We trust that you have all celebrated a beautiful and meaningful Christmas.
We want to THANK YOU each and everyone for your participation in our new ministry here in Denmark. There is a lot to be done and we are thankful for the breakthroughs we have already had. We would also greatly appreciate your prayers for the ministry here to continue to bear more and lasting fruit. Prayers are powerful and we greatly appreciate yours!
December was a busy month filled with lots of events and we hope you will enjoy the little glimpse that we are about to share with you here!
NEWSLETTER CONTENTS:
1. THE 25TH CELEBRATION
2. STOP MAD SPILD (STOP FOOD WASTE)
3. VOLUNTEER CELEBRATION
4. OUTREACH AND TRACTS
5. SOMALIAN NIGHT
6. SEBASTIAN’S FAREWELL
7. MISSION CHRISTMAS GIFT
8. LOCAL CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION FOR THE CHILDREN
9. STAFF CELEBRATION
10. BIBLE STUDIES
11. THE VINEYARD
CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION THE 25TH
On the 25th we decided that we were going to invite people that did not have someone to celebrate with on that day. Philip cooked a typical Danish Christmas dinner. We also bought a small chocolate bar for each one attending, and drew numbers for who would get which one. We also had a wonderful time watching Andre Rieu’s (Dutch violinist) Christmas performance. It was beautiful and and truly set the Christmas mood! We had invited 8 people, but sadly not all were able to come.
STOP FOOD WASTE
On the 23rd of December 625, 923 kg of food was collected from several different shops. The volunteers all met at 19:30—some to drive out to collect, others to register and prepare to receive the food in order to sort, refrigerate, and plan for distribution. We stayed till midnight. The following day we again met at 9am and stayed till 2 pm. That last two hours were spent distributing to food. Below is a photo of some of the volunteers!
Our church, the Vineyard, ran a project called “Mission Christmas Presents”. (Which we will tell about in a moment). After it was over Philip requested that any left over gift be used for distribution. We received 8 boxes, four of which were distributed here. Every child that came got to choose two toys and they each received and ice cream cone as well!
VOLUNTEERS CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION
In the middle of the month we were invited to a Christmas celebration for the volunteers from “Stop the Food Waste” project. We shared a delicious meal and as seen in the photo here everyone drew a gift out of Sonata's hat! After the meal we played a “package game” where we again received more gifts. Everyone was also gifted with a gift card for any shop in the largest mall in the city. We felt richly blessed and appreciated.
OUTREACH AND TRACTS
For Christmas we produced a tract about the true reason for the season and the real genuine Christmas gift — Jesus Christ Himself coming to earth to take our judgment for sin so that we could go free — if we receive the gift.
It also addressed the need to draw nearer to Him in order to discover all the gifts available and how to benefit from them!
SOMALIAN NIGHT
I, Rita, attended a Somalian night. The women from Somalia got together together to prepare a traditional Somalian meal for everyone. We learned that they never eat rice without also eating banana. When Googling this it seems to be an a tradition that goes back many generations and was instituted in order to add nitration and flavor to the meal!
SEBASTIAN’S FAREWELL
Sebastian, who has been instrumental in reaching the local community where we live, will be moving on to a new chapter in his life. It was a bitter sweet farewell meeting, but life will go on and we trust that the Lord will clarify our way forward in the new year. We thank those of you that are keeping the ministry here in your prayers and eagerly await the guidance of the Lord!
MISSION CHRISTMAS GIFTS
The Vineyard Church ran a big project called “Mission Christmas Gifts”. The aim was to help as many families as possible be able to celebrate a Merry Christmas with their children. 120 families signed up to receive the gifts, and each family had more than one child. They not only received toys, but also clothing, home items, and gift cards for grocery shopping. Philip and I volunteered to help the families find a suitable gift for each child, etc.
We also helped organise the books, gifts, clothing, etc. And as seen in the photo below there was a gift wrapping table where all the Christmas gifts were wrapped and labelled.
CELEBRATION FOR THE CHILDREN IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY
The toys donated to the local community from the Vineyard Church were a big unexpected blessing and surprise. Not only did the children receive some nice gifts, but as seen Santa also handed out sweets and fruit. We are very thankful for the joy and gratitude it brought to all the once participating.
There was also a nice warm meal served and a special typical Christmas dessert as seen here. Is is like sweet rice pudding. Traditianally there will be a whole almond hidden in it and whoever get the almond get a big chocolate surprise as well!
VINEYARD STAFF CELEBRATION
We were also invited for a Christmas celebration for all the volunteers at the Vineyard Church. We had a traditional Christmas meal, a nice time of fellowship, sweets and before we left everyone received a bag with some gifts in it.
BIBLE STUDIES
We are very thankful that the Lord has brought together a good group of eager Bible students. We trust that the group will grow. We meet once a week. We are presently trying to work out a way that someone who lives in another city, but really wants to attend, can do so. She works and is therefore not able to join in with the others as she lives too far away. But we trust that the Lord will show us how to make it all work out in the new year.
THE VINEYARD
On the last service of the year I was asked to share a testimony of what the Lord has done. I briefly shared about how amazing a lifestyle of following the Lord has been and how His faithfulness ever fails! Prise the Lord!
In closing we want to thank you all for the year that went. We are excited and looking forward to what the Lord has in store for us in the new year. There is never a dull moment with Jesus. We love you all and are keeping you in our prayers.
