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Christmas Is Not Pagan

I thought this video was really interesting, so I thought I’d post it here for others who enjoy this kind of exploration of church history.

As Thanksgiving approaches, we begin to reflect on the abundant blessings God has poured into our lives this year. His generosity reminds us of the joy and purpose found in sharing His love with others.

Each year, World Class Cities Ministries works alongside our trusted ministry partners to identify those in the greatest need around the world. These opportunities are not just about meeting physical needs—they are a chance to share the hope, joy, and love of Christ with those who are struggling the most this Christmas.

With Giving Tuesday arriving next week, we invite you to prayerfully consider joining us in sharing the blessings God has entrusted to us this year with orphans, widows, and impoverished families enduring famine and hopelessness in Zambia, Malawi, and India. Together, we can celebrate the greatest gift the world has ever known—Jesus Christ—by making His love tangible for those in need this Christmas season.

Here are the specific ways you can partner with WCCM to bring the joy and light of Christ to those who need it most this Christmas:

280 Widows, Children, and Elderly Enduring Famine – $1,354.50
Ndola, Zambia

Zambia has faced devastating drought conditions throughout 2024, resulting in the loss of its entire crop and severely limiting its hydroelectric power, which the country relies on for 83% of its electricity. For families in Ndola, this has led to widespread famine, unemployment as shops and factories without electricity cease to operate, and a desperate struggle to survive. Families in Ndola are struggling to survive on one meal a day and have to rely on unsafe water sources shared with animals, exposing them to diseases.

Among the hardest hit are 280 individuals from 70 families in Ndola—widows with young children, elderly who are too infirm to work, and poor families laid off because businesses cannot operate without electricity.

This Christmas, you can help us provide each of these families with 25 kg of maize flour (corn flour), enough to sustain them for about a week—from Christmas Day to New Year’s Day. For just $19.35 per family, this essential provision will nourish their bodies and remind them of Christ’s abundant love and care in their time of need.

120 Poor School Children Enduring Famine – $318
Mufulira, Zambia

In Mufulira, Zambia, a WCCM-trained pastor planted a church that also runs a school for the children of poor families. The school provides a free daily meal to students in addition to the free education it offers. As famine grips the region, enrollment at the school has soared from 40 to 120 students as families desperate to feed their children transfer them to the school for the guarantee that their child will have at least one meal to eat for the day.

This Christmas, we want to bless these 120 children with a special Christmas meal and a candy treat. Additionally, we want to gift each child a toothbrush and toothpaste—a life-changing alternative to their current method of dental care: finding a red brick to crush into powder and using their fingers to brush their teeth with the brick powder, which makes their teeth feel clean but damages their tooth enamel.

For $2.65 per child, we will be able to provide:

• A traditional Christmas dinner, including chicken curry, rice, nshima (a stiff corn flour porridge), potatoes, and a Christmas candy treat;

• A toothbrush and toothpaste.

These simple gifts will not only nourish these children physically but also show them the joy and generosity that flow from the love of Christ.

Note: Beyond our Christmas goals, these children urgently need two additional teachers. Currently, only two teachers manage all the students, creating an overwhelming 60:1 student-teacher ratio because it’s all the school can afford. Adding two teachers would reduce the student-teacher ratio to a more manageable 30:1, allowing these children to receive the education they deserve. A teacher can be hired for a 12-month commitment to the school for a total of $600. If you or someone you know is interested in helping reduce the number of students per teacher, please let us know.

400 Widows, Children, and Elderly Enduring Famine – $1,293.75
Mulanje, Malawi

Malawi is facing a famine as a result of flooding from Tropical Cyclone Freddy. In early 2023, Cyclone Freddy—the strongest and longest-lasting tropical cyclone on record—hit Malawi. The storm lasted a total of 38 days, and once it made landfall and entered Malawi, it dumped 6 months’ worth of rainfall in 6 days. The flooding washed out the country’s crops and washed out the topsoil with them. Even though the flooding is now gone, the nutrient-rich soil was washed away, leaving inhospitable ground where farms once thrived. “More than 2 million farmers lost their crops as 440,000 acres of land were destroyed or washed away, and 1.4 million livestock were drowned, starved, or lost.”¹ Crops no longer grow, and the people are enduring famine.

Among the hardest hit are 400 individuals from 100 families in Mulanje—widows with young children, elderly who are too infirm to work, and poor families, including those who had made a living as local family farmers for generations, who have lost everything to Tropical Cyclone Freddy.

For $17.75 per family, we can provide each family with 20 kg of likuni phala, fortified flour made from a blend of corn, soy, and peanuts and fortified with essential vitamins (A, B1, B2, B3, B9, B12, and C), iron, calcium, and zinc, with approximately twice the protein content of traditional corn flour. This fortified porridge, mixed with water and cooked into a warm meal, will nourish not only their bodies but also their hearts with the tangible love of Christ during this season of hope and joy. This provision be enough to sustain each person for about a week—from Christmas Day to New Year’s Day.

200 Orphans and Children of Single Parents – $540
West Bengal, India

Earlier this year, The 2024 West Bengal Floods displaced over 250,000 residents and devastated the region’s agriculture. Crops were washed away, leaving farmers and the local economy in crisis.

In this region bordering Bangladesh, a dedicated man runs a school for orphans and indigent children of single parents, offering education at no cost to his students in hopes that they will one day be able to break the poverty cycle. This Christmas, we are partnering with him to bring joy and hope to the 200 students of his school who have endured so much this year. For $2.70 per student, we will be able to provide:

• A festive West Bengali Christmas dinner to nourish them, including chicken curry, rice, vegetables, fruit juice, and a special Christmas sweet called payasam made with milk, sugar, rice, cream, raisins, and cashews;

• A toothbrush and toothpaste—a transformational gift for children currently brushing their teeth by crushing red bricks into powder and using their fingers. This simple gift will improve their dental health and be a source of excitement and celebration;

• 2 soccer balls and 2 volleyballs to be shared by all at the school.

These gifts will nourish their bodies, bring joy to their hearts, and serve as a tangible reminder of the love of Christ in their lives.

200 Children In Great Need – $400
Nagaland, India

Over the past two years of ministry in Nagaland, India, WCCM has encountered many children unable to attend school simply because their families cannot afford even the most basic school supplies. These children come from broken homes, living with single parents or grandparents after being abandoned by both parents.

These children deserve the opportunity to receive an education—a chance to break the cycle of poverty and pursue a better future. This Christmas, we want to bless them with the essentials they need to thrive:

• School supplies: 4 notebooks, 2 pencils, 1 sharpener, and 1 eraser—enough to last them through 8 weeks of school.

• Christmas candy: A small treat to bring the joy and celebration of Christmas to their day.

• A toothbrush and toothpaste: A life-changing gift for children currently brushing their teeth by crushing red bricks into powder and using their fingers. This simple gift will improve their dental health and be a source of excitement and celebration.

For $2.00 per child, you can equip them for a brighter future and show them the love of Christ through these thoughtful and practical gifts.

We know this is a significant list of Christmas needs, totaling $3,906.25 to bless all 1,200 people listed above. However, as we reviewed these opportunities, it was clear that each person represented has endured unimaginable hardship this year. Each one is in need of hope and joy and deserves to be touched by the love of Christ as they celebrate this Christmas.

As you gather with loved ones this Thanksgiving to reflect on God’s blessings, we invite you to share these opportunities to bless others who have struggled throughout this year. Consider bringing this post to your Thanksgiving dinner or sharing these projects with your family, friends, and church community. Together, we can multiply the impact and spread the hope and joy of Christ’s love even further this Christmas.

Would you prayerfully consider whether the Lord would be pleased if you took part in helping to fulfill these needs this year?

Donations may be made securely online or by check at the address posted at the same link. When donating:

• You may mark your donation as “Christmas Mission 2024” to support all projects in the priority order they are listed above.

• Alternatively, you may choose the specific Christmas blessing opportunity that the Lord has laid on your heart. If making a donation through PayPal, please select “I will specify on the next page” and type in your chosen project.

• Any funds exceeding the need for a specific project will overflow to the next opportunity in the priority they are listed above. Should all listed needs be fully funded, any additional funds will support other urgent humanitarian projects in Africa and Asia.

Your prayers and generosity are a powerful expression of Christ’s love, and they will bring light and hope to those in desperate need this Christmas.

From all of us at WCCM, we wish you a Happy Thanksgiving and look forward to celebrating the results of this giving season with you!

COG World Missions Number 1029053