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Christmas Eve. Tonight my heart is in many places. It is in Aljaba with the three children, Vanny, Daniela, and Jorge, celebrating- I don’t know how- with Hermana Lucy. The soccer court empty, the play ground silent, the kitchen perfectly cleaned and in order; only the voices of three youth.
My heart is also with all my friends from church celebrating Navidad with all amigos de fe after Christmas Eve service tonight.  By now all are in their homes either with their families or friends or some alone. There are a few names that come to mind and I wonder if they have anyone.
My heart is with Pastor Clauber and his familia in Brasil-the family who practically took me in as a daughter for a week and taught me what a simple and meaningful life is like not only for a missionary but also a native Brasilian.
I think of Hermano Manuel and his family. The pastor I worked side by side with at Aljaba every day for the past six months; his beautiful wife and adorable long-eye lashed boy. He who always checked up on me and was there if I needed counsel or exhortation.  I miss and think of his small congregation meeting in the finished upper hallway of their dream church.  Also of their poster hanging on the podium, a picture of their unfinished building with the verse, “with God all things are possible”.  When I think of this church, I think of the upper hallway with its thirty people on fire for Jesus… “Father, bless them.”
                I remember all of the tutors and staff at Aljaba who pour out their days, weeks, months, and some years for these children(all 86); and especially Hermana Lucy and her life which she has laid down for these chicos, spending all day and many nights to keep this “casa de ninos”  going.
I think of David and his wife, Arnaldo, Moises, Caesar and Adriana, Sara, Joshua and his lovely Tikunan wife Tania, Manoel, and all those serving the communities of the Amazon at AX.  I think of an unexpected friendship that God blessed me with, the miracle and the reminder that friend is of what the transforming power of Christ can do in a person’s life…”a new creation”, the old DEAD and the new come.
My heart is with my family the B’halters… my three little sisters and their brother and their jungle-man of a father and mommy.  A home-schooling family doing what families do while living a crazy, hard, yet full life in Christ on the Amazon…They are ministers to their local friends and acquaintances and the communities of the Amazonas who have yet to know the life of Christ.
My heart is in many places this Christmas; mostly places far away, but I am here. I am thankful that although with all my heart I miss “my” home, the Amazonas, I am glad and at peace to know that He wants me here in this moment, in my hometown, in my childhood house with my good friends and loving family.

So I can say my heart is here with my family this Christmas and I am happy.  Though I feel I do not belong or know the things that once seemed so familiar and even have a difficult time thinking in my own language, God is here and I feel his love in each member of my family and in how hard they try to understand, sympathize, and encourage me. I am so thankful for the family and parents he has given me. I am thankful for all my friends who listened to the Lord’s voice and gave in so many ways toward this journey; thank you for being a willing instrument in God’s hand these months and many before.
 May the Lord give you the peace, love, and joy of His presence this Christmas wherever you and your heart may be. God is with us.

Porque donde esté tu tesoro, allí estará también tu corazón. Mateo 6:21

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:21
 


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