'Tis The Season - by Rachel

Here we are doing some last-minute packing for our 2-week trip to the UK for Christmas with family, courtesy of British Airways (who grounded one of our flights over the summer and gave us some rather generous compensation - thanks BA!), and I realized it had been a shockingly long time since we blogged.... so here it is, a quick glimpse of Christmas season on the Africa Mercy.

Sinter Klaas came to visit us, all the way from the Netherlands.  Via Spain.  I think.

Daniel was less impressed with Sinter Klaas than he was with the cookies in his bag.  Can you spot him?

In our multi-cultural community there are many ways to celebrate, and so many amazing people who put on fabulous events to bring the community together:  Santa Lucia (from Scandinavia), Sinter Klaas (from the Netherlands), cookie baking and decorating, ginger-bread house competition, door-decorating contest, Christmas concert, craft night, Winter Wonderland Christmas bazaar, and Advent services to name just a few.  

Cookie baking!

Christmas craft night!

more crafts...

...and more crafts

The Elementary School Choir getting ready to sing at an Advent Service

...and here's your annual digital Christmas card:

Let me leave you with a thought expressed by one of my fellow-Chaplains at the last Advent service:  

There was no room for Him in the inn.  

There was no room for him.  No room. 

How can we, especially in the midst of what is often a really busy season, make room for him in our schedules, in our lives, in our hearts?

We wish you all a very merry Christmas filled with the peace and joy of His presence.