In Korea, we celebrate Christmas at a worship service on Christmas Eve at church. Then we visit some church members’ houses early on the morning of Christmas Day and sing a Christmas carol at their front door. It’s a very joyful and encouraging time for lonely people.
When we moved to Japan as missionaries, my wife and our two children celebrated Christmas through a candle service at church on Christmas Eve and after that we shared presents at home with each other. It was really fun and special time. Each person prepared presents for the other three family members in advance and put those below Christmas tree. When I look back at those times, I am so grateful for God’s goodness. When our children were young, we had family worship time at 9 o’clock every night. Our Christmas celebration together as a family seemed like a climax of family bonding time. We can confess, like David in Psalms 23:6—“Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (NIV).
One Christmas season, we invited an old man and his son’s family (five people) to join our Christmas meal at home. He said, “I wish every day would be Christmas, so that we can enjoy delicious food and lovely fellowship every day.”
It is very wonderful time to enjoy the love of Jesus as a family and also to share the love of Jesus Christ with neighbors’ families during Christmas season in Japan. Why don’t you come to Japan to share the love of Jesus Christ with Japanese friends?
By JeeMoon, an OMF missionary
