Gezegende tweede kerst! (A blessed second Christmas). We trust that you have had a blessed Christmas. In Europe and here, we have also a second Christmas. The first day is more a religious holiday, and the second a day to visit friends. Christmas is still considered a Christian holiday here, and there were three articles about the meaning of Christmas on the front page of one of the national newspapers. However, it has also become much more commercialized than before.

Traditionally at the turn of the year, many Bush Negroes, in both in the city and the interior would do various ceremonial washings to pull off the sins of the last year, and the following day go visiting friends and relatives. This was a day to wear your new clothes. However, in Christian circles, we know that without the shedding of blood there is no remission, and that it is the blood of Christ, not a bunch of leaves boiled in water, which cleanses us from all unrighteousness. Many of our people will still wear their new clothes on Christmas and New Year.

We had a Christmas dinner Monday for the Sunday school children, and then about 80 came to the Christmas dinner on Wednesday for adults and teens. We finished our meal and various other activities about 10 pm. The Christmas service went from 6-8:30 pm last night. At first, it looked like a lot of people were not coming, but we ended up with a very good crowd. Last Sunday, I had preached on God's unspeakable gift (2 Corinthians 9:15) and contrasted it to the commercialization of today. On Christmas night, John Naingie spoke from Hebrews 9-10 about Christ's sacrifice, and our need to be lights in the world.

Christmas cookie evangelism: Each year Liz bakes many Christmas cookies and loaves of banana bread to give out to neighbors, friends, church members, and a contacts in stores and businesses. We always include tracts, and consider it an easy way to get out gospel literature in an effective and very acceptable way. She must have prepared over 60 presents that way.

Wedding balloons: We had a very nice wedding of a couple from Sunny Point a week ago Saturday. They had been married in the cultural manner, but now had a government marriage ceremony and church service. Since the main church building was already decorated with Christmas decorations, they just added the traditional balloons in the colors of the bridal party's clothing. I was pleased that not only the wedding but the reception was held at the church, and was very well organized. Kenneth Domini, pastor from Sunny Point preached. John Naingie conducted the service, and I did the vows.

In years gone by, the Bush Negro young man in the interior who wanted a wife would need to show that he could care for her. He would need to be capable of cutting a ground open to be planted by the wife, as well as hunting and fishing. With the help of his family, he would need to build a small home to live in. At the appropriate time, he would approach the girl's family. He would never go himself, but send one of his mother's male relatives (usually a brother) to ask for the girl. He would send presents like clothing, hangmats (hammocks) and some liquor to the girl's family. When they agreed, his new wife would move in with him.

In the city as well as the interior, the situation has changed, and in some senses deteriorated. Usually the family is approached, but supporting a wife is more difficult, especially in the city. Some men would ask though they were really not capable of caring for the woman. An easy solution was to get the girl pregnant, which is not officially acceptable or approved, but an efficient way to get the girl as often the family see little choice otherwise. These marriages are recognized in the culture, and as a concubinate relationship by the government. Should the marriage dissolve, which often happened, the goods of the man returned to his family. This is why families in the past and even now sometimes oppose church marriages. As a legally married couple, the family cannot just take everything back. I saw one lady with 3 children placed in mourning by a family after her husband died at a young age. She was sent away for a few weeks. When she returned, the family had basically emptied out everything that they had had.

We of course want a Christian marriage. Our young people know that we expect them to marry officially through the government, which is basically a legal contract, but represents real legal protection especially for the wife. The couple then comes to the church where we have a formal church wedding ceremony and bless the couple. It is interesting that 50% of legal marriages in Suriname terminate within 5 years. Of the ceremonies which I have participated in, only one has divorced some time after the couple left our church for a Pentecostal church.

A big problem is that "show" is important in their culture, and weddings have become very expensive. Most of the costs fall on the future husband or his family. It may take a year or more to pay off loans covering the costs of clothing, food, transportation (including these days a limousine). A number of our young men want to marry but are hindered financially. We are hoping for a breakthrough. Two older couples have been married legally but never had a church service. We have scheduled them for a simple but I believe quite appropriate service the second week in January. I have asked Eduard Akoeba to preach and Kalow Palata to do the ceremony. We are praying that this may break the cycle of having each wedding a bit more fancy than the last one! We are hoping that some of the young men will decide to get married in a less elaborate way.

Our weekly Bible Institutes are on vacation. I am taking the chance to do some DVDs of last year's lessons. I would like to have a complete set of lessons eventually.

We will be at Sunny Point on Sunday, and plan to be in Moengo for 2 days with Kim & Ethan and family next week to celebrate a late Christmas there as well as to have our annual mission meeting.

Prayer requests:

1. Our spiritual growth
2. Strength and health for the task
3. Driving safety - especially to Moengo and back
4. Church growth, souls saved & discipled
5. Further progress on DVDs for the Bible Institute