A Christmas Carol – celebrating the love of Christmas with the India Diaspora
By Lee Forland | Malawi in Southern Africa
Women enjoying the Christmas programme.
A young girl asked her friend Amy, “I have celebrated many festivals, but I have never celebrated Christmas. Can you tell me what Christmas is all about?”
“Of course, I can tell you what Christmas is all about,” answered Amy. Reading from Luke 2 in the Bible, Amy said, “Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you, He is the Messiah, the Lord.” Amy then continued to share the beauty of the Christmas story and of Jesus’s birth proclaiming the Christmas message of Christ’s love.
In Blantyre, Malawi, around 120 people from different Hindi religions and casts, and Muslim backgrounds all came together to enjoy a special Christmas programme to both learn about and celebrate Christmas.
Earlier, the children of a local orphanage dazzled their audience with dances and singing of Hindi gospel songs. Through a special Christmas message, SIM worker Shyla Christy also told her friends and audience that the only solution to the many problems facing the world is the love offered by Jesus Christ. God brings peace and can change lives.
Teenage girls at the Christmas programme.
The local community was also unified through this Christmas programme with partnering churches providing food, and sound and lighting equipment and other logistical support.
The guests greatly enjoyed the Christmas programme with one participant saying, “In forty years, this is the first time I have ever celebrated Christmas. I only knew of Christmas as a party, and I never knew that there was such a beautiful story behind Christmas. I was happy to hear the story of the birth of Jesus.”
All the children received Christmas cake, sang Christmas songs, and received a gift. This was followed by another dance, and the singing of a gospel song by the Christy family, Shyla, Satish and Amy. Then, there was a time of prayer and thanksgiving, all followed by a dinner party and fellowship.
Audience gathering at the Christmas programme.
In the weeks following the programme, the Christy family experienced great joy visiting their friends’ homes, sharing sweets and a Christmas booklet while having the opportunity to pray for God’s blessings for the families in 2024. And as evidence of the power of Christ’s love, one man said during the Christy visits, “I have found peace in Christ, not in my idols.”
After all, SIM member Satish Christy said, “Christ is the great gift to the world. Christmas is a great opportunity to celebrate Christ among my India Diaspora friends who do not know him. I can’t wait to offer them another similar programme.”
Prayer Requests:
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Pray for the India Diaspora and the guests who attended the Christmas programme that they might come to know Christ’s love
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Pray for the Christy family serving the India Diaspora community, that they will remain safe and be encouraged and protected from spiritual warfare
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Pray for more workers and adequate funds to be available to support the India Diaspora work and the Easter programme now being planned.
To make a donation to support the India Diaspora in Malawi, please use the following details:
Project Name: Indian Ministry Support
Project No.: 96855
For online giving, please use the following URL per country:
CAN: https://donations.sim.ca/projects
UK: https://sim.co.uk/support/donate
AUS: https://sim.org.au/donate/project
Or contact your closest SIM office.
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