Volume 6

Issue 4

Christmas

2003

Christmas  2003

Home

            It seems like such a short time since we were celebrating Christmas last year.  Michele, Myself, Jonathan, Joshua, Heather, Jared, Fadila (a dear friend seeking asylum from Algeria), and Solomon, our dear friend who was seeking asylum from Azerbaijan sat down to a wonderful Christmas dinner together.  Most of the years of my life I have always looked forward with great anticipation to Christmas day, but this year is different.  It will remind me with great clarity that not all is well with the world.  Jonathan has joined the Marines and he will be away over Christmas in boot camp.  As I am sitting and writing this I do not even know how to contact him,  this will be the first Christmas that he has not been with us for 19 years.  Please remember him in your prayers.

            Last Christmas we had Solomon, who was from Azerbaijan,  sharing with us.  He was sent back to Azerbaijan by the British government and upon arrival there he was promptly arrested, beaten and then tortured for 13 hours before being sent to the hospital for emergency surgery.  I know that Solomon later escaped Azerbaijan and made his way to Lithuania, but I have not heard from him in more than 6 months.  This Christmas I will be thinking of him, wondering if he is safe and whether or not he has plenty to eat.

            The work here in Washington has changed dramatically with the influx of those seeking asylum being placed here by central government.  It has opened up many new opportunities to share the gospel with people from many countries around the world (25 different nations).  Some have come to accept Jesus Christ as their saviour, such as Solomon, who was beaten and tortured as they tried to get him to recant his faith in Christ.

            It makes us look at Christmas a little differently and we are thankful for the freedom and security that we are able to have.  This year our family will appreciate that cost more as our own son trains to defend his country.  For those of you who have sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, and other family members serving in the armed forces our prayers are with you.

            We have been blessed to serve the Lord in England for just over 14 years and we are truly thankful for the sacrifices that so many people have made in order to allow us to continue the work here.  Your sacrifices and gifts of love strengthen us in the quest to proclaim the love of God to His children, first from the British isles and now to those from Chechnya, Zimbabwe, Ghana, the Czech Republic, Kosovo, Iran, Turkey, Angola, the Ukraine, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Cameroon, Belarus, Swaziland, Georgia, Togo, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Uganda, Poland, Romania, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Israel, Slovakia and Iraq.

            We could never in a lifetime hope to go to all of these countries to proclaim the love of Christ and so our Lord has brought them to us here in Washington, England.  We do not know how long they will stay or where they will be next Christmas, we pray that the Lord will be with them as they carry His message in their heart as they go and that they too will proclaim His message to all the world.

            May God bless you all this Christmas season and throughout 2004.

Best Wishes,

The Thomas Family