Advent – love, joy and peace

From Heaven you came, helpless babe, entered our world, your glory veiled

Not to be served but to serve, and give your life that we might live

This is our God, the Servant King, he calls us now to follow Him

To bring our lives as a daily offering of worship to the Servant king

So let us learn how to serve, and in our lives enthrone him;

Each other’s needs to prefer, for it is Christ we’re serving.

Verses and chorus from a hymn by Graham Kendrick

Somewhere in Kerela in Southern India a leaf is plucked from a Peepal Tree by a young Indian boy. Sometime later a card bearing the same leaf, now beautifully painted by the boy’s mother, conveys Christmas Greetings of Peace and Joy to a family thousands of miles away in another Continent. In such a way and with similar love the message of the birth of Christ is passed around the world between people of all ages and from all Nations.

The boy’s mother is one of a group of poor Indian women supported by HHI who earn money to help feed and clothe their families. Their skills were taught by Tom Sutherland who designed the many patterns of the leaf cards.

The women are lovingly looked after by Pastor Wilson who organises the supply of the leaves and the purchase of the painting materials and sells the leaf cards on their behalf

Let us Pray –
We pray for all those in these troubled times who, by their voices, try to bring about peace where there is war and persecution and who, by their actions, work in difficult and dangerous surroundings to help the poor, the sick and the starving. May we who have plenty be generous in our giving in these days of Advent to those in need and those who devote their lives to helping them.

We pray for the women of Kerela who lovingly paint the doves of Peace and for their families. Amen