…Memories of a Christmas Many Years Ago

As I sit around a warm fire and contemplate on our second Christmas in PNG emotions run wild as I unpack my memories of the best Christmas of all. I think we as a family; Janie, the four boys and I can say this was the best Christmas of all even though we had nothing. We learned Christmas is much more than gifts and plenty of fine food.

Due to financial problems moving into a jungle post in the upper Sepik Valley we knew this would be a Christmas without much, but lots of love for the family and the Lord Jesus Christ. Our mission folk in town had let us know there would be no planes coming our way until after the first of the year, and besides that we had no money to rent the plane.

Janie gathered the boys around and I let them know we would not be getting anything from town even though our supporters and family had sent boxes of gifts from the States for them to enjoy at Christmas. As we talked the boys made plans to make a few things to wrap up and put around the little makeshift tree. Our boys learned early that they along with Mom and Dad were missionaries as well. They learned to trust and do their part.

We learned it is the act of giving not the gift that blesses the one that receives. I can shut my eyes and still see the stick with the six nails that our oldest son Jack Jr. made for his mother with pride and called it a towel rack. The other little ones came up with gifts for each other as well. My gift was the four boys that God allowed me to call sons and a wife that held us all together with love.

Our old single side band radio with the worn out battery was not much and we did not use it unless we had to. After finding out there would be no plane for awhile we shut it down. God had a plan to show us as a family how He cared for us even in things like boxes of goodies at Christmas time.

To my surprise the day before Christmas a plane appeared over our small airstrip, circled and landed at the upper end of the field. Knowing it was not our plane we did not even go check it out. Then, after the plane departed, I saw tribal men coming with thirteen small boxes, a turkey and a note from our supply man saying, “Merry Christmas, Some how God worked it out for a plane to come and they asked if you had anything that needed to come that way. The turkey is a gift from my wife and me”. Now, tell me God is not good all the time.

Thanks to God and to you our supporters. We have learned that with God all things are possible and we love you all, those He uses in our life. We wish all of you a Merry Christmas and that you will remember the Lord Jesus us as we celebrate His birth this Christmas season. With Love, Jack and Janie