A Child Is Born to Us

(Original Letter: December 21, 2003)
“Letters from my Sojourn”
© 2008 by Peter Allan C. Mariano

To my dear friends in Christ;


Greetings my friends!!! I hope all is fine with every one of you back there. It has been a while since I have last sent an installment to these “Letters from my Sojourn” series. The Eid Holidays after the month-long Ramadan came…. and went away… giving some short interlude to our work here in Saudi Arabia….but after that… working time again! Now, it is your turn back there to have your holidays with the coming Christmas season. I can only do a few touch-up jobs here to make my room have some holiday decoration with whatever materials I can get my hands on.

Christmas doesn’t mean much here…. in fact, it doesn’t mean anything at all… except for the Christian workers here, mostly Filipinos, and probably a handful from other races as well. It does, however, signal the Mutawa, or the Saudi Religious Police, to be more vigilant in catching merrymakers who want to celebrate Jesus’ Birthday with a bottle or two of the forbidden sadike, the homemade liquor which is very famous here (underground)… which caused quite a little too many headaches, hangovers…. and perpetrators who got caught being sent to jail. Ouch!



The way these so-called “Christians” here in KSA celebrate Christmas is not unique. I bet that this is the same throughout the globe whatever race a “Christian” may be. As for my villa mates and me, we just try to keep a Christmassy atmosphere by having some good food, minus the forbidden drinks, and play a little bit of Christmas-oriented games.

I was watching “Home Alone 2 : Alone in New York” the other day and aside from the fact that two full-grown and very dangerous thieves got beaten-up by a ten-year old kid, the movie oozed with it’s theme on giving and the importance of being with your family. And one dialogue from Kevin struck me the most : that “Christmas, won’t be Christmas without a Christmas tree”. But not one instance was the REAL REASON why we celebrate Christmas was ever mentioned.

I didn’t say that giving and family values and merrymaking during Christmas are bad. But where is CHRIST in all these? Where have we placed the Real Reason for the Season? Have we ever stopped and prayed during these holidays and thanked Jesus for another year that He has given us? Another “Christmas”? Like Kevin, we tend to focus on the Christmas Tree, with all its glittering trimmings and gifts wrapped in brightly-colored ( nowadays its metallic) paper… and forget what the “tree” stands for.

“ The people walking in darkness have seen a great light;;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death,
a light has dawned.”
Isaiah 9:2 NIV


It’s amazing to think that I’m in a land in close proximity to the area referred to in the passage above. The Middle East… an area in the world where everything is at the extreme… and not only the weather. The people there have lived in darkness for several centuries… spiritual darkness… finding hope only in the words of long-dead prophets, but never really understanding what was written for them. This darkness lasted on and on…. until the coming of the Light… until a virgin said “yes” to God… and conceived through the Holy Spirit.

“ For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given, and the
government will be on his shoulders. And He will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace.”
Isaiah 9:6 NIV

This barren piece of the globe was truly blessed for when the world was still enveloped in this deep, seething, and gnawing darkness… the Light came upon them. But in their pride and spiritual blindness, they didn’t recognize the Light as who He truly is… and they rejected Him…. even nailing Him to the cross! But were they able to extinguish the light? By no means! Like the bright star that shone on that one holy and glorious night… He gave Himself up, so that the rest of the world can see his brightness… so that we too can receive the Light.

I was the first in my family to be Born Again and joined the Couples For Christ Family Ministries. It was way back in 1996 when I joined Singles For Christ in Amkor/Anam. I became the Team Leader during the next Christian Life Program after the one I attended, and eventually became the Unit Head. My wife, Jing, was also a member of SFC and we were on the same batch, although I only came to really know her during my batch’s first outside-get-together in Talisay, Batanggas. I was the “Daddy” of the group…. and when we got engaged, Jing became “Madrasta” or stepmother (I will just tell you all about it on my next letters)… and when we were married, and moved on to Couples For Christ… she became “Mommy Jing”. My parents later joined CFC, and the rest of my family followed suit.

Since then, some of my most cherished moments are when the whole family got together during Christmas Eve and celebrate the Lord’s Day. Amidst overflowing tears of joy, each member of the family would thank the Lord for what He has given us during the past year, and would pray for His continuing guidance and providence for the coming year. The eating spree that follows…. and even the opening of the gifts… would not even come close to dimming the joy that I felt during the Lord’s Day celebration.

It’s the second year of my sojourn here in Saudi Arabia… the second Christmas that I’ll be celebrating on my own, away from my family… and one thing I truly missed is the Lord’s Day celebration on Christmas Eve that I have just described. But even when we are leagues apart… on different parts of the globe… I know that come Christmas Eve, our hearts will again be as one when we pray to our Lord Jesus and give thanks for every blessing that He has given us.

Brothers and Sisters, if you haven’t tried it yet, why not invite your family and loved ones to come and celebrate the Lord’s Day prayer before you have your Noche Buena this coming Christmas Eve? If they’re not members of the CFC Family Ministries, it would be something new for them… who knows, it could be the first step in evangelizing them. If you have family members who are already in the renewal, then this could be a great opportunity for you and your family to thank the Lord… as one.

Don’t let the glitter and glamour and all the materialistic aspects that this world is showcasing blind you and make you not see nor recognize the Light that has come down upon us. Don’t let yourselves revert to what we were once… a people who walking in darkness… a people living in the valley of the shadow of death.

May the Lord continue to bless you all this Christmas and in the years to come. May His perpetual Light shine upon you and your loved ones and give you peace. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all!!!

We praise you… the Son that has been given us! We praise you… Wonderful Counselor! Mighty God! Everlasting Father! Prince of Peace! Light of the World… shine down upon us all!!!


Shalom,
Brod Pete


“Letters from my Sojourn”
© 2008 by Peter Allan Mariano


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