HIM FAMILY NEWS
NAVIDAD CON ESPERANZA (CHRISTMAS WITH HOPE)
Open hands, joyful hearts and hopeful faces! This is what we saw as a church when we went to a shanty town in Villa El Salvador on 23 December. From the moment we stepped out of the bus, we saw that the disabled people from the organization “Vidas que Valen” (Worthy Lives) are really a precious bunch of people! There were close to 30 disabled people, adults and kids. Some of them are blind, some lame, and a lot suffered from Down’s syndrome since birth. In Peru, disabled people receive little or no help from the government and many families abandoned their disabled family members. The organization “Worthy Lives” was founded because the founder’s son was born a disabled child and he believes that disabled people are worthy lives to live on with purpose. As a church, we can truly resonate with the same conviction because every life matters to God!
For this event, all our church members joined efforts and hearts to bless these people. Weeks before the event, our church members sat down to discuss how to bless the disabled. We decided to give food and groceries to the people because this is what they need the most. The Shakers (young adults) were in-charge of the preparation of the gifts. The various communities of the church (Family, young adults and kids) also prepared a short presentation with songs and a skit to illustrate the true message of Christmas.
The women of the church also wanted to bless the people, so they prepared the famous Peruvian chocolate drink and sweet fruit cakes to share among the visitors at the event. All our members were in action. Some of them sang, others acted; some cooked, others wrapped the gifts and some encouraged by talking to the disabled people.
At the event, it was a touching sight seeing the disabled receive the blessings we brought with joyful smiles on their faces and some of them, despite their disabilities, even worshipped God with us when we sang Christmas songs together.
Seeing the people’s faces beaming with hope, the church families, adults and kids were encouraged that with the little we did, it actually brought God’s love and hope in such a tangible way to the disabled. We couldn’t help but remember Acts 20:35, "remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
Andrew Teoh and Laura Palomino from Hope Peru
HIM Leeds, United Kingdom
Leeds is a metropolitan city situated in North England right in the middle of the Great Britain island. In this financial and commercial hub of the region lies a Hope church, the majority of which are Filipinos.
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Hope Leeds Church celebrated its last Christmas on 23 December 2012. Though the temperature dropped and the weather was freezing, the congregation was filled with warmth and love of God and brothers and sisters who came to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour.
One of the items that always adds smiles to people’s faces is kid’s presentation. This year the lovely children presented a song to everyone. One of the highlights of the nights was definitely a hand mime performed in black light. Everyone was amazed by how the hands could form images, e.g., a heart, a baby, a person kneeling to pray, a person walking and words, etc.
The message of the night by Ps Prakich was the Christmas Gift based on Isa 9:6. As the Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace, Jesus is the best present ever given to the world.
After the main service, everyone continued to enjoy themselves with the sumptuous food prepared by the church members, followed by special performances by both members and visitors.
It was one of the most memorable Christmas celebration of the church.
Pastor Prakich, Hope Leeds Church
For this event, all our church members joined efforts and hearts to bless these people. Weeks before the event, our church members sat down to discuss how to bless the disabled. We decided to give food and groceries to the people because this is what they need the most. The Shakers (young adults) were in-charge of the preparation of the gifts. The various communities of the church (Family, young adults and kids) also prepared a short presentation with songs and a skit to illustrate the true message of Christmas.
The women of the church also wanted to bless the people, so they prepared the famous Peruvian chocolate drink and sweet fruit cakes to share among the visitors at the event. All our members were in action. Some of them sang, others acted; some cooked, others wrapped the gifts and some encouraged by talking to the disabled people.
At the event, it was a touching sight seeing the disabled receive the blessings we brought with joyful smiles on their faces and some of them, despite their disabilities, even worshipped God with us when we sang Christmas songs together.
Andrew Teoh and Laura Palomino from Hope Peru
HIM Leeds, United Kingdom
Leeds is a metropolitan city situated in North England right in the middle of the Great Britain island. In this financial and commercial hub of the region lies a Hope church, the majority of which are Filipinos.
.JPG)
Hope Leeds Church celebrated its last Christmas on 23 December 2012. Though the temperature dropped and the weather was freezing, the congregation was filled with warmth and love of God and brothers and sisters who came to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour.
One of the items that always adds smiles to people’s faces is kid’s presentation. This year the lovely children presented a song to everyone. One of the highlights of the nights was definitely a hand mime performed in black light. Everyone was amazed by how the hands could form images, e.g., a heart, a baby, a person kneeling to pray, a person walking and words, etc.
It was one of the most memorable Christmas celebration of the church.
Pastor Prakich, Hope Leeds Church
HIM Kota Kinabalu Christmas Celebration
2012
As December came by, it always brings along Christmas. This year we chose ‘Tinsel in a Tinkle’ theme to describe our Christmas Celebration. As the tinsel always enfolds the tinkle, we too would like to bring the same meaning to our celebration which was very symbolic of us enfolding the less fortunate. For example, our Go Christmas event; we visited two elders’ institution namely One Home Care Centre and Grace Old Folks Home and we bless them with God’s presence into their home and heart. Apart from that, the occupants too were greatly delighted and the participants were vastly impacted on showing love and compassion especially to the marginalised.
Not just that, we too had a grand-scale Christmas Celebration where 123 adults and 5 children attended our service that night. The joyous atmosphere filled the air and many were very entertained by the creative drama, graceful dances and soulful singing performances of our very own talented people. The pastor’s sharing and the caroling too reminiscent us on the born of baby Jesus. And before we were back, we were feasted with a wide selection of finger foods and desserts and some presents.
In a nutshell, Christmas Celebration this year was indeed a great one with many of God’s provision and blessing showering his people!
