you a glimpse of the sights and sounds here this Christmas. So different in traditions but the same love, the same excitement, the same Saviour's birth we celebrate.
We did a little Christmas shopping this week, and actually heard Christmas music playing in the store.
The Christmas tree set up in a store had a manger scene underneath it, much to our surprise (see photos). Very little is made of Christmas commercially here, unlike in the states. There is a decorated tree outside in "our yard", and a huge star and lights by the road in front of the campus. We have been playing Christmas music and "its beginning to feel alot (a little) like Christmas".
Friday night we celebrated by joining with the other Westerners here and had a feast of traditions from other countries. We had our first taste of Christmas Pudding (Irish Style) which is not pudding at all, but cake, we did not have the brandy sauce, which catapults it over the top they say!
We also had Tiffin - a wonderful chocolate/caramel cookie (English) and coconut fruit balls, (Austrialian) candied almonds(German style) and I made the famous Peanut Butter Chocolate Balls that we love in America. We exchanged secret santa presents and finished the evening with laughing hysterically at the Muppet Christmas Movie, that movie crosses all cultures.
Saturday, the 22nd we joined in remembering the founder of UCCI (United Christian Church of India), John Winston. He passed away seven years ago at Christmas. This man leaves an incredible legacy. He had a vision and a heart for enconomically disadvantaged children to be educated. There are people from nine countries now sponsoring children to attend school. This year the celebration included the adding of a new country, the U.S.A.! See photo of cake and two children who represent the 11 children sponsored by the U.S.A. Contact us if you also would like to sponsor a child for $40 a month at rsluth.2@gmail.com.
In the afternoon we enjoyed a school Christmas celebration, with lunch, singing, drama(the Christmas story) and cultural dancing. Wow, can they dance! It makes us Hollanders jealous.
We can't wait to Skype Christmas day with our family, as they celebrate Christmas eve. Our hearts are truly there with them, and we are so thankful for the technology that allows us to enjoy part of this evening with them. We are also thankful this Christmas for the engagement of our daughter Jennifer to Shaun Griffin earlier this month. We look forward to joining in the pre-marriange festivities when we are back this summer, the wedding will be taking place in September.
Leaving your homeland, family and friends, to live in a different country can bring feelings of ailenation, and loneliness. Words cannot describe how far removed Christmas, as we know it feels..... But it reminds us that Christmas is not about holly, trees, snow, nor traditions.
Jesus was worshipped and adored in heaven, and came to earth for what?...to be ridiculed and mocked, rejected by the people that he came to save. What sacrifice, what humility, what LOVE! JESUS....Immanuel, God with us!
O come let us adore Him...Christ our Lord!
Merry Christmas to you all!
Randy and Sheryl Luth
rsluth.2@gmail.com
We did a little Christmas shopping this week, and actually heard Christmas music playing in the store.
The Christmas tree set up in a store had a manger scene underneath it, much to our surprise (see photos). Very little is made of Christmas commercially here, unlike in the states. There is a decorated tree outside in "our yard", and a huge star and lights by the road in front of the campus. We have been playing Christmas music and "its beginning to feel alot (a little) like Christmas".
Friday night we celebrated by joining with the other Westerners here and had a feast of traditions from other countries. We had our first taste of Christmas Pudding (Irish Style) which is not pudding at all, but cake, we did not have the brandy sauce, which catapults it over the top they say!
We also had Tiffin - a wonderful chocolate/caramel cookie (English) and coconut fruit balls, (Austrialian) candied almonds(German style) and I made the famous Peanut Butter Chocolate Balls that we love in America. We exchanged secret santa presents and finished the evening with laughing hysterically at the Muppet Christmas Movie, that movie crosses all cultures.
Saturday, the 22nd we joined in remembering the founder of UCCI (United Christian Church of India), John Winston. He passed away seven years ago at Christmas. This man leaves an incredible legacy. He had a vision and a heart for enconomically disadvantaged children to be educated. There are people from nine countries now sponsoring children to attend school. This year the celebration included the adding of a new country, the U.S.A.! See photo of cake and two children who represent the 11 children sponsored by the U.S.A. Contact us if you also would like to sponsor a child for $40 a month at rsluth.2@gmail.com.
In the afternoon we enjoyed a school Christmas celebration, with lunch, singing, drama(the Christmas story) and cultural dancing. Wow, can they dance! It makes us Hollanders jealous.
We can't wait to Skype Christmas day with our family, as they celebrate Christmas eve. Our hearts are truly there with them, and we are so thankful for the technology that allows us to enjoy part of this evening with them. We are also thankful this Christmas for the engagement of our daughter Jennifer to Shaun Griffin earlier this month. We look forward to joining in the pre-marriange festivities when we are back this summer, the wedding will be taking place in September.
Leaving your homeland, family and friends, to live in a different country can bring feelings of ailenation, and loneliness. Words cannot describe how far removed Christmas, as we know it feels..... But it reminds us that Christmas is not about holly, trees, snow, nor traditions.
Jesus was worshipped and adored in heaven, and came to earth for what?...to be ridiculed and mocked, rejected by the people that he came to save. What sacrifice, what humility, what LOVE! JESUS....Immanuel, God with us!
O come let us adore Him...Christ our Lord!
Merry Christmas to you all!
Randy and Sheryl Luth
rsluth.2@gmail.com
The signs are everywhere - in wars, in the groaning of Creation, in the evil in men's hearts AND in the joy ofthe Redeemed. Christ is coming (again). It IS beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Have a Blessed and Merry One!
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