Dickensian Christmas even in 2017
21 Dec 2017
People say Christmas is all about the children - and for Christians, one child in particular. But this year many children are faring badly in villages, towns and cities. Granada ITV news has been reporting on child poverty. Primary school staff spoke of hungry children, and parents collapsing in the school hall because they had not eaten for days so that their children could eat. Those parents were invited into the breakfast club for cereal and toast, and then referred to a foodbank. Other parents are being allowed to charge their phones and wash children’s clothes in the school, because they have no electricity or hot water at home. Coats and shoes are given to children who haven’t got them. The schools reported that they had seen a ‘noticeable rise’ in the numbers of working families who were in this kind of poverty. Mrs May was recently challenged in parliament about 128,000 children being homeless this Christmas.
Hundreds of victims of domestic abuse are being turned away from refuges in Wales due to lack of space. As many as 500 women, children and men were turned away in 2016-17, half the time because units were full. Welsh Women's Aid said there had been a 5% funding cut in specialist services for violence against women. There are fears that the loss of a protected Welsh government grant could see more refuges close (already 34 have done so since 2010). Fleeing violence and finding refuge is not just a welsh challenge. Across the UK one-third of all referrals to refuges are turned away, according to Women’s Aid; others say two out of three women are turned away. Specialist domestic violence services for black and ethnic minority women and women with disabilities have borne the brunt of the cuts. See also
European Christmas traditions
21 Dec 2017
There is a story of Martin Luther walking in the woods in Latvia and creating the first Christmas tree in 1510. Whether or not it is true, the first Christmas tree recorded was in the town square of Riga, Latvia - not Germany. In Argentina Christmas trees are decorated on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception (8 December). Globos are lightweight paper decorations with a light inside that many Europeans release into the sky after midnight on Christmas Eve - hundreds of tiny God-lights in the sky. The Nativity crib scene was first made popular in Italy by St Francis of Assisi in 1223, a year after he had visited Bethlehem and seen where it is believed that Jesus was born. Many Italian families have Nativity cribs in their homes. Croatian Christmas preparations begin on St Catherine's day (25 November) with an Advent wreath of straw and evergreen twigs holding four candles representing hope, peace, joy, and love.
Pope Francis: Lord's Prayer debate
21 Dec 2017
Pope Francis has sparked a debate after saying he wants to make a change to the Lord's Prayer, arguing that the current form wrongly implies that God can lead humans into temptation. The Pontiff said the Roman Catholic Church should adopt a better translation, as the current phrasing is theologically incorrect. It speaks of a God who induces temptation. The French have changed the text to 'do not let me fall into temptation’. The Pontiff said, ‘I am the one who falls, it isn't God who throws me into temptation and then looks on to see how I fell. A father does not do this; a father helps us get up immediately. The one who leads you into temptation is Satan, that's Satan's role. The prayer should say, “When Satan leads me into temptation, give me a hand”’.
Israel: awaiting Advent
21 Dec 2017
During Advent we sing ‘O come, O come, Emmanuel’ and prepare our hearts to celebrate the long-awaited arrival of our Saviour Jesus. We honour the most famous Jewish man who ever walked the earth: Yeshua, the Messiah. Yet His chosen people - His treasured possession - have not recognised Him. For them, Advent has not yet come. However 1.7 million Jewish people are now celebrating that the Messiah has come - and his name is Jesus! More Jews believe in Jesus today than in the past two thousand years combined. Despite a turbulent history with the Church that has left many Jews resistant to Christian evangelism, God is healing wounds of the past and creating new relationships of respect and communication between Christians and Jews. Thus avenues are opening that reflect Jesus’ love for the Jews and sharing of the Gospel more lovingly and effectively.
Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital has generated aggressive reactions. The PLO are seeking full UN membership again (they failed in 2011), and will no longer accept the USA participating in peace negotiations. Turkey called Israel a ‘terrorist state’. Pakistan’s prime minister said, ‘We hope the demonstrations of rage will not dissipate into passive acceptance of the status quo.’ Many onlookers believe that Hamas deliberately resorts to violence to pursue its ends. The violence is rarely spontaneous, is well organised, and used by leaders because violence achieves their goal. It works because policymakers abstain from making controversial decisions, fearing violent reactions. Meanwhile fighting continues in Jerusalem with ten dead, 2809 injured and 400 arrested. This week a 25-member Bahraini delegation held a five-day visit to Jerusalem, ‘sending a message of peace’, as Israeli military carried out air strikes on Hamas training compounds in the Gaza Strip after rocket attacks came out of Palestinian territory. See
War-torn areas: shelter and relief
21 Dec 2017
The word ‘shelter’ literally means a house, a tent, or a refuge. It arises from the command of Jesus that we are to ‘love our neighbour.’ This additionally implies providing food, clothing and drinking water to the poor and needy as well as a roof over their heads. For over thirty years Shelter Now has assisted with humanitarian and developmental assistance in Pakistan and Afghanistan, providing emergency relief for war-affected refugees and for victims of earthquakes, floods, drought and other natural disasters. It provides reconstruction, rehabilitation and long term development co-operation. Recently the work in Pakistan was closed, to start helping refugees from IS in Kurdistan instead. In November a staff member, Udo Stolte, visited Yazidi refugees in Sulaimaniya in northern Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region. You can read his report on Yazidi children going to school again by clicking on the ‘More’ button.
Pakistan: persecution in churches and prisons
21 Dec 2017
On 17 December, two suicide bombers targeted a Methodist church in Quetta, leaving nine dead and over fifty injured. Only one managed to detonate his vest: the second was killed by security forces. Over 400 worshippers were in church at the time. A group affiliated to IS claimed responsibility. Pray for the Pakistani government to take all steps necessary to provide adequate security to Christians during this Christmas season. Pray for God’s healing mercy upon those injured, and His presence to be with those grieving the death of loved ones. Also, Pakistan Prison Mission Society reported discrimination against Christians in prison. Christians are accused of blasphemy only because of personal vendettas or vested interests, and it takes years before courts absolve them of false charges. They are mistreated by other prisoners as soon as it is known they are Christians. Pray for pastors to be allowed into prisons this Christmas.