We met H. almost a year ago while speaking in North Carolina. H. came to Christ about 4 years earlier through an International student ministry of a local church. Yet loneliness plagued H. as she attempted to integrate in the American church. As Christmas approached this was exacerbated. Her husband had left her around Christmas time some years earlier and this was the first time her son would be spending the holidays with his father away from her. Christmas (and other holidays for that matter) has always been a time that our family takes pleasure in opening our home to others. So H. joined us this year. Following is her note written our Christmas memories book.

 

“It was wonderful!” A the 7^th Christmas I had at the United States, this foreign holiday finally became a “real” holiday to me, though it could have been the worst one amounted to the previous much- dread- for six winter breaks and for my dear boy’s absent the first time. All, so many other “first times” turned my life around: the 1^st time driving to somewhere for the holiday, the first time watching a Christmas classic on Christmas Eve, the first time having over sugared traditional cinnamon rolls Christmas breakfast, the first time Christmas dinner with turkey, ham, cranberry, mash potato and Americans passing the plate dining, the first time enjoying Christmas carols in a beautiful living room with friends offered by son’s piano and mom’s voice. All that and I could not forget the first dancing fire and crackling sound from the firewood, the first would- be- my- Christmas- tradition: the book, Best Loved Christmas Carols, and the first gifts opening on Christmas morning, one, two, three, four, your turn, my turn, his turn, her turn, and laughter and joy, my first Christmas stocking couldn’t hold all.