Miracles Small and Large

Just as I sat down to write this entry in my Congo journal, my husband called to say that he had spoken by phone with Rev. Ilumbe and Maman Rosette, who had telephoned from Mbandaka to wish us a Merry Christmas.  I checked my cell phone, and sure enough, I had missed a call also, so I returned the call via Skype (a great way to save some money on international calls, even to landlines and cells - no video, but great reception today).

Now, this may not seem to be such a big miracle to many people.  But to someone who grew up in a small town and could only dream of meeting new people in far-off places, the fact that my friends are as close as my keyboard or cell phone dial feels like a big miracle to me.  I remember one Christmas where we called a cousin stationed in Germany - almost certainly the only international call I heard until years later when we studied in France.  Even then, we had to schedule the call at the post office the day before we wanted to talk.  And now, a call to Mbandaka is as easy as calling the next door neighbor.

Our cultural differences are still not insignificant, but this special Christmas greeting reminds me that we can no longer think of the world as anything but our larger neighborhood.  Truly, what happens anywhere touches us all.  My Christmas prayer is that we all can learn to live into the new reality and understand the ties that bind us all to each other.

I hope everyone can reach out this season to friends near and especially, those far away.   They are a precious gift.