Christmas in a foreign land

Call me a cheat if you want, but my daughter Natalie has just posted such a lovely blog about her Christmas in Thailand, and reflections on the 'reasons for the season', that I'm going to save my creative juices until another time and let Natalie do the talking!

So, all the way from Thailand, and via her blog (http://www.faithandactions.blogspot.co.uk), with a bit of editing to make it a tad shorter, here she is:

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from Thailand! I hope you all had a really blessed day, whatever you were doing, whoever you were with and wherever you were. Do you know, I hadn't clicked that its only Brits who have Boxing Day? Everyone here had no clue what I was on about when I mentioned it (along with mince pies, Christmas cake, Christmas pudding and crackers - I never knew quite how unique our Christmas is in England).

I was so blessed this Christmas! It was my first one away from home and so I wasn't always as positive about it as I should have been in the lead up because I'd be away from my wonderful family and friends, and it wouldn't be the same. But God gave us an extra Christmas miracle (besides the pretty important one of sending His son): understanding. Of course none of our Christmas's would be as we are used to, but that's ok because Christmas is all about Jesus and He is everywhere. Germany and Sweden celebrate Christmas on the 24th, so we had two Christmas days (because we have a German and a Swede in our team, if you didn't know). The five of us went out for brunch on the 24th and had an unusual breakfast - I had carrot cake, passion fruit sorbet, red berry sorbet and a frozen mint chocolate drink. I figured as it was a hot Christmas, so for the summery foods.

So we started well, with a lot of delicious food and a relaxed time of fellowship with these four wonderful sisters of mine. 

We'd prepared small care packages the day before, and so spent our afternoon walking the streets finding people the hand them out to as we felt led by God. It was a really humbling and encouraging time, and very hot! There's one lady I want to tell you about quickly, as she was the face of Christmas for me this year. We had one package left and I felt that I should give it to an old lady selling street food. She looked very confused to start with and didn't take the gift, but when she began to understand it was free and an expression of God's love and our love for her, the biggest and brightest smile spread across her wrinkled face, bringing it to life. It's the same with God - He gave us Jesus as the greatest expression of His love for each one of us and when we accept Him, our life is brightened forever. This is why I love Christmas!

Before heading home to refresh before church, three of us were introduced to a wonderful delicacy of Thailand - the banana roti. It was amazing! They mix egg and mushed up banana together, fry it in a thin dough circle and fold it into a square, then drizzle with condensed milk and chocolate sauce. Yum!

We went to the church we have been working with during our stay here in the evening and had pizza, popcorn, fruit  and s'mores for dinner, again in very large portions. We sang carols, and it vaguely reminded me of the Christmas Eve service at my church (but it wasn't near as good, but I am quite biased). 

Christmas morning number two started with a Skype call to the family at 7am my time which is 12am midnight, so just Christmas for them. It was a really special start to the day, and I even got to watch some of Love Actually with them! They started my christmas off in the best way possible, thank you so much for staying up guys.

When the others were up we began Christmas with our focus on the 'reason for the season' by reading the Bible story and praying together. It's so special to be with people who really share your faith and understand how important it is to you. The five of us have been through a lot together over the last three months, so it was lovely to spend such a significant day with them! We then did stocking and present opening. The giving of gifts brings such joy, doesn't it?! 

We'd decorated the small communal area we have upstairs and this was our Christmas tree, Thai style.

Breakfast consisted of banana muffins, croissants, fruit, chocolate and other sweets. We all mooched for a while before I carried on the tradition (now two years old) which I am determined to continue of playing jungle speed.

A group of us went out for a late Christmas lunch to a restaurant near by. Oh my word! This was my Christmas dinner.

Yes, it did indeed consist of fish and chips! Well, I wanted something British and this is the closest I could come, and it was so good. There was also an unlimited salad bar, so I had carrot sticks, celery sticks, lettuce, pepper, spinach, mange-tout and other veg for the first time in months. Now, I would have felt extremely blessed if we had had rice and dhal because that's yummy too and Christmas isn't about food, but boy God is so good and loves to give His children joy in many ways. I was very joyful! 

The evening was full of more joy brought through the wonders of technology. I spoke to some of my family, which was so wonderful as they're all at my home for Christmas so it's ever more bizarre not being there. The rest of my new family from India were also online so we could talk to them for the first time since we left - I miss them a lot, going from shari everything to not having much contact is challenging, so it was great to briefly hear their voices again. Then the icing on the Christmas cake was being able to wish one of my best friends, Ruth, a Merry Christmas too. All in all, it was a truly great Christmas, full of God, friends and fun.