How do believers around the world celebrate Christmas? We asked our field partner in India about the Christmas celebrations in some of the villages where we are working to rescue and restore lives. Join me in prayer for the girls of India to follow Christ as we see below what they will experience:
On Christmas Eve, Christian songs are played from the mud-floor hut that serves as the local church. Carols blasted through a loud-speaker can be heard by the entire village. Families will spend the night outside of their homes huddled around a fire, talking and dancing until dawn.
Some men go into the forest with their bows and arrows and homemade guns to hunt wild boar for the Christmas day feast. Around midnight when they are successful, the entire village rejoices.
In spite of the lack of sleep, everyone dresses up and attends the 5am Christmas church service. Women decorate their hair with natural flowers. Believers will give rupees as an offering, remembering all that God has done for them during the last year.
Families get together for the Christmas festivals. These gatherings afford believers a special opportunity to talk about Jesus with their non-believing relatives and neighbors in a comfortable setting. Children play with fire crackers while the women prepare the festival food. Girls take food and cookies to homes throughout the village. Believers look after everyone, and those who have no family or are poor are “adopted” into Christian families for the duration of the feast. It is a Christmas gift to them to be included in the family.
After a long day of feasting and games, people gather again in the evening to sing songs and perform skits about the Christmas story. As they finally fall asleep, a silence covers the village on Christmas night.
My heart is filled with peace as I read the account of what restored girls will soon experience – being gathered in to rejoice in the Christ of Christmas. She Is Safe continues to help lead girls to the hope in Christ in high risk communities – Advent season and beyond. And we need your prayers and support to reach those who have not yet been gathered in, rescued and restored. When you donate to our Children’s Outreach Fund, you will help build a strong future for vulnerable girls who need to be brought into a whole new life. To be part of that, click the “Donate to This Initiative” button below.
Blessed Advent to you and yours,
Michele Rickett
President & Founder,
She Is Safe