CHRIST IS BORN! GLORIFY HIM!
The alarm rang early this morning and I could have easily turned over and gone back to sleep, but that would be impossible, for this is the great feast of the Nativity of Christ. Once again, we had a joint service with the Georgians in the old church which brought back many fond memories, much like remembering our childhood and the joy it brought us when we have grown up and moved far away from home. The new carpet was soft for the little children who sat on the floor, while the low benches along the walls offered comfort for the ill and elderly. The Agape meal that followed gave us an assortment of food, with a number of Georgian dishes, and later some Georgian began to sing, following the example of last night’s singing of Romanian carols. How encouraging it was to see a number of people quickly clear the tables, wash up in the kitchen and vacuum the carpets. Greetings from around the world kept pouring in, such as one from Thailand, another from Malaysia [worrying about who was taking away the garbage!], and from Vladivostok, all of them from Asia. The weather was perfect, with no snow, and much sun giving us a feeling of joy, hope and happiness in this new year.