Merry Christmas

For unto us is born this day a Saviour, Christ the Lord.
What a great reason to celebrate! In Poland there are three days of Christmas and I enjoyed each one of them! The temprature got down to minus 10 and although it didn't snow everything was white with frost-like the world was dusted with icing sugar. This year was unlike any Christmas I have experienced before. I got to help pick a live tree and to make Polish dishes for the Christmas meal (eaten when the first star rises on Christmas Eve). It was nice to spend Christmas with a family as I got the joy of watching children open their presents and the excitement of new toys.

I got to share in the traditions of 3 different Christian families during the past week and it was a joy that Christ was the center in each of the experiences built up in families over the years. Even when breaking the news to an 8 year old that Santa isn't real we where able to talk about Christ and how he is the greatest gift of all.

As I remember my family and my love for them I remember Gods love for me-which is so great he sent his only son to be born in a manger and eventually die on the cross for our sins so that we might have a personal relationship with God.

The Joy of Christmas

These are the children who came to the Carol concert. It was a great night-apparently the best the school has ever done (in 17 years!) the turn out was huge-the children bought their parents, siblings, grandparents and other relatives. The performance by the kids was great-very clear pronounciation. The Polsih carols are great too. I got my students in class to translate some into English and the words are really powerful.

Speaking of pronounciation..... I did my first anouncement in Polish at Church a week ago. I was so nervous!! But the Church was very encouraging and many people came up and spoke to me (in Polish) afterwards. My Polish is slowly improving but is far from the level needed to hold a conversation. I have a few friends who don't speak English and we communicate ok-but it can be frustrating at times.

In the past few weeks I had the opportunity to visit and teach 2 groups in a public school. It was a great experience to see how Polish classrooms work. I did a lesson on stereotypes and Australia. It was really sweet as one of the girlscame up to me timidly afterwards and told me that a History teacher had told them that the thieves, criminals, murderers and other bad people where sent to Australia. She wanted to know if this was true! The same week I gave someone a gift-a toy kangaroo with an Australian flag. They asked me if there are a lot of squirrels in Australia :-) Australia is covered with mystery here as it is so far away. I have been asked if Australia is near Hawaii and when watching Crocodile Dundee with some Americans I had to translate both becase of Aussie slang and the accent.

The youth outreach event went well with over 20 people attending the cave like cafe. It was interactive and thought provoking.

Please pray that the people who attended the weekends events will think deeply about their relationships with God this Christmas.

Christmas Crazyness!!

Sorry it has been so long since I have written, Christmas time brings business as well as joy! This coming Friday we are holding a special Christmas video night and then on Saturday is the Christmas Carol service in which my Children are reading a Bible passage and singing some songs. Sunday is the Christmas party and a youth evangelism event (my Bible study group is working with another Bible study group-they are hiring a cafe and arranging a Christian talk and conversation)

My room is a great mix of Australian and Polish. I have been shopping-buying gifts at the Christmas markets-and I display them in my room along with the kangaroos, koalas and other Aussie memorabillia. I have also put up the Christmas tree and am playing Christmas carols (both in English and Polish).

I have had the chance to share the gospel along with the Christmas story in my classes. I also entertained a visitor from the Ukraine last weekend-showing him the English school ministry and introducing him to the founder and previous director. It was an interesting connection. Sashko knows someone who knows my Grandparents through international Christian camps. It is great to have family in Christ all over the world and to hear what God is doing in Western Ukraine.

I will be spending Christmas in Poland with a few Polish families. I will spend some time in the mountains and even give skiing a go! I am looking forward to having time to relax and do nothing!! I am in good health again but usually not quite sure if I am coming or going!