Dear Christmas Partners in the Gospel to All Nations,

 

We are so thankful for your support of prayers and generous gifts to the Christmas Tree of All Nations! God has mightily used you to make it a fruitful tree that reached out with Christ's love to many refuge children and their families.  

 

 

 

A total of 28 congregations throughout Texas, Oklahoma, and even Iowa adopted children from POBLO-TX's ESL program, and the children were given their gifts at a program on Dec. 19, 2011. Not only did they receive Christmas gifts to unwrap, but they also received the best Christmas gift of all...the Gospel message about the baby Jesus who came to be a gift for all people. They heard that the best gift doesn't come in box but instead was hung on a tree, the Cross. Please continue to pray for these children that they may be washed in baptism and receive their gifts from the fruitful tree of life. "Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life" (Rev. 22:14).

 

We want to share with you some of the sights and sounds from the second annual Christmas Tree of All Nations program that took place on Monday evening earlier this week in the school gymnasium at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church-Dallas.

  • Smiling, eager children with shining dark eyes barely able to sit still due to their excitement
  • Animated conversations in Arabic, Nepali, and English all taking place simultaneously as families shared refreshments and visited with each other
  • "Away in a Manger" read aloud by four girls in their newly acquired English
  • Hundreds of brightly wrapped Christmas presents with names on them from all nations (including Bhutan, Iraq, Sudan, and Ethiopia)
  • A dramatic video re-enactment of the angel appearing to Mary and to Joseph announcing Christ's birth
  • The Christmas story in Luke 2 read aloud by children from different nations
  • Christmas hymns sung to praise Jesus, the most important gift ever given
  • Children ranging in age from a few months old to teenagers being called by their names and coming forward to receive their gifts
  • Gifts given to families to meet both their spiritual and physical needs (a beautifully illustrated "Away in a Manger" book and a gift card)
  • People from all nations mingling together and creating a glimpse of heaven-- "After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb" (Rev. 7:9).

This year's Christmas Tree of All Nations included more than twice the number of children than last year's did, and POBLO-TX is already at work to reach even more next year. Churches will soon be contacted to begin planning for the 2012 Christmas Tree of All Nations.

 

A special thank you goes to our volunteers from Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Longview, TX, who traveled to Dallas to assist with the event. These two families provided an incredible amount of time and service to make the celebration a fruitful one.  

 

Thank you even more to the Holy Spirit for working through this event and answering prayers. During the preparation for this  special event for children, the Holy Spirit added additional blessings.  Ketema, a WOBLO-TX missionary from Eritrea whom you met in our Christmas "Saved by Grace Alone" newsletter, was adopted to live with one of our volunteers and was invited to celebrate Christmas with another. In addition, a new ESL Muslim family with three teenage boys was invited for an out-of-town visit to a Christian family's home.

 

Because of your great outpouring of love, your donations to the Christmas Tree of All Nations exceeded the cost of gifts to the children and their families. The remaining funds will be shared with the same children in their ESL program activities in 2012.

  

 

     

Thank you again for showing the love of Jesus with your participation in the Christmas Tree of All Nations, and we look forward to partnering with you again next year as we build everlasting relationships with people of all nations in the name of Jesus. To view all the photos of  this inspiring event, please click here!

To all of the churches who adopted the children from all nations: We could not have done this without your prayers and support! Many thanks go out to... 

Ascension - Cleburne, Calvary Baptist - Richardson, Christ the King - Waxahachie, Cross of Christ - DeSoto, Ebenezer - Manheim, Faith - Plano, Good Shepherd - Azle, Grace - Arlington, Iglesia Buenas Nuevas - Frisco, Holy Cross - Warda, Holy Cross - Arlington, Holy Shepherd - Ft. Dodge, IA, Hope - Corinth, Messiah - Keller, Our Redeemer - Dallas, Redeemer - Ft. Worth, Our Redeemer - Longview, Our Savior - Rockwall, Prince of Peace - Carrollton, Redeeming Grace - Austin, St. Paul - Plainview, St. Paul - Groves, St. Paul - Kingsville, St. James - Lexington, St. John - Okarche, OK, Zion - Dallas, and Zion - Georgetown.  

If by chance me missed someone, we apologize!   Each and every child will know the true meaning of Christian giving because of your participation!   

 

As always we thank you for your continued support of POBLO-TX and its ministries.  

 

 

 "Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they  

may have the right to the tree of life" Rev. 22:14