Merry Christmas from Azerbaijan

What does Christmas mean to me?  I ponder this being in a country that does not celebrate our Christan holiday.  I do have mixed feelings.  I do not miss the craziness of the shopping, people rushing to get all their shopping done and not being happy.  I do not miss the partying and the drinking.  I DO miss being with my family and my friends.  The gathering and the sharing of our traditions.  I miss most of all going to church on Christmas Eve and listening to the sweet sounds of Christmas music (Silent Night, Old Little Town of Bethlehem, etc) Listening as our pastor talks about the birth of our Christ.  On this night a child was born unlike no other night.  He will one day go to the cross willingly to die for our sins.  Being outside my comfort zone is the hardest this time of the year.  We are set apart in our behavior and we are to be on mission with love, serving those who do not want to be at church, or like Azerbaijan, a country where very few churches exists. This holiday season just know that you live where you have the freedom of religion, where you can go to the church of your choice, which is most likely just around the corner.  Praying can be done out in the open and you do not have to fear praying.  Please pray for all the PCV's here whatever their faith is and please pray for PEACE ON EARTH.  As tiny Tim would say "God Bless us one and all"  Merry Christmas.

Life Challenge: Involvement requires little of you; Commitment requires everything