Monthly Archives: December 2015

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December 17, 2015

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Christian Life, India, International Missions

Christmas with Prakash and Jemima Pamu

By Prakash and Jemima Pamu

This is a post in the series, ‘Christmas Around the World,’ first published in the General Baptist International Missions Capsule. Don’t receive the Capsule? You can always catch the latest digital issue on the GB website under the International Missions tab and click on Capsule.

Christmas with the PamusGreetings in the precious name of Jesus. India is a country with different cultures, languages and religions. Hindus have many festivals throughout the year. For all those festivals they buy new clothes, clean their houses, and perform different worships to different Gods.

For we Christians, a festival is sharing what we have with others. Usually we distribute new saris and blankets for the poor people. We sing Christmas carols in the streets and tell the story of the birth of Jesus to non-Christians.

We will have sewing girls Christmas and Pastors Christmas separately on different days. We serve special food on every occasion and give some gifts to the pastors.

We conduct street Christmas festivals during the nights throughout the Christmas month In Pithapuram. Every year we conduct four to six street Christmas celebrations in different parts of the town and share the gospel story of salvation in person and in meetings.

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December 11, 2015

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Christian Walk, India, International Missions

Christmas in India

By Jessie Vemula

This is a post in the series, ‘Christmas Around the World,’ first published in the General Baptist International Missions Capsule. Don’t receive the Capsule? You can always catch the latest digital issue on the GB website under the International Missions tab and click on Capsule.

Jessie Vemula speaking to the congregationChristmas is an important holiday for Indian Christians. However, when I was young I used to not think that. Growing up in a mostly Hindu country and going to a Hindu school did not help my views. My Hindu schoolmates had fun on most breaks from school, because there were so many festivals.

During the year a Hindu can celebrate at least 50 different festivals. When the break was over and school started again, my friends would brag and tell me what a wonderful time they had. This made me feel bad, and I wished that Christians had more festivals like Hindus.

When Christmas would start to get closer though, I would get very anxious and excited, because I knew I was going to get to have fun like my schoolmates and make them jealous. As a child this is what I thought and felt, but now I look at Christmas as a great opportunity. When the Christmas season approaches we start preparing everything from children’s plays, decorations, and even painting the church. The church will be decorated with many colors, garlands, and balloons. The children will do dances and a nativity play. Everyone is so excited and happy when the month of December finally arrives.

The fun side of Christmas in IndiaAnother part of Christmas here is caroling. Usually a group of people will go to our church members’ houses. One person in the group will be dressed as Santa Clause and he will give out cookies, candies, and gospel tracts. After caroling our church member will serve sweets and other foods that they have prepared to the group. It is a great time of fellowship, celebration, and opportunity.

Christmas is the one time of the year that we are not kept from worshipping Christ openly. There is less opposition and persecution from Hindus. So Christmas is the time for us to really focus on sharing about that faithful night when God sent His son to earth so that He could die for all. This is a very precious time for every church member here because they get an opportunity to tell about Jesus Christ and what He has done for them.

Please pray for Christmas in India. Pray that it will be a time when many souls will come to know about the baby that was born in Bethlehem that Christmas night!

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December 1, 2015

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International Missions, Philippines

Christmas in the Philippines

Christmas in the PhilippinesBy Phil Warren

This is the first post in a series, ‘Christmas Around the World,’ first published in the General Baptist International Missions Capsule. Don’t receive the Capsule? You can always catch the latest digital issue on the GB website under the International Missions tab and click on Capsule.

The Christmas season begins in September in the Philippines. For four months you hear Christmas music in the malls and the decorations brighten the atmosphere. Filipinos love Christmas! There is a part of me that is cynical when I hear “All I Want For Christmas Is You” over and over, but there is another part that says “Shouldn’t Christmas be in our hearts all year-long?” Maybe the Filipinos are getting it right.

Christmas here and Christmas stateside have little in common. There are no big trees with brightly wrapped gifts stuffed underneath for most families. The meal does not have a big brown turkey or smoked ham as its centerpiece. Yet, it is still loved as a time for families to gather and share love, laughter and music. Because of the strong Catholic influence, worship is still embraced as an essential part of the holiday celebration.

Poverty is still a big part of life here in the Philippines. Especially during December you become so aware, as the people from the mountain villages are allowed to come and beg in this city of over 3 million. At almost every stoplight young women with a child on their hip come to your window with a paper cup and making an anguished face and signing they are hungry.

Cynical…again it would be easy, but the reality is that they are poor. As I reach into my pocket for pesos, I do so with grace and try to place myself in their situation. With the pesos we give a tract that shares the Gospel story.

Jesus said, “The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want.” When they come, dirty and ragged, I get to help them. I get to show love and acceptance. I get to be Christ to them.

I urge you to love the season of Christmas. Enjoy family and friends and the blessings God has given you. Also, I want to urge you to not be cynical and see who you can help and share God’s grace with.

If you want to give a gift to the Philippines, we have pastors who survive on very little in their rural mountain churches. If you want to give a gift, I guarantee that it will be a Christmas they will remember.

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