We had 10 visiting scholars from the East, for Christmas parties at our house this year!!

We felt like Mary and Joseph, who also had visiting scholars from the East. I think they enjoyed hearing the parallel, and they also loved seeing the story, new to almost all of them, of the first Christmas. We saw the Nativity Movie together, and discussed it afterwards. We shared presents and good food and saw Christmas lights. My wife, a Yankee, even learned how to cook a Virginian ham! (She asked for help from a New Yorker!)

But the dearest, was when one student told us, with tears in her eyes, that we had made Christmas really special for her and her husband, for the first time.

Keep these Virginia Tech visiting scholars, most of them from China, in your prayers.

We are having a retreat with nearly 20 non-Christians, in Tennessee, on the theme of “Who is Jesus?” We are working with two dear friends from International Students Incorporated (ISI).

Please pray for this retreat!

• good weather,
• travel safety,
• open hearts,
• clear teaching, and that everything would be smothered with
• the love of Christ from our hearts.

That’s January 5 to 7, Monday to Wednesday just after the New Year.

Starting the new year with a Bang!