There’s no more denying it….Christmas is nearly upon us!
With over 2.2 billion Christians around the world, Christmas
is one of the most anticipated and widely celebrated holidays on earth. It’s
utterly amazing, really, when you try to wrap your head around that many people
believing and professing in Jesus Christ as their savior. They may do it
through different traditions, in different houses of worship, and in different
languages….but at the heart of all 2 billion of us, we each believe the very
same thing.
And yet….I found myself astounded three months ago to find
the Christian faith alive and well over 6,000 miles from home on a tiny Fijian
island in the Pacific.
As described at length in an earlier post, Andy and I
traveled to Matamanoa Island in Fiji for our honeymoon. Having never been to
Hawaii or any other tropical island before, it was quite an adventurous treat
for me. We took in practically every activity there was to do on the
island—nearly all of which involved the ocean in some form. One of the
activities I most cherished, however, was one I never expected to partake in
while in Fiji.
Each day in the reception area of the resort, there was a
chalkboard set up with the day’s activities listed out. One day, Andy and I
noticed that there would be a performance by the village church choir that
afternoon. I was instantly intrigued and told Andy we had to be there for it. Nearly
all of the resort staff are native Fijians and live in Tavua, a village on a
neighboring island. Ignorantly, knowing nothing about Fiji’s culture, I assumed
they did not belong to any type of Christian denomination. But that 2.2 billion
worldwide Christian figure I mentioned earlier should’ve made me wonder
otherwise.
The choir was to perform shortly after the daily tea time
held at the resort. Andy and I were sitting out on deck chairs near the pool eating
the complimentary tea cookies and cakes when the choir arrived. Some were
wearing long, white choir robes while others in nicer attire. All of them
carried their hymnal books…..some more tattered than others. Several looked a
little nervous as they assembled themselves into a group right in front of us.
But all of those nervous faces disappeared the moment they started signing.
For the next half hour or so, we listened to the choir sing
in a purely acapella style. Several of the songs were sung in Fijian while
others were in English. But it was entirely irrelevant whether I knew the words
they were signing or not……I understood simply by the power and passion in which
they sang them. I remember listening to them sing and thinking what an amazing
gift it was to hear songs of praise and adoration for the same God I pray to in
a place so different and far away from everything I know. The Fijians look
different, speak different, and undoubtedly practice their Christian faith
differently from the Catholic traditions I’m used to at home---but the core of
their faith is exactly the same as mine. It was a truly beautiful and special
moment of Christianity for me….one which I will never forget.
As Christmas draws near and we anxiously await the
celebration of the birth of our Lord, I can’t help but find myself thinking
about Fiji and all of the wonderful people and traditions we encountered
there. I’m working very hard to keep
that image of the choir singing framed in my mind each day so that I never lose
sight of the real reason behind Christmas.
From the Rocky Mountains of Montana to the cerulean blue waters
of Fiji, let us all sing Joy to the World for the birth of a Savior who
transforms all of our souls to be as white as snow!!
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