Jesusluvsall's Blog

For Christmas Day yesterday, I spent the day visiting three refugee families. For me it seemed fitting because when King Herod sent his troops to kill all of the baby boys in Bethlehem, an angel spoke to Joseph telling him to take Jesus and Mary and flee to Egypt, so Jesus lived as a refugee in his early years in this life.

The picture above I took at the home of the first family I visited. I brought some candy canes and little toy Christmas puppies. We sat and talked and drank coffee for a few hours. As you can see from the picture, I wore a silly ‘Santa’ hat.

Then I went next door to the grandparents home of the family. We had a fish lunch, eating on the floor which is tricky with bad knees 🙂 , and then we drank tea and played a card game. I also gave them some candy canes and toy Christmas puppies. Eating fish seemed fitting for Christmas because that is what Jesus cooked for his disciples one morning after his resurrection.

I finished my day by visiting a family from Iraq. They are a fun family to visit. They do not have many friends here because the father is bi-polar and any sort of ‘mental illness’ is much more stigmatized in their culture than in ours. I brought the three little girls some coloring pencils because they love to color and draw. I also brought them some chocolate and candy canes. We talked for a few hours and had a wonderful time.

I spent a total of eight hours visiting the three families. It was a meaningful way to celebrate the birth of the Savior of the world. But a question from a little girl has stuck with me.

I was starting to walk up the driveway of the second family when a little girl, maybe about 6 years old, rode up on her little bicycle and said, “Hi Santa.” She actually thought I was Santa. Well, I did have the silly Santa hat one and a red sweater and of course my white beard, so I can understand the mistaken identity.

I decided to play along at first as to not be the source of disillusionment by simply saying hi, but then she said something that has stuck with me. She said questioningly  with sad eyes, “I didn’t get any presents.” I noticed her father was outside the home next door and it was obvious he was also a refugee from the Middle East, perhaps from a religion that does not observe Christmas. So I gently told her I am not Santa and that I was only wearing the hat for fun with friends.

Okay so first thought might be to feel sad for her that she did not get any presents. There are many programs to help poor and low-income families to get Christmas gifts for kids.

But I had another thought. She rode off quickly after I told her I wasn’t Santa. Our conversation ended there. My other thought was that it is sad so much emphasis is put on Santa and not on who Christmas is really all about- JESUS.

I will be praying for that little girl and her family that they come to know Jesus. He is after all the first and greatest gift when it comes to Christmas. As Jesus said in John 3:

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Out of his love for us, God gave us Jesus. That is what Christmas is really all about. I hope to see that little girl and her father again. I would like to share with them.

Thank you for reading. God Bless.