It is nearly Christmas 2022 and the question which arises is:
No, words like Peace and Righteousness have certainly not been on the frontpages of the newspapers of 2022, if they were, only in a negative sense then. Unfortunately, there is No Peace and No Righteousness in this world.
Many headlines do contain words like war, famine, exploitation, poverty, and environmental disasters. And we hear stories of desperate refugees.
So, the question is: in what way can we look forward to Christmas, how can we prepare ourselves for the Light and Peace of Christmas in this torn and dark world?
Looking back in history this has always been the case, really. Has there ever been a day that the sweet powers of Peace and Righteousness have won against the brutish powers of Violence and Injustice?
Maybe Christmas is not meant to be celebrating what is happing now, in today’s world, or to have the idea that all people on earth have already found their spirit of goodwill.
No, since Christmas Eve in Bethlehem, Christmas has been a celebration of Expectance, of a belief in what is yet to come and not in what already is: a looking forward to God’s Peace and Righteousness.
Jesus’ birth was God’s promise to a world in distress, then and now!
Christmas is longing together for a New World, for a world without tears and sorrow, but full of the promise of God’s Peace, which goes beyond mortal understanding.
That truly is a Merry Christmas!
And what about the PCC – Hand in Hand Community, how do they experience Christmas 2022?
Well, in PCC as well it is not difficult to see that there are worries, sometimes even pain and distress, like the recent deep grief after the passing away of Bernice, Wumpini and Kojo Joseph. What a tragedy for PCC!
In the whole of Ghana there is big concern about the gigantic economic problems and the uncertain future.
However, at the same time we experience in PCC daily the cheerfulness which is so characteristic for our Community and we are grateful for the fact that various residents have recuperated after a period of serious illness, like Yaw Balloon and more recently also Amma Lekma, who just returned from the Hospital.
Our broken and disintegrating world is visible in PCC. While walking your daily round of the compound, you will see how difficult the life of our disabled children often is.
But you will also be able to notice that the light breaks through during difficult moments and that small steps forward made by some residents can give us a feeling of great joy.
And what about the caregivers and children of PCC? They are going to enjoy the wonderful Christmas Play on Boxing Day tremendously!
To realise World Peace is far from easy, but sometimes we do experience that feeling of Peace close by, looking at the good people around us and at the laughter and joy of the residents of PCC.
We sincerely hope that Christmas 2022 will be a celebration of cheerful expectations and a deep longing for Peace and Righteousness for you and us, because Jesus’ birth has changed our future for all eternity…
His Light shines everywhere and always will, right through the darkness .
Peace on Earth, good will toward men. Amen.