Christmas in Ukarumpa

I marvel at the simplicity of the Christmas season here.  Yes, it does get busy and sometimes extremely busy, but it’s worth the busyness for the time we can have in relationship with each other.
 
There are the work Christmas parties, the class Christmas parties, the small group get togethers and cookies needed for this or that. The store “black Saturday sale” and the community “craft fair”. Then the end of school term busyness of extra things that need to be accomplished before next term can begin.  The good-byes to friends that are leaving “finish” at the end of the semester.  The band and choir programs for both campus’ (Primary and Secondary), and of course, the Christmas chapels.  And in everything we do there is prayer AND the gospel message is shared.  There is never the assumption that “Oh these people are missionaries or missionary kids. Surely they know the stories so why bother telling them again?”

PNG culture is very relationship driven.  It definitely keeps one in check of how busy or not busy to be when you realize that you don’t have time for relationship.  Let’s face it, relationships take time, and even more time to do them well.  If you are doing errands it is easy to get in task mode, but then you see a Papua New Guinean that you are familiar with and say, “Moning. Yu stap orait?”  And that opens the door to saying, “Yes, I will take the time to talk to you and have relationship with you.”  How easy is it for us, yes even me in this culture, to get caught up in the “Things To Do” list and forget God designed us for relationship, not just for checking things off of a list (even though it feels very good at the time to cross it out). God wants us to be in relationship with others, Christ followers and not, and more importantly to be in constant relationship with Him.  Relationships are one of the very few things that are an eternal investment.

One night we were taking turns before dinner to pray for someone on our countdown to Christmas chain.  It was Meliah’s turn and she was praying just like she was having a 1 on 1 conversation with her friend.  It struck me that even though it doesn’t sound “religious” or didn’t have the formalities of some prayers.  She was talking to God as she would a friend.  That is what Jesus Christ wants. A relationship and friendship with you and me.

Yupela kisim gutpela hamas dispel Kristmas na nu yia!
Have a merry Christmas and a happy new year!
-Ruth Michael