I AM A CHRISTIAN

Christmas Eve 2006, the apartment in Wuhan, China, has quieted down. Some 45 university students gather to share a taste of Christmas, American-style. The tree is decorated with twinkling lights, silver tinsel, glass bulbs, white snowflakes and a star at the very top. And the most important item is under the tree: a fold-out crèche brought from our home in Virginia.

This is one Christmas scene the Chinese students don’t have in their dorms and one you will not see in the nearby stores!

We eagerly awaited the arrival of three more guests – a couple and their son met during our time in China where my husband was a visiting professor. Earlier in the day we shared lunch with the family and were somewhat puzzled when they asked if we were going to church the next day. Being in officially atheist China, we were wondering why they would be asking that question.

Our additional guests arrived, then shortly the students departed. As we gathered around the tree with the family, they were charmed by the Christmas tree and filled with questions: why lights, why bulbs, why the silver tinsel, etc.? But what really got their attention was the twinkling star atop the tree and the nativity set.

I explained the star represents the bright star that shone above the stable where Jesus was born thousands of years ago. I also pointed out that the star shining led the wise men on their search to find the newborn king, and they brought gold, frankincense, and myrrh as they adored him.

Their son was particularly intrigued by our Advent calendar sitting on a nearby table. I told him that we opened a window each day to read the Bible reading about the coming birth of Jesus. Advent, I continued, was the time before Christmas that you prayed and also prepared yourself and family by doing things to help other people.

They found all of this quite interesting. I offered the son the Advent calendar, and I could see his eyes scouring the open windows and reading the Bible quotations. Each one took a turn reading the words about the coming of Christ. Then the mother turned to us and confessed, “I am a Christian … we believe in Christ, and this is all very new to us.”

I was astounded to hear these words! A simple get-together to share our Christmas with other believers … something we could have never expected. Now we knew why she asked about going to church earlier that day. God works in strange ways.

This was a glorious Christmas Eve as we celebrated it with the birth of a new Christian family trying to learn more about Jesus and His love for all. Peace and love to all wherever you travel or may be.

— Elena M. Delmontagne

Courtesy of The Church of the Good Shepherd United Methodist