Christmas in Moldova

From the little I know and the little more I might guess, I’m thinking our Lord is always appreciative for every sincere acknowledgement of who he is and what he has done. For instance, I suspect he enjoys seeing us giving gifts to our friends and family if we do so in celebration of him. And I imagine he loves seeing us pack out his house at Christmas, joining in praise of his incarnation, his humility and his gift of love.

But is that the sum total of his desire for us at Christmas? Is that where his heart and thoughts dwell? Is he fulfilled by our recognition alone, or is there something much deeper – much more profound – that he would prefer for this season?

That question was definitively answered for me about 17 years ago when I took a group of Americans to Moldova during the Christmas holidays for the very first time.

 What would it mean to you to be able to represent Jesus to an orphaned, abandoned or impoverished child? What would it mean to you to stand before children who were hungry, lonely and often frightened of an uncertain future? What is there about the way you celebrate Christmas that is better than telling boys and girls about Jesus who don’t have to be convinced that they need a Savior, yet have no context for one who is even truly aware of them, much less loves them? And what would it mean to you to discover that the answer to your most deep-seated questions – your own lack of purpose, or joy, or self-worth – could finally be resolved in an anonymous country by anonymous little ragamuffins who were the unsuspecting “conduits” of God’s unmerited favor?

Rolling Hills Community Church has been celebrating Christmas in Moldova for over a decade.This year we find ourselves a little short on volunteers for our Dec. 27 th -Jan. 3 rd pilgrimage to bring the love of Jesus to over 500 children. So we pray for more to say “yes” to this mission. More arms mean more Jesus-hugs. More compassionate eyes mean fewer kids go unnoticed. More hands mean more touches that bring healing to wounded souls.

If you agree with me that this is the kind of Christmas that matters….if you have heard this call

before but postponed your response….I pray you will contact Kari Bidwell to sign up and lose yourself in the kind of Christmas that delights the heart of Jesus!