CHRISTMAS IN THE STABLE
In a scene reminiscent of West Side Story, the teen parents and their children began to drift into the room. Body posture and language are not so much a matter of ethnic background as they are of geography. Most of the teens in our program come from the city. They walk, talk, and act in accordance with their culture. The ten teen dads each walked in, surveyed the room with a glare and quickly sat down talking to no one. The moms huddled together according to ethnicity while the children clung very close to their moms, hugging legs and sitting on laps. In accordance with the culture each adult staked out his or her territory.
On a dark night in Bethlehem a light broke forth in the sky alerting shepherds to the arrival of the Light of the World. 2008 years later, in a church basement, the Light would shine again, startling teen parents rather than shepherds. Greeters fanned out in the room, a local church group busily prepared a meal fit for a king and faces in the room began to change. Games, conversation, Christmas music in the background and a sumptuous feast, all in the name of Jesus, melted the cold December hearts of 17 moms and 10 dads. They watched, transfixed as a video clip portrayed in beautiful detail the harsh entry into the world of our loving God and Savior. A brief Gospel message was delivered over the voices and restless stirrings of 21 infants and children. At the end of the evening gifts were distributed but the greatest Gift of all had already touched lives.
As the evening wound down teen fathers talked to each other and to volunteer leaders, moms encouraged each other and racial lines were blurred. The difference between the group’s coming and going was discernible. THEY HAD SEEN THE LIGHT! “Oh God, please let them receive the light.”
Thank you so much for being a part of this evening through your prayers and gifts. Please help us continue to do this work. In frightening times we face staff cuts or salary cuts. Please help us to believe in a God who is larger than the sum of all our fears.
In a scene reminiscent of West Side Story, the teen parents and their children began to drift into the room. Body posture and language are not so much a matter of ethnic background as they are of geography. Most of the teens in our program come from the city. They walk, talk, and act in accordance with their culture. The ten teen dads each walked in, surveyed the room with a glare and quickly sat down talking to no one. The moms huddled together according to ethnicity while the children clung very close to their moms, hugging legs and sitting on laps. In accordance with the culture each adult staked out his or her territory.
On a dark night in Bethlehem a light broke forth in the sky alerting shepherds to the arrival of the Light of the World. 2008 years later, in a church basement, the Light would shine again, startling teen parents rather than shepherds. Greeters fanned out in the room, a local church group busily prepared a meal fit for a king and faces in the room began to change. Games, conversation, Christmas music in the background and a sumptuous feast, all in the name of Jesus, melted the cold December hearts of 17 moms and 10 dads. They watched, transfixed as a video clip portrayed in beautiful detail the harsh entry into the world of our loving God and Savior. A brief Gospel message was delivered over the voices and restless stirrings of 21 infants and children. At the end of the evening gifts were distributed but the greatest Gift of all had already touched lives.
As the evening wound down teen fathers talked to each other and to volunteer leaders, moms encouraged each other and racial lines were blurred. The difference between the group’s coming and going was discernible. THEY HAD SEEN THE LIGHT! “Oh God, please let them receive the light.”
Thank you so much for being a part of this evening through your prayers and gifts. Please help us continue to do this work. In frightening times we face staff cuts or salary cuts. Please help us to believe in a God who is larger than the sum of all our fears.
