This last week, the pile of 12 rocks in our first floor meeting room was replaced with a stable scene that has animals but no people.  (Mary and Joseph have not yet arrived.)  Once again it is a conversation starter as people ask about it.  Pictures of the main characters will be added weekly as the story is progressively told.

The first floor Christmas tree is up and decorated.  It took the children about ten minutes to put the tinsel garlands and the ornaments on the tree.  Afterward they had fun making their own angel ornaments.  The twelve children who participated enjoyed themselves and liked the popcorn balls and Christmas Tree shaped cookies.  The tree will be seen by many people throughout the Christmas season.  Our prayer is that they will learn that there is more to Christmas than trees and decorations.  They need to know the story of the God who loves them and sent His one and only Son to be the Saviour.

This week the story of the birth of John the Baptist will be told in the schools.  Yes, Zechariah will finally be able to talk again.  The children have been waiting for that part of the story for two weeks.  It has been fun to tell more of the background story this year as we approach Christmas.  It has also helped me to think about the details of the story.  For instance, Mary travelled about 130 km to go seen Elizabeth.  When Joseph moved his family from Bethlehem to Nazareth to protect the life of the Baby Jesus, it was a distance of about 140 km.  In a culture that did not have high speed travel like we do, that shows determination.  The obedience and efforts of the main characters of the story are especially notable.  The challenge is for us to have a similar obedient heart.

Please pray for the preparations for Christmas carolling on December 19.  The sharing and some of the songs that will happen at the Nursing Home will be done in Taiwanese. Please pray for those who are preparing to speak.  We are also asking God for weather that is not too cold, not too windy, and not rainy for the carolling that will happen on the street in the late afternoon.  Please pray that people will have open hearts to listen to the songs and Bible verses that are shared.  Tracts and candy bags are prepared to distribute to those whom we meet.