dvi silkes

It’s no surprise that I am very fond of order. While being married to someone who manages to locate his socks whether they are lined up in a row or tossed in a drawer has considerably lessened my organizational cravings, “a place for everything and everything in its place” still fits me well.

Perhaps then, it is a bit incongruous that Christmas is my favourite time of year. After all, the mayhem of Christmas shopping, the dozens of last-minute gatherings and details that inevitably arise, and the absolute impossibility of fitting everything into a tidy schedule all create an avalanche that obliterates my attempts at maintaining calm order. Still, the wonder of Christmas, the smells, traditions, music, and of course, the story of a baby born in Bethlehem, all have very special meanings to me. And so, once a year, I take a step outside the cozy room of predictability, and jump onboard the hayride of Christmas (especially if there will be hot chocolate at the end!).

Here are a few highlights from this year’s busy (but fantastic) ride…

Snow – and lots of it!

Our little tree

Meals for the homeless on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at the Salvation Army. Also went to a local shelter to share a meal and fellowship with some men who live there.

Helping to sort food and raise funds to help the poor through the Salvation Army Food Bank.

Serving a meal to a group of homeless people who came to our church unexpectedly (fantastic!).

Dinner with friends on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, too (we were spoiled).

Opening gifts mailed by our crazy families and friends!

…which meant that our Christmas hayride really did end with hot chocolate ☺

So, the season may not have been particularly tidy, or tucked neatly into manageable time slots, but that’s OK. After all, the reason for Christmas didn’t come delivered on a convenient schedule and wrapped up in a perfectly tied bow. With straw for a bed and twinkling stars for nightlights, perhaps a little bit of mess at Christmas is just a good reminder of how it all began.

Amidst the flurry of activity that blankets the Christmas season, small moments can provide great opportunities to participate in meaningful giving. There are lots of possibilities for creating significance, from gifts of time, to homemade specialties, to that special heartfelt present. One such opportunity is offered through the World of Hope catalogue: a publication of the Evangelical Free Church of Canada Mission. The catalogue details a wide range of projects that EFCCM workers are engaged in throughout various regions of the world.We are excited that the catalogue gives us an opportunity to expand the visibility and resources of a small church here in Klaipeda (the Salvation Army), and the church’s efforts to assist the poor and homeless with both their physical and spiritual needs. Our project, entitled “A Step Up,” is raising funds to buy much needed food supplies for the church’s food bank. Even a small gift can have a lasting impact, as the story of one recipient reveals:Shuffling her way through the front door of the hostel where she lives, few people would pay much attention to the elderly woman as she clutches a bag of groceries. In fact, not long ago Renata was one of society’s forgotten; her makeshift home a collection of discarded trash at the garbage dump, and her food scavenged from the filth. Twice a month, however, a van would come carrying loaves of bread, hot tea, and sometimes a candle for lighting the darkness. The van also brought a priceless gift: hope. As the team handed out food and poured tea, they also talked about someone who loves us despite our filth. Through the concern demonstrated by the people in the van, Renata slowly grew to trust that they truly cared for her, and learned that Jesus loved her. When they warned that the dumpsite would be closed and urged people to move into the city to find work, Renata listened. The investment made by the church group who used to take food to the dump has developed into a lifelong friendship, and the chance for a new life. The church supported Renata through the difficult days of transition to life in the city, giving her food when she had nothing, and welcoming her into their church family. Today, Renata does odd jobs like cleaning, and picking mushrooms or berries to make enough money to pay for her place at the hostel. She visits with the people from the van at church on Sundays, and though sometimes she leaves with a bag of groceries in her hand, she always leaves as a friend.Helping the poor and homeless is often a long process that requires commitment and generous amounts of patience. One church in Klaipeda is working hard to make a difference in the lives of people who are caught in the grip of poverty. A single bag of groceries can be the difference between complete despair, and hope for another day, and the impact of the relationships built can last an eternity.

While bundled in blankets and sweaters this morning, I heard a sound that I have been straining to hear for the last few days: the trickle of hot water. With the temperatures dropping, our unheated, un-insulated apartment has been feeling pretty frosty lately, so we are relieved that the city has opened up the taps that bring hot water to our radiators. There is a steady swirl of hot water running through three of our four radiators; I’m not sure why we don’t have heat in the kitchen. To be honest, though, I’m so thankful to be a bit warmer that I don’t really care.

Still, we know that not everyone is celebrating the start of the heating season. The cost of heating has gone up, and since apartment dwellers cannot regulate the temperature, people will be forced to pay for heating whether they can afford it or not. With unemployment increasing, wages being reduced, and costs rising, it is going to be a long and difficult winter for many.

To say that our apartment is warm would be quite an overstatement. The radiators provide little more than enough heat to take the edge off the cold. But, we are immensely grateful that we have heat, and that we can afford to pay for it.

This winter, we hope and pray that the warmth in people’s homes will be accompanied by warmth of heart, and that families, friends, and neighbours will find ways to help one another through the months ahead.