TIME FOR THE BEST

It’s Christmas time!! The best time and much waited for by children in the village I used to live. All year through all children in the community look forward to only one day, the best of all the days in a year- CHRISTMAS. It is supposed to be full of joy, fun and merriment. It sure used to be. Streets are filled with the sound of Christmas songs and musics. Only problem used to be that it come only once a year and it seems to be so short when it comes and take too long to come back for us children.

Families started to prepare as early as possible and the talk about what to be bought for children fills the air. Each home tries to make sure they have enough money for the Christmas shopping. Christmas is in the air and in the hearts of everyone.

Our parents make sure we get the best of everything at Christmas. All children believe we receive the best gifts!!! The truth is what ever we got for Christmas was simply the best, at least for us, as it is the best our parents afford to give us. I remember having the biggest balloon in the whole village one Christmas; I was proud of it and remember enjoy playing with it with my firends. Unfortuantely it easily burst. Worldly gifts and joy are such.

Christmas is in fact about the best gift from God: The only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, who came to earth as a gift from a loving Father. He is incarnate to give us eternal life. To all who search and seek Him and accept Him as saviour He grants them life eternal! No matter our condition; regardless of our ethnic background; rich or poor doesn’t count the only condition to receive this Heavenly gift is the willingness to receive it. How wonderful!!!

I often wonder how preparations will be underway when Christ our Lord offers to come for us. Even angels long to look into these things (1Peter 1:12). We are gifted with even heavenly beings would long to look into!! I am sure this Christmas you will be able to recognize the true meaning of it all. Mojarity of Jesus time failed to recognize Him. The truth is revealed to us clearly let us not make mistake like them. May you grasp the full meaning of what St. John’s Gospel shared to us- “He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:10-14)

May you see the glory of Jesus in its fullness, the best gift of God to mankind.

Wish you all Merry Christmas. Make sure it is time for the best.

SRI LANKA A SIPAI PAWL HMUNPUI

Chhandamna Sipai Pawl Sri Lanka a hmunpui hi Colombo khawpui laili ah hmun zau tha tak mai kil thuma kawngpuiin a hualin a ding a. THQ building hian, kawngpui Sir James Peiris Mawatha an tih chu chhawngin, hospital lar tak mai Nawaloka nen a inthenawm a ni. Hemi chhungah hian Board room pahnih leh zing tawngtai inkhawmna hmun mi 50 vel thawl nuam tawka dawng a awm.

A hnuaia building hi THQ complex chhunga awm a ni a. Hming mawi tak mai "Beiseina IN" (Hope House) ti a hriat a ni.

Hope house ah hian Pianphunga rualban lo thawhna nei mipa te tan hostel a awm a, Montesorri school te, physiotherapy clinic te, computer center te, guest room te, supply store te, quarters leh western division DHQ te a awm bawk. Hemi hmuna hian HIV/AIDS hripaite tana ei tur tha semna leh anmahni sawipuina pindan pawh siam a ni. A hming ang takin tam tak tan beiseina thar nei tura tanpuina hmun a ni e.

THQ nen a ding dunin Colombo Central Church hi biak in lian ni lo mahse a sak hmang leh lan dan hi a tha thawkhat hle. Sap tawng leh Sinhalese inpawlhin inkhawmna kalpui a ni. Band leh Worship team tha tak awm hian inkhawm boruak a tinuam ve khawp mai. Sap ram angin band hian hla mipui sak tur ang chi chu an hruai vek thin. Worship team te hian minute 20 vel tur hun an hmang deuh zel bawk. Colombo a i kal chuan Chawlhni zing inkhawm dar 9 a tan hi va chhim ve ngei ang che.

Spiritual retreat

Marching on as God's Army and going strong for His purpose is what we intend to be. For that we do need a time to retreat from the routine lives and concentrate on re-equiping ourselves to fare better in our fight against evil. Out of the 99 officers in the territory 5 were not able to attend but cadets in The Training College joined us.

Mr. K. Zohmingthanga, BA, BD, M.Th. was one of the resource person. Presenting Biblical basis of the uniqueness of The Salvation Army faith and practices from practical personal experiences he was indeed a channel of blessings. Let me quote a few lines of what he shares:

"I happened to be the only one and first Salvationist student in two theological seminaries. I always try to maintain my uniqueness and stick to my principle, for that some how I was known in the seminary, to be provoke or tease me (which I am not sure till today but I never take it as a compliment) some people even call me Salvation Army. My life on seminary was not always like a fine weather, in fact most time rain and windy and it’s hard for me to recollect a time when I badly blame or try to change its course but by God grace I adjust my sails. During those years my teachers and classmates often asked me about Sacraments, basically about water Baptism and Holy Communion. It usually starts and ends with nice discussion, but on some occasion it ends with big arguments when it’s come to defend our own practice. When the topics involved rites and rituals there was a time when I feel defeated (But never surrendered). But when it comes to do with Christian ethics, Practical Theology, missiology etc, it’s more than the way I feel like a winner, my friends they treat me like a champion simply because of The Salvation Army and appreciates what we are doing. "

Beach walk

Taking an evening stroll and a breather at the beach gives you the kind of break you need after a full day work in the office. Here in Sri Lanka we are fortunate to have such beautiful beaches.

Home away from home.

The last couple of years we have been residing in Sri Lanka. What a privilege and joy it is for us to serve The Master in this beautiful country. The people are open, trustworthy, hospitable, helpful, respectful and many more.

Since coming into this wonderful country we feel being loved by The Salvationist. The senior retired Officers are most supportive to us. One of the retired General Secretary who is in his nineties always remind us that he is praying for us every morning at 5:30!! It is really amazing to learn how people prayed for you and cared for you. This is just such example.

The community way of life is very close to that of the Mizo society. Community supporting one another, how they treat the death and support the bereaved etc. are very similar to that of the Mizo, particularly in the rural areas.

Many find it difficult to believe that we are Indians! They usually assume that we are from the Eastern part of Asia. We have to explain we are an Indian most of the time when people want to get to know us better.

During these two years time we have experience God with us in our ministries. We have seen The Spirit of The Lord at work in many areas. We praised and thank God for His ever presence with us.

Even though away from families and near and dear ones we feel Sri Lanka is very much a home away from home.