Christmas Giving: The Thrill of Hope

Christmas could not come at a better time in the calendar year. As the days get darker and colder, we Christians are called to shine more brightly. We light candles. We decorate homes and trees with lights. Christmas giving is generous. We desperately cling to the hope that has come and will come again in Jesus.

Hope Needed in Sierra Leone

The children of the Kissi Town Christian Orphanage in Sierra Leone desperately needed a little hope. Their parents were either killed by the Ebola outbreak or the 12-year civil war. They were living on the street, and all hope seemed lost. A Christian organization took them in and gave them a home. But still they struggled for water. The closest well was a long walk from the school and shared by a community of over 800 people. It was difficult to balance gathering enough water for their home and attending school because the lines for water were so long.

When there is a break between drilling wells, the Set Free team visits schools, hospitals, and orphanages to share the good news of Jesus Christ through The Jesus Film and devotions. On one such visit, our team was preparing the show The Jesus Film to the children living in this orphanage. Before they could begin, the matron of the home asked some of the children to go and fetch water to be used to prepare the next morning’s breakfast. This meant that some of the children were unable to watch the film. The matron apologized to our team for asking these children to go. But she also explained that if they failed to get the water now, they would be late for school in the morning.

The Set Free team knew they could fix this problem, and so they were moved to action. On Sunday, the Kissi Town Christian Orphanage received their own water well.

Christmas Giving – More Than Just Hope and Joy

The thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices. – “O Holy Night”

The above line in “O Holy Night” really summarizes what this season leading up to Christmas is all about. We live in a weary world. We also live among wars, famine, water-borne illnesses, and much more. Yet God chose to come dwell with us, in our brokenness. This thrill of hope is what we cling to. The knowledge that God loves us enough to send his only son to live among us and this same love will one day return gives us hope in our darkness. We are called to shine brightly into the dark and brokenness of this world because of God’s love. Can you shine this love by giving hope this Christmas?