Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas. Blessings and Peace to you all.

Even in Guatemala the significance of Christmas is skillfully hidden among such activities as office parties, decorations, presents, Santa Claus but Christ continues to reveal himself as our Emmanuel.

Last week Karate promotions were held in the gym we attend. A nearly five hour event in which we each received our new belt, showed a bit of what we had learned and received our kick in the stomach from the Sensei, our Karate teacher. The gym was filled with students and families proudly waiting for their moment.

Horacio, Diego and I were among the last group to be promoted—about 50 students and 150 or so onlookers remained. As we concluded, the new black belts came to the front from a special ceremony. First they demonstrated or dedicated a Karate Kata to their family or Sensei, and then they were all given a small glass of liquor. Finally each was given a candle…

Sensei asked for someone to come up and speak to the spiritual significance of light. One mother volunteered but simply congratulated the young men on their accomplishments. Sensei wanted a more “spiritual” response, so he asked me to come forward and speak.

I came forward, struck by the circumstance. Here I was in a Karate gym where we learn personal defense and combat, where we train our bodies how to react if someone puts a gun to our back or pulls a knife on us… knowledge that is only needed because we live in a world full of violence, a world full of sin. In this very same Karate gym, I was now speaking about the Light of the World, our Lord Jesus Christ. The Light who has overcome the darkest of darkness and who brought an answer to the violence and sin more profound and more permanent than any self-defense class. Jesus the Christ brought us hope and on the cross gave us new life.

We are the Light of Christ in the world, not called to hide but called to shine. Called to bear the Light of Christ into the darkness so that the darkness is no more.

That evening during our Karate promotion, the true light shone for all. The Light of hope, the Light of life, the Light that came to us one Christmas morn.
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In these days before Christmas, I send you all my love and my deep gratitude for your support and solidarity this year. I neither expected to still be in Guatemala as a Volunteer Missionary nor to have a wedding date fast approaching, but amazingly that is where I find myself. It has been a year filled with joys, fear, anguish and hope. In the midst of the spectrum of emotions and experiences your prayers and support have helped me continue in the path that is before me. You have all been the Light of Christ for me this year. I am humbled to have such faithful people supporting me. It is my prayer that God continues to bless each of you abundantly.

Peace of our Lord,

Amanda