By Andy Baker
This week, I reviewed the Christmas card we are sending to our partners to invite them to join us in providing Christmas for the children in Romania and Tanzania. This time of year always builds excitement in me because it is by far my favorite annual outreach that Remember the Children does. So many stories could be told of the many meaningful engagements we have had with young people over the years as we have shared Christmas with them.
Recently I have been reading headlines and seeing news stories about the supply chain in the United States, and how the Christmas season might find us in short supply of many desired items for the holidays. In fact, I heard on the news today that there will be a turkey shortage this Thanksgiving. It brought to mind what can be interpreted as our selfish tendencies to want things perfect for those special occasions or holidays in our lives. I think about the Christmas after my father passed away, and I went to the market to find Eggnog because that was a drink we shared every holiday season. I became emotional over my inability to find Eggnog, rather than taking a breath and simply thanking God for the years I was able to share Christmas with my father.
This led me to a memory that took place in the Republic of Moldova about fifteen years ago. A group of us were making rounds throughout Romania and Moldova to plan for the Christmas season and the distribution of the Boxes of Hope. While in Chisinau, we visited an orphanage for teens, and I had an absolutely wonderful time visiting with them. At one point I found myself sitting on the floor with a group of teens telling stories, and what made it fun for me was that they spoke English and we found ourselves laughing quite a bit as we talked about life. When visiting orphans the realization is always there that they are in the institution because they have suffered the loss of their parents. I always knew that in my heart, so I tried hard to keep the conversation moving towards topics of joy, encouragement, laughter, or even school studies. As our time was winding down, I told the girls that one of my purposes for being there was to plan to return in a couple of months with gifts for Christmas. I then asked them if there was anything they would like. They sat quietly and finally one of the girls looked in my direction and said, "my mom went abroad to work and she has not been heard from since. What I really want for Christmas is my mom to come home." It was almost as if she had released the unified desire of all the kids in that circle because it became the wish for each of them.
That was one of my early introductions into human trafficking. It hit me hard leaving that day and understanding in my heart that they probably would never see their mothers again.
Please watch your mailbox in the coming weeks and join us in bringing joy, love, and hope through our Christmas outreach. This is truly one way we can look beyond ourselves to meet the needs of others. Who knows? Maybe this is a way to forget supply chain shortages and use our resources to give the greatest gift to a child: the knowledge that Jesus came and that through Him they can find the life they have always dreamed.