‘Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift’ (II Cor 9: 15)
Finding the perfect gift? A perfect gift is chosen with heartfelt love. We choose with personal thought and memory, wanting our gift to be special. Christmas is a season of worship, gratitude, and giving but also a time of reflection. We remember childhood days, loved ones, and want our gift to be special. Love sent the Saviour of the world to be the Greatest Gift given to all mankind. Heaven’s Child was such a gift, an incredible gift. The Christmas story is ageless.
Gazing over the snow peaked mountains, the sun was rising on yet another morning. A new day was beginning; yet for many another day was closing. Eternity? In the midst of it all the clamour, my mind is drawn to my patients, children and families. The whisper of God is clear, I must give the Greatest Gif of All, the Babe of Bethlehem who gave all that He had and so much more. My colleagues give the gift of their time but also embrace the opportunity to tell the story of ‘Redeeming Love’. A few sonnets from my treasured team members: Let me share their Christmas message:
We, at Emanuel Hospice Home Care Team appreciate so much your untiring prayers. We are so grateful that we were able to continue caring for our patients throughout 2022 through the Tell Romania Feeding Programme, medical equipment, medication and the urgent financial support you provided. Our patients and their families feel blessed to have our team alongside your help, walking with them in the most difficult periods of their lives. One hundred and sixty-five patients have died in our care this year, five of them were children.
We continue to hold sister Shirley close in our prayers that she will heal and make progress. May God bless you and protect you, Sister Shirley. Estera
This time of the year is more difficult for our patients and families – every moment is a moment of fear of losing their loved one in a time that is supposed to be filled with Christmas joy. For the bereaved patients it is especially difficult, having to live through the celebration of Christmas without their loved one for the first time in most of the cases.
This week, our team together with students from Emanuel University went carolling every evening, visiting patients and trying to bring a glimpse of joy as we shared the Christmas story. ‘What shall I give Him? Give Him my heart’.We pray many hearts will come to know the Christ Child.
May the Lord fill your heart with hope and joy this season, and give you strength to recover fully! Thank you for all of your support and ministry throughout the entire year. You are truly a blessing for our team and patients. Adriana
Christmas in Suceava is a time for family. We, at Iochebed thank the Lord for our extended family of Tell Romania. What a difference you have made to so many lives in your provision of Food, Finance, Firewood, Stoves and Clothing.
This month is a full month in which we want to bring the joy of the birth of Jesus Christ to the poorest of the poor – those living in make-shift houses, covered with cardboard or disused train carriages. We are preparing gifts for the little ones who will have no ‘toys’ this Christmas and food packages for the mothers who gave birth this year. All our children will receive new clothes lovingly donated by your faithful supporters. May God be with us here, grant us the strength not to grow weary in doing good and serving people so that they may see Jesus Christ in our lives.
We embrace you with much longing and thank you for your love. Sister Shirley is missed dearly; we pray that God who is Jehovah Rapha will touch her in some miraculous way!!! Sending a warm hug and all my love to Sister Shirley! Praying for you, Gabi
We give thanks for the love and provision made possible by Tell Romania for the families assisted by CASA Gracewho are experiencing the depths of poverty. Your faithful support meant seven hundred and fifty-six families received food and hygiene packages, meaning food on their table, clean clothes and clean homes, encouraging parents and children, with the opportunity to look to the One who is the Provider, even in the middle of deep sorrow, uncertainty and tragedy. Forty-eight children with disabilities felt the love of our therapist, Dora, who with patience, love and professionalism works to ease the strain of the mental delays these lovely children experience. Because of love and your faithful support fifty-two ladies, had the opportunity to learn the art of tailoring skills on a weekly basis. They were encouraged to learn from a choice of modules with the ultimate goal of finding employment.
Because of your support I want to share the change in one of the beneficiaries, who was encouraged by the monthly Feeding Programme. Valentina, tragically lost her husband. He was disabled and nursed by his wife and disabled daughter, Nicoleta (12). Valentina carries the sadness of being raised in an orphanage, never knowing the warmth of a family. After the loss of her husband, she was very weak and needed to feel loved. Because of you, she is empowered and ready to be an encouragement to Nicoleta who suffers from mental delays. She is now employed as a cleaning lady. Thank you very much for being with her the very hard moments of her life! May the Lord abundantly reward you and may you feel the joy, comfort and peace you have brought to these precious lives!
As a team we day ‘Thank You’ and pray for His provision and healing for our precious colleague Sister Shirley. With love and respect, Monika
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‘Thank You’ seems such a small word in comparison to the gift from your heart to our patients, children and families. Your depth of love has intimately involved you in every circumstance of lives you will never meet, yet, have changed through ‘love’. It was love that gave the perfect gift to the world – Jesus, Lord of our past, Lord of our tomorrows and Lord of all. Christmas is a gift to open hands of acceptance. The true meaning of Christmas is the gift of Jesus. A gift to all – to the great and the small, to the rich and poor. The Saviour has come.
We thank the Lord for your partnership in the gospel, for strengthening our hands, enabling us to go forward in His name. As workers together we can make a difference in so many lives but
‘Even for One’ it is worth it all.
May the Christ of Christmas fill your heart
Hamilton and Shirley – December 2022
42B Bernice Road. Co. Antrim. BT36 4QZ.
December 18, 2022.