A letter from Liz Searles serving in Romania
christmas 2014 - Wait. Relate. Incarnate.
Relationship and Incarnationship
This year I ask you to remember gift-givers in Tulcea, Romania, and in the U.S.
In mid-October an ecumenical team from Romanian churches gathered to organize for Operation Christmas Child (OCC) in Tulcea County. We are preparing to deliver OCC gift boxes to children of want and children of trauma. For most, Christmas is about the tree in the classroom or orphanage. Most hope for just one personal present—even socks, underwear or school supplies. OCC volunteers deliver gift boxes of toys and treats, and all too briefly share Christmas truth. The OCC booklet available to each child communicates that Jesus is the greatest gift: “Isus e cadoul cel mai minunat!”
At our meeting, team leaders shared ideas about how we should gift, and how to share the Good News. Some said children first should acknowledge that they are sinners: tears would signal recognition and repentance. Others encouraged education: begin a staged Bible-based curriculum to lead children from creation to crucifixion to last judgment (emphasis added on last judgment).
The voice that resonated most with me urged us to send volunteers who truly love children, and who can open a positive relationship, quoting “Let the children come to me” and “Unless you become as a little child.”
Christmas truth is about a transforming relationship between heaven and earth, an incarnation that opens hearts to the Holy Spirit’s work, and to a relationship with one who began as a helpless infant. What happens next is what happens to that baby next. How did Jesus draw people to himself? Often he just did whatever he was doing, and a curious group gradually gathered, sometimes quite a large one.
We instruct children to let animals come to them: “Don’t chase that cute rabbit.” “Don’t squish the kitty.” “Don’t try to control the doggy.” Sit quietly. Make attracting and comforting noises and movements. Wait. Then relate. Eventually the animal may trust you enough to be curious. When the kitty or doggy cautiously checks you out, you may begin to build trust and love.
Not to compare kids with small animals, but this is one way to hear “Let the children come to me.” Jesus doesn’t say: “Go out and hook those kids with candy, presents and a show, then bus them in to me every Saturday.” When a crowd gathers, Jesus rarely reminds them of bad behaviors, or even offers a material reward for doing good. Jesus does raise up intrinsic or spiritual rewards: Blessed are the peacemakers, the merciful, and—yes—the poor and poor in spirit. Blessings, mercy, comfort, acceptance—these resonate with the gifts of Advent: Peace, Hope, Love and Joy.
Toys, school supplies and candy bars are fun and useful. In Romania, NOROC and church volunteers deliver thousands of OCC boxes to foster families, single parents, whole classrooms in Roma schools, and to over 16 institutions. The gift creates a wonderful moment in the life of each child, but it’s hard to “Wait. Relate. and Incarnate.”—hard to sustain relationships when we meet so rarely.
In his brief time on earth, Jesus faced these same challenges—how to imbue each moment with relationship and “incarnationship.” Without these our zeal to evangelize can dim the luminous and the numinous, and cheapen the transformational power of the “Cadou Minunat.”
“Isus e cadoul cel mai minunat!” These words perfectly fit the tune of “Halle-Halle-Halle-(clap clap)-lujah!” Tireless gift-bearing volunteers will hold that up and we hope the kids will sing along. Pray that we all will relate incarnationally—will show that the best gift is one of acceptance, kinship, and embracing love in Jesus, whose birth we celebrate.
In addition to the OCC boxes, we at NOROC fill 450 personalized gift bags with things congregations and individuals in the U.S.A. have sent, or that we purchase in Romania. Each bag bears the name of an institutionalized child or youth. The gifts within are personally selected just for him or her. Because children are moved from institution to institution and often sent away from our sphere of influence, we have brief moments to share the love of Jesus Christ.
How do we open a child’s heart to the Holy Spirit’s transforming work? First of all by simply telling the story. It communicates a powerful message, especially for children of trauma, neglect or abandonment: “God loved you so much that God sent Jesus to join your family. No matter where you come from, or what you’ve done, or what your experience of relationships has been, you are a unique and beloved child of God—a brother or a sister of Jesus himself. Nothing and no one can take that kinship away from you—not ever. As a member of Jesus’s family, you are made in God’s image, known to God before you were even a baby, and loved for just who you are.”
What a message. What a healing. What an opportunity for relationship and incarnationship. The Greatest Gift. When we open our hearts to it, we can truthfully exclaim: “WOW!! Thank you! You gave me just what I needed!”
Keep NOROC’s ministries in your prayers as you gift, won’t you? Christmas is our busiest time: box deliveries, bag deliveries, Christmas programs, outreaches, and staffing our new Christmas Cottage in the town square. Pray that we will hold on to relationship and incarnationship, and hold on to the gifts of Advent: Peace, Hope, Love and Joy.
Your material gifts enable relationship and incarnationship. You are a link in our circle of caring. Without your gifts, no matter how small or large, there would be no “Big-Hearted Grannies,” small group leaders, tutors, psychologists, speech therapists and friends. With your gifts, we can develop ways to “wait, relate and incarnate” the love of Jesus Christ. Thank you for your faithfulness in the past and for your gifting in the future.
Liz
The 2014 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 317
The 2015 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 320
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