Christmas in Ukarumpa, 5

We had an excellent Christmas day together! Despite the late night out on Christmas Eve, certain members of the household woke up a little early, so we all got up and checked out the stockings. Then we read two of our favorite Christmas morning stories: The Tale of Three Trees, and The Christmas Star, and sang "O Sing a Song of Bethlehem" again. After that it was time to dig into the gifts, which so many friends and family sent to us (thank you!). At 10:00, we walked down to church for a Christmas morning service. The service was called "Great Expectations," and it focused on how Jesus' birth fulfilled so many expectations. There were dramatic presentations of Anna and Simeon, from Luke 2. We also considered our own expectations, and how God leads us to what he has for us as we choose to follow him daily. Throughout the service there were also responsive readings, and songs in the "majority" languages of the Ukarumpa community: English, Dutch, German, Korean, Tok Pisin, and Finnish. We really like having a time to come together with others on Christmas morning and inspired anew at the amazing miracle of Christ's birth.

As we've spent so much time reading the story, whether from the Bible or from Bible-based storybooks, we're also aware of all the people in the world who don't have a Bible in their first language. Over 800 of the world's 7000 languages are here in Papua New Guinea, and 300 of those languages have not a single verse of scripture! Your support of us being in PNG is one step in getting the Bible to everyone! Take a moment today to be thankful that you not only have the Bible in your first language, but you have multiple translations and hundreds of specialized editions of the Bible to choose from. Here's just a small sampling of the variety of English translations in which you might choose to read the Christmas story:

   When Libby was six months gone, God sent the same angel--this Gabriel bloke--to a backblocks town called Nazareth, in Galilee shire, to a nice young girl who was engaged to a young carpenter, Joe Davidson. Her name was Mary.
   The angel said to her, "G'day Mary. You are a pretty special sheila. God has his eye on you."
   Mary went weak in the knees, and wondered what was going on.
   But the angel said to her, "Don't panic, don't chuck a wobbly. God thinks you're okay. You're about to become pregnant, and you'll have a son, and you're to call him Jesus. He will be a very big wheel, and will be called the Son of God Most High. God will give him the throne of his father--your ancestor--King David, and he will be in charge of the whole show forever."
   "But how?" said Mary. "Joe and I have done the right thing, we've never . . . well, you know. I mean to say, I'm still a virgin."
   The angel answered, "Leave the mechanics up to God. This is heavenly stuff. God's Spirit will come upon you, and the Big Brain behind the Big Bang will manipulate the necessary molecules to make it happen. So this little kid of yours will be as special as it's possible to be, and he'll be called God's own Son. Look, even Libby, your old cousin, is preggers--at her age! God can do these things. In fact, Libby is in her sixth month because nothing is impossible with God."
   "God's in charge," Mary answered. "If that's what God wants, then it's what I want."
   Then the angel nicked off and left her alone.

(Luke 1:26-38, The Aussie Bible)

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

(Luke 2:1-7, ESV)

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

(Luke 2:8-14, KJV)

   As the angel choir withdrew into heaven, the sheepherders talked it over. "Let's get over to Bethlehem as fast as we can and see for ourselves what God has revealed to us." They left, running, and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. Seeing was believing. They told everyone they met what the angels had said about this child. All who heard the sheepherders were impressed.
   Mary kept all these things to herself, holding them dear, deep within herself. The sheepherders returned and let loose, glorifying and praising God for everything they had heard and seen. It turned out exactly the way they'd been told!

(Luke 2:15-20, The Message)