Dec 24, 2009
It's actually Christmas Eve as I write this. I am about to go to sleep, but my family is just getting up back home. They already opened one of my packages and enjoyed a few things I mailed them from here. They will spend the evening with family and have a wonderful, traditional Christmas. And I am glad, as I know they will be well cared for and happy. Merry Christmas girls! Dad loves you.
A wonderful thing happened after the Christmas Eve candle-light service tonight. The main chapel here received almost 2000 Christmas stockings (which we all filled with the care packages also received over the last month), and we brought hundreds of them to the service tonight to give away at the conclusion. Many of the service men and women did take a stocking after the service as expected. But what we did not expect was the number of local Afghan men (who work here on base) who also showed up afterwards, too. No, they did not come to the service, but word spread quickly that free stuff was available from the chapel -- and they came out of the woodwork! We had about 50 men going through the boxes and taking the stockings. A few of the Chaplains stayed around to help clean up and we commented that these Muslim men were being blessed by Christian generosity and gifts. Some of the stockings had Christian literature in them (some had Daily Bread devotionals and New Testaments!). I truly doubt many will be read (due to the language barrier), but some might. God works in strange and mysterious ways sometimes! We were more than happy to let them take whatever they wanted. It was awesome.
In fact, I was so moved by the scene that I ran to my office and grabbed the last box of Christmas stockings from my own church back home. I took them back to the men and every one of them disappeared in minutes! These men seemed so impressed to be given free stuff that they were very thankful to those of us standing there. I'll bet that those of you back home who donated gifts to us over here never imagined that they would end up in the home of an Afghan family on a cold winter night. Christmas Eve, to be exact. Trust me, the Soldiers on this base are not lacking for anything. But many of the local nationals are so poor, that a warm pair of socks or a knitted hat (not to mention a tooth brush, soap, and candy) might have made their Christmas a whole lot better -- even if they do not know this Jesus whom we worship and celebrate! Now if that's not a "God-thing", I don't know what is!
Thank you God, for allowing me to be a part of that. And thank you all back home who made it possible by giving to us over here, and to those why truly needed it. Jesus came to love and to give, and that's what He asks of us. I hope you remember that tomorrow. Keep your eyes on Jesus Christ, for He's the reason for the season. Merry Christmas!
It's actually Christmas Eve as I write this. I am about to go to sleep, but my family is just getting up back home. They already opened one of my packages and enjoyed a few things I mailed them from here. They will spend the evening with family and have a wonderful, traditional Christmas. And I am glad, as I know they will be well cared for and happy. Merry Christmas girls! Dad loves you.
A wonderful thing happened after the Christmas Eve candle-light service tonight. The main chapel here received almost 2000 Christmas stockings (which we all filled with the care packages also received over the last month), and we brought hundreds of them to the service tonight to give away at the conclusion. Many of the service men and women did take a stocking after the service as expected. But what we did not expect was the number of local Afghan men (who work here on base) who also showed up afterwards, too. No, they did not come to the service, but word spread quickly that free stuff was available from the chapel -- and they came out of the woodwork! We had about 50 men going through the boxes and taking the stockings. A few of the Chaplains stayed around to help clean up and we commented that these Muslim men were being blessed by Christian generosity and gifts. Some of the stockings had Christian literature in them (some had Daily Bread devotionals and New Testaments!). I truly doubt many will be read (due to the language barrier), but some might. God works in strange and mysterious ways sometimes! We were more than happy to let them take whatever they wanted. It was awesome.
In fact, I was so moved by the scene that I ran to my office and grabbed the last box of Christmas stockings from my own church back home. I took them back to the men and every one of them disappeared in minutes! These men seemed so impressed to be given free stuff that they were very thankful to those of us standing there. I'll bet that those of you back home who donated gifts to us over here never imagined that they would end up in the home of an Afghan family on a cold winter night. Christmas Eve, to be exact. Trust me, the Soldiers on this base are not lacking for anything. But many of the local nationals are so poor, that a warm pair of socks or a knitted hat (not to mention a tooth brush, soap, and candy) might have made their Christmas a whole lot better -- even if they do not know this Jesus whom we worship and celebrate! Now if that's not a "God-thing", I don't know what is!
Thank you God, for allowing me to be a part of that. And thank you all back home who made it possible by giving to us over here, and to those why truly needed it. Jesus came to love and to give, and that's what He asks of us. I hope you remember that tomorrow. Keep your eyes on Jesus Christ, for He's the reason for the season. Merry Christmas!
Darren, thanks for sharing your family with us this Christmas. It was a blessing to wake up with my little sister and two little girls in our home!!
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