15 Dec A Note From Donna, December

I remember as a child hearing my parents remark, “I can’t believe it’s December already.” At the same time, I remember thinking as a child, “I thought it would never come.” My parents did such a wonderful job of making Christmas magical for us kids. Yes, it was centered around the usual Santa visit including candy, nuts, fruit, toys, and clothes. For us it was just about the only time of year we received such things. I couldn’t even imagine that Christmas was different for other children in the world. Having lived in Honduras for more than 16 years, it has been sobering to see the children around us get so excited for the new set of clothes they receive as their only Christmas gift. They look forward to stepping out into the streets of their neighborhood to show off their prized wear. It humbles me to see such joy over something so simple. I love that Phil and I get to serve in a culture of simplicity, a place where the simplest of gifts means the world. As we reflect on this past year, despite its challenges and losses, we still believe we are living our dream life. We love what we do and are thankful to each of you for making that possible. We covet your prayers that God will continue to protect us and provide as He has for these 16+ years. As the years have gone by, I find myself saying, as my parents did, “I can’t believe it’s December already.” Time is moving on, and soon we will all find ourselves experiencing what Isaiah 25:6-8 says, “On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined. And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken.” May He bring you and your family joy in simplicity during the holiday season and many blessings in the year to come.